title: Blood pressure-lowering effects of long chain n-3 fatty acids from meals enriched with liquid fish oil and from microencapsulated powder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diet plays an important role in the etiology of hypertension. Blood pressure (BP)-lowering properties of long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA) are promising. The aim was to investigate whether different formulations of fish oil differently affect blood pressure in community-dwelling adults. The hypothesis was that fish oil formulations would improve BP in comparison with a placebo.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this 4-week randomized, placebo-controlled, doubly-blinded dietary intervention study, participants (N = 99, >50 years) from the capital area of Iceland were randomized into three groups. Group 1 (n = 38) received 6 meals/week fortified with a liquid fish oil and placebo powder. Group 2 (n = 30) received conventional (unfortified) meals and microencapsulated powder. Group 3 (n = 31) was the control group which received conventional meals and placebo powder. Calculated on a weekly basis, the amount of EPA + DHA provided was 1.5 g/d. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) were measured before and after the intervention period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-seven subjects finished the study (77.8%). Drop-out rates were not different between groups. According to multivariate statistics, endpoint SBP was lower in Group 1 (-7.0 mmHg, p = 0.037) and in Group 2 (-7.2 mmHg, p = 0.037) as compared with Group 3. There was no significant difference in DBP between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that LC n-3 PUFA from microencapsulated powder are equally effective to meaningfully reduce SBP as LC n-3 PUFA from meals enriched with liquid fish oil in comparison with a control group.
authors.affiliation: a The Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D Institute , Reykjavik , Iceland ;
authors.forename: Kolbrun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sveinsdottir
authors.affiliation: a The Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D Institute , Reykjavik , Iceland ;
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martinsdottir
authors.affiliation: a The Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D Institute , Reykjavik , Iceland ;|b Unit for Nutrition Research , National University Hospital & Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland , Reykjavik , Iceland.
authors.forename: Alfons
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramel
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005527:Food, Fortified / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011208:Powders
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils; D011208:Powders
keywords: Cardiovascular disease; bioavailability; diet