title: Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation appears to attenuate particulate air pollution-induced cardiac effects and lipid changes in healthy middle-aged adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Air pollution exposure has been associated with adverse cardiovascular health effects. Findings of a recent epidemiological study suggested that omega-3 fatty acid (fish oil) supplementation blunted cardiac responses to air pollution exposure.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We conducted a randomized, controlled exposure study to evaluate the efficacy of fish oil supplements in attenuating adverse cardiac effects of exposure to concentrated ambient fine and ultrafine particulate matter (CAP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine healthy middle-aged participants (mean, 58 ± 1 years of age) were supplemented in a randomized, double-blinded manner with 3 g/day of either fish oil or olive oil for 4 weeks before sequential chamber exposure to filtered air and CAP (mean mass concentration 278 ± 19 µg/m3) for 2 hr. Cardiac responses were assessed by comparing time and frequency domain changes in heart rate variability (HRV) and electrocardiographic repolarization changes measured before, immediately after, and 20 hr after exposure. Changes in plasma lipids were also evaluated at these time points.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fish oil supplementation appeared to attenuate CAP-induced reductions in high-frequency/low-frequency ratio, as well as elevations in normalized low-frequency HRV and prolongation of the QT interval corrected for heart rate (QTc). Very low-density lipoprotein and triglyceride concentrations increased significantly immediately after exposure to CAP in participants supplemented with olive oil, but not in those supplemented with fish oil.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure of healthy middle-aged adults to CAP for 2 hr induced acute cardiac and lipid changes after supplementation with olive oil, but not fish oil. Our findings suggest that omega-3 fatty acid supplements offer protection against the adverse cardiac and lipid effects associated with air pollution exposure.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Public Health Division, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, USA. tong.haiyan@epa.gov
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Ana G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Rappold
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Diaz-Sanchez
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Steck
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berntsen
authors.forename: Wayne E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Cascio
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Devlin
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Samet
mesh_terms: D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils; D052638:Particulate Matter