Kinetics of 13C-DHA before and during fish-oil supplementation in healthy older individuals.
BACKGROUND
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) kinetics appear to change with intake, which is an effect that we studied in an older population by using uniformly carbon-13-labeled DHA ((13)C-DHA).


OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the influence of a fish-oil supplement over 5 mo on the kinetics of (13)C-DHA in older persons.


METHODS
Thirty-four healthy, cognitively normal participants (12 men, 22 women) aged between 52 and 90 y were recruited. Two identical kinetic studies were performed, each with the use of a single oral dose of 40 mg (13)C-DHA. The first kinetic study was performed before participants started taking a 5-mo supplementation that provided 1.4 g DHA/d plus 1.8 g eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)/d (baseline); the second study was performed during the final month of supplementation (supplement). In both kinetic studies, blood and breath samples were collected ≤8 h and weekly over 4 wk to analyze (13)C enrichment.


RESULTS
The time × supplement interaction for (13)C-DHA in the plasma was not significant, but there were separate time and supplement effects (P < 0.0001). The area under the curve for plasma (13)C-DHA was 60% lower while subjects were taking the supplement than at baseline (P < 0.0001). The uniformly carbon-13-labeled EPA concentration was 2.6 times as high 1 d posttracer while patients were taking the supplement as it was at baseline. The mean (±SEM) plasma (13)C-DHA half-life was 4.5 ± 0.4 d at baseline compared with 3.0 ± 0.2 d while taking the supplement (P < 0.0001). Compared with baseline, the mean whole-body half-life was 61% lower while subjects were taking the supplement. The loss of (13)C-DHA through β-oxidation to carbon dioxide labeled with carbon-13 increased from 0.085% of dose/h at baseline to 0.208% of dose/h while subjects were taking the supplement.


CONCLUSIONS
In older persons, a supplement of 3.2 g EPA + DHA/d increased β-oxidation of (13)C-DHA and shortened the plasma (13)C-DHA half-life. Therefore, when circulating concentrations of EPA and DHA are increased, more DHA is available for β-oxidation. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01577004.
From the Research Center on Aging, Health and Social Services Centre-University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada (MP, RC-W, CR-P, MF, MTMD, M-JA, JT-M, DL, and SCC); the Departments of Medicine (MP, PP, and SCC), Physiology (RC-W and MTMD), and Psychology (DL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada; the, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (YZ, PL, and JTB); and the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (MP, RC-W, MTMD, M-CV, and SCC) and Department of Food Science and Nutrition (M-CV), Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Mélanie
M
Plourde
From the Research Center on Aging, Health and Social Services Centre-University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada (MP, RC-W, CR-P, MF, MTMD, M-JA, JT-M, DL, and SCC); the Departments of Medicine (MP, PP, and SCC), Physiology (RC-W and MTMD), and Psychology (DL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada; the, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (YZ, PL, and JTB); and the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (MP, RC-W, MTMD, M-CV, and SCC) and Department of Food Science and Nutrition (M-CV), Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Raphaël
R
Chouinard-Watkins
From the Research Center on Aging, Health and Social Services Centre-University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada (MP, RC-W, CR-P, MF, MTMD, M-JA, JT-M, DL, and SCC); the Departments of Medicine (MP, PP, and SCC), Physiology (RC-W and MTMD), and Psychology (DL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada; the, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (YZ, PL, and JTB); and the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (MP, RC-W, MTMD, M-CV, and SCC) and Department of Food Science and Nutrition (M-CV), Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Christine
C
Rioux-Perreault
From the Research Center on Aging, Health and Social Services Centre-University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada (MP, RC-W, CR-P, MF, MTMD, M-JA, JT-M, DL, and SCC); the Departments of Medicine (MP, PP, and SCC), Physiology (RC-W and MTMD), and Psychology (DL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada; the, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (YZ, PL, and JTB); and the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (MP, RC-W, MTMD, M-CV, and SCC) and Department of Food Science and Nutrition (M-CV), Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Mélanie
M
Fortier
From the Research Center on Aging, Health and Social Services Centre-University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada (MP, RC-W, CR-P, MF, MTMD, M-JA, JT-M, DL, and SCC); the Departments of Medicine (MP, PP, and SCC), Physiology (RC-W and MTMD), and Psychology (DL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada; the, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (YZ, PL, and JTB); and the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (MP, RC-W, MTMD, M-CV, and SCC) and Department of Food Science and Nutrition (M-CV), Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Marie Thuy Mai
MT
Dang
From the Research Center on Aging, Health and Social Services Centre-University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada (MP, RC-W, CR-P, MF, MTMD, M-JA, JT-M, DL, and SCC); the Departments of Medicine (MP, PP, and SCC), Physiology (RC-W and MTMD), and Psychology (DL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada; the, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (YZ, PL, and JTB); and the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (MP, RC-W, MTMD, M-CV, and SCC) and Department of Food Science and Nutrition (M-CV), Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Marie-Julie
MJ
Allard
From the Research Center on Aging, Health and Social Services Centre-University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada (MP, RC-W, CR-P, MF, MTMD, M-JA, JT-M, DL, and SCC); the Departments of Medicine (MP, PP, and SCC), Physiology (RC-W and MTMD), and Psychology (DL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada; the, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (YZ, PL, and JTB); and the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (MP, RC-W, MTMD, M-CV, and SCC) and Department of Food Science and Nutrition (M-CV), Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Jennifer
J
Tremblay-Mercier
From the Research Center on Aging, Health and Social Services Centre-University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada (MP, RC-W, CR-P, MF, MTMD, M-JA, JT-M, DL, and SCC); the Departments of Medicine (MP, PP, and SCC), Physiology (RC-W and MTMD), and Psychology (DL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada; the, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (YZ, PL, and JTB); and the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (MP, RC-W, MTMD, M-CV, and SCC) and Department of Food Science and Nutrition (M-CV), Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Ying
Y
Zhang
From the Research Center on Aging, Health and Social Services Centre-University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada (MP, RC-W, CR-P, MF, MTMD, M-JA, JT-M, DL, and SCC); the Departments of Medicine (MP, PP, and SCC), Physiology (RC-W and MTMD), and Psychology (DL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada; the, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (YZ, PL, and JTB); and the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (MP, RC-W, MTMD, M-CV, and SCC) and Department of Food Science and Nutrition (M-CV), Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Peter
P
Lawrence
From the Research Center on Aging, Health and Social Services Centre-University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada (MP, RC-W, CR-P, MF, MTMD, M-JA, JT-M, DL, and SCC); the Departments of Medicine (MP, PP, and SCC), Physiology (RC-W and MTMD), and Psychology (DL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada; the, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (YZ, PL, and JTB); and the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (MP, RC-W, MTMD, M-CV, and SCC) and Department of Food Science and Nutrition (M-CV), Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Marie-Claude
MC
Vohl
From the Research Center on Aging, Health and Social Services Centre-University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada (MP, RC-W, CR-P, MF, MTMD, M-JA, JT-M, DL, and SCC); the Departments of Medicine (MP, PP, and SCC), Physiology (RC-W and MTMD), and Psychology (DL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada; the, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (YZ, PL, and JTB); and the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (MP, RC-W, MTMD, M-CV, and SCC) and Department of Food Science and Nutrition (M-CV), Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Patrice
P
Perron
From the Research Center on Aging, Health and Social Services Centre-University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada (MP, RC-W, CR-P, MF, MTMD, M-JA, JT-M, DL, and SCC); the Departments of Medicine (MP, PP, and SCC), Physiology (RC-W and MTMD), and Psychology (DL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada; the, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (YZ, PL, and JTB); and the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (MP, RC-W, MTMD, M-CV, and SCC) and Department of Food Science and Nutrition (M-CV), Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Dominique
D
Lorrain
From the Research Center on Aging, Health and Social Services Centre-University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada (MP, RC-W, CR-P, MF, MTMD, M-JA, JT-M, DL, and SCC); the Departments of Medicine (MP, PP, and SCC), Physiology (RC-W and MTMD), and Psychology (DL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada; the, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (YZ, PL, and JTB); and the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (MP, RC-W, MTMD, M-CV, and SCC) and Department of Food Science and Nutrition (M-CV), Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
J Thomas
JT
Brenna
From the Research Center on Aging, Health and Social Services Centre-University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada (MP, RC-W, CR-P, MF, MTMD, M-JA, JT-M, DL, and SCC); the Departments of Medicine (MP, PP, and SCC), Physiology (RC-W and MTMD), and Psychology (DL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada; the, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (YZ, PL, and JTB); and the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (MP, RC-W, MTMD, M-CV, and SCC) and Department of Food Science and Nutrition (M-CV), Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Stephen C
SC
Cunnane
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D005395:Fish Oils; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid