title: Krill oil significantly decreases 2-arachidonoylglycerol plasma levels in obese subjects.
abstract: We have previously shown that krill oil (KO), more efficiently than fish oil, was able to downregulate the endocannabinoid system in different tissues of obese zucker rats.We therefore aimed at investigating whether an intake of 2 g/d of either KO or menhaden oil (MO), which provides 309 mg/d of EPA/DHA 2:1 and 390 mg/d of EPA/DHA 1:1 respectively, or olive oil (OO) for four weeks, is able to modify plasma endocannabinoids in overweight and obese subjects.The results confirmed data in the literature describing increased levels of endocannabinoids in overweight and obese with respect to normo-weight subjects. KO, but not MO or OO, was able to significantly decrease 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), although only in obese subjects. In addition, the decrease of 2-AG was correlated to the plasma n-6/n-3 phospholipid long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) ratio. These data show for the first time in humans that relatively low doses of LCPUFA n-3 as KO can significantly decrease plasma 2-AG levels in obese subjects in relation to decrease of plasma phospholipid n-6/n-3 LCPUFA ratio. This effect is not linked to changes of metabolic syndrome parameters but is most likely due to a decrease of 2-AG biosynthesis caused by the replacement of 2-AG ultimate precursor, arachidonic acid, with n-3 PUFAs, as previously described in obese Zucker rats.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento Biologia Sperimentale, Università di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy. banni@unica.it.
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banni
authors.forename: Gianfranca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carta
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Murru
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cordeddu
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: Anna Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Sirigu
authors.forename: Kjetil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Berge
authors.forename: Hogne
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vik
authors.forename: Kevin C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Maki
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Marzo
authors.forename: Mikko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Griinari