title: The acute and long-term effects of dietary fatty acids on vascular function in health and disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vascular function is recognized as an early and integrative marker of cardiovascular disease. While there is consistent evidence that the quantity of dietary fat has significant effects on vascular function, the differential effects of individual fatty acids is less clear. This review summarizes recent evidence from randomly controlled dietary studies on the impact of dietary fatty acids on vascular function, as determined by flow-mediated dilatation (FMD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Critical appraisal is given to five intervention studies (one acute, four chronic) which examined the impact of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid [eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] on FMD. In the acute setting, a high dose of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (4.9 g per 70 kg man) improved postprandial FMD significantly, compared with a saturated fatty acid-rich meal in healthy individuals. In longer-term studies, there was limited evidence for a significant effect of EPA/DHA on FMD in diseased groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The strongest evidence for the benefits of EPA/DHA on vascular function is in the postprandial state. More evidence from randomly controlled intervention trials with foods will be required to substantiate the long-term effects of EPA/DHA, to inform public health and clinical recommendations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences and Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, UK. j.a.lovegrove@reading.ac.uk
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lovegrove
authors.forename: Bruce A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Griffin
mesh_terms: D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D019518:Postprandial Period / Q000187:drug effects; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D014280:Triglycerides; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid