title: Effects of EPA, γ-linolenic acid or coenzyme Q10 on serum prostate-specific antigen levels: a randomised, double-blind trial.
abstract: The main objective of the present study was to determine the potential of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids or coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) to alter serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in normal healthy men. A total of 504 healthy men with serum PSA level ≤ 2·5 ng/ml were recruited into the study. Serum PSA values were not segregated by decade of age. Participants were randomly assigned to a daily dietary supplement containing n-3 fatty acids (1·12 g of EPA and 0·72 g of DHA per capsule) (group 1, n 126), n-6 fatty acid (600 mg γ-linolenic acid (GLA) each capsule) (group 2, n 126), CoQ10 (100 mg per capsule) (group 3, n 126) or a similar regimen of placebo (group 4, n 126) for 12 weeks. Study medication was administered as two capsules to be taken twice daily. Serum levels of PSA, EPA, DHA, GLA, lipid profile and reproductive hormones were also measured. EPA treatment significantly reduced serum PSA level by 30·0 (95 % CI 25, 36) % (P= 0·004) from baseline. In contrast, GLA therapy significantly increased serum PSA concentration by 15·0 (95 % CI 11, 20) % (P= 0·02). CoQ10 therapy also significantly reduced serum PSA level by 33·0 (95 % CI 27, 40) % (P= 0·002). In multivariable analysis, serum values of PSA were strongly correlated with duration of EPA (r - 0·62; 95 % CI - 0·42, - 0·77; P= 0·003), n-6 (r 0·42; 95 % CI 0·31, 0·58; P= 0·02) and CoQ10 use (r - 0·77; 95 % CI - 0·56, - 0·87; P= 0·001). There were also significant correlations between serum values of DHA, EPA, GLA and CoQ10 and serum PSA levels. The present study demonstrates that dietary supplements containing EPA, GLA or CoQ10 may significantly affect serum PSA levels.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Center for Urological Disease Diagnosis and Private Clinic Specialized in Urological and Andrological Genetics, PO Box 19395-1849, Tehran, Iran. info@safarinejad.com
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Safarinejad
authors.forename: Nayyer
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shafiei
authors.forename: Shiva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Safarinejad
mesh_terms: D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014451:Ubiquinone; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen; C024989:coenzyme Q10