Abstracts
Atherosclerosis and Fish Oils
Atherosclerosis
This randomized clinical trial tested whether fish oil supplements can improve human coronary atherosclerosis.
Epidemiologic studies of populations whose intake of oily fish is high, as well as laboratory studies of the effects of the polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish oil, support the hypothesis that fish oil is antiatherogenic.
Mean minimal diameter of atherosclerotic coronary arteries decreased by 0.104 and 0.138 mm in the fish oil and control groups, respectively (p = 0.6 between groups), and percent stenosis increased by 2.4% and 2.6%, respectively (p = 0.8). Confidence intervals exclude improvement by fish oil treatment of > 0.17 mm, or > 2.6%.
Fish oil treatment for 2 years does not promote major favorable changes in the diameter of atherosclerotic coronary arteries.
Controlled trial of fish oil for regression of human coronary atherosclerosis. HARP Research Group. Sacks-FM; Stone-PH; Gibson-CM; Silverman-DI; Rosner-B; Pasternak-RC. J-Am-Coll-Cardiol. 1995 Jun; 25(7): 1492-8.
Bone Density
Bone density
This study indicates that gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in fish oil capsules may maintain bone retention among elderly patients and may be taken over the long term. Both GLA and EPA may increase calcium absorption, lower excretion and enhance calcium deposition in bone. A study tested the relationship between calcium and GLA plus EPA among the elderly participants. A group who later maintained active treatment increased their femoral BMD by 4.7% and lumbar spine density by 2.3%. Therefore, the acids in fish oil might enhance overall bone density for elderly women.
Kruger MC, Coetzer H, de Winter R, Gericke G, van Papendorp DH: Calcium, gamma-linolenic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation in senile osteoporosis, Aging (Milano) 1998 Oct; 10(5): 385-94
Antioxidants & Fish Oils
Antioxidants
According to this study, a low dose of fish oil with and without vitamin E may change plasma antioxidant vitamins. The purpose of this study assessed the effect of fish oil with or without vitamin E on plasma vitamin antioxidants. Thirty healthy women participated in the supplementation trial. Plasma beta-carotene significantly increased after supplementation with fish oil but not with fish oil and vitamin E. Plasma ascorbic acid declined after fish oil supplementation. Fish oil supplementation in general may enhance the efficiency of antioxidant vitamins.
Turley E, Wallace JM, Gilmore WS, Strain JJ: Fish oil supplementation with and without added vitamin E differentially modulates plasma antioxidant concentrations in healthy women, Lipids 1998 Dec; 33(12): 1163-7
Hydroa Vacciniforme
Hydroa Vacciniforme
Dietary fish oil rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may increase resistance to erythemal sensitivity to ultraviolet light. Fish oil may even decrease susceptibility of Hydroa vacciniforme, a photosensitivity disorder, to UV rays. According to the study, dietary fish oil was used to determine its influence on hydroa vacciniforme. After taking fish oil supplements during a clinical trial, all three Caucasian boys had less erythemal sensitivity to UVA and one was not as sensitive to UVB light. Dietary fish oil may help people affected with hydroa vacciniforme disorder.
Rhodes LE, White SI: Dietary fish oil as a photoprotective agent in hydroa vacciniforme, Br J Dermatol 1998 Jan; 138(1): 173-8
LDL Phospholipids
LDL Phospholipids
Fish oil supplementation may reduce the level of phospholipids in LDL. In this study, a small amount of n-3 fatty acid supplementation changed LDL composition, which resulted in lower phospholipid and apolipoprotein B concentrations. The authors note that the results only significantly correlated with an increase in n-3 fatty acid, and not with any other dietary changes. Fish oil supplements may therefore be beneficial in reducing LDL levels.
Sanchez-Muniz FJ, Bastida S, Viejo JM, Terpstra AH: Small supplements of N-3 fatty acids change serum low density lipoprotein composition by decreasing phospholid and apolipoprotein B concentrations in young adult women, Eur J Nutr 1999 Feb; 38(1): 20-7
Myocardial Infarction & Fish Oils
Myocardial Infarction
Evaluated whether increased intake of "fish oils" (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids) might reduce the risk of coronary "heart disease".
Observational and clinical studies have suggested that increased intake of fish oils, as reflected in plasma levels of fish oils, may reduce the risk of "myocardial" "infarction".
14,916 participants in the Physicians' Health Study with a sample of plasma before randomization. Each participant with myocardial infarction occurring during the first 5 years of follow-up was matched by "smoking" status and "age" with a randomly chosen control participant who had not developed coronary "heart" disease.
There was a lack of association between fish oil levels and the incidence of myocardial infarction.
Results indicated no beneficial effect of increased fish oil consumption on the incidence of a first myocardial infarction.
A prospective study of plasma fish oil levels and incidence of myocardial infarction in U.S. male physicians. Guallar-E; Hennekens-CH; Sacks-FM; Willett-WC; Stampfer-MJ. J-Am-Coll-Cardiol. 1995 Feb; 25(2): 387-94.
Preterm infants
Preterm infants
According to this randomized trial, formulas supplemented with fish oil may help to improve the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) status of preterm infants, thereby improving the visual and early cognitive development of such infants (actions for which DHA and EPA are essential). Researchers evaluated the red blood cell phospholipid fatty acid content at enrollment, hospital discharge, expected term, and 3 and 6 months postterm. Infants that were fed the fish-oil enriched formula exhibited higher DHA and EPA content of RBC phospholipids than infants taking the standard formula; and lower arachidonic acid content.
Lapillonne A, et al: The use of low-EPA fish oil for long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation of preterm infants, Pediatr Res 2000 Dec;48(6):835-41
Heart Attack
Heart Attack
Fatty acids derived from fish oil may reduce the risk of acute coronary events, like heart attack or failure, according to this study conducted on 1871 middle-aged men from Eastern Finland. None of the men had clinical coronary heart disease at the beginning of the study. After a follow-up period, it became evident that men who consumed the highest amount of fatty acids from fish oil had a 44 to 67% reduced risk for acute coronary events. These fatty acids were primarily identified as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA).
Rissanen T, Voutilainen S, Nyyssonen K, Lakka TA, Salonen JT: Fish Oil-Derived Fatty Acids, Docosahexaenoic Acid and Docosapentaenoic Acid, and the Risk of Acute Coronary Events : The Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study, Circulation 2000 Nov 28;102(22):2677-2679
Endothelial Integrity
Endothelial Integrity
Fish oil supplementation may significantly decrease inflammation of blood vessel endothelium of elderly patients, according to this double-blind, placebo controlled study conducted on 16 young males and 12 elderly males. In elderly males, fish oil supplementation caused a median decrease of 20% in blood levels of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM-1), a compound linked to the inflammation response of endothelial cells. Young men did not experience this decrease in sVAM-1 levels.
Miles EA, et al: Influence of age and dietary fish oil on plasma soluble adhesion molecule concentrations, Clin Sci (Colch) 2001 Jan 1;100(1):91-100
Inflammation & Fish Oils
Inflammation
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) found in fish oil may decrease natural killer cell (NK) activity, thereby decreasing one aspect of the inflammatory response, according to this double-blind, randomized study. Researchers tested the effects of several polyunsaturated fatty acids on NK cell activity in healthy subjects aged 55 to 75. Subjects received nine capsules a day for 12 weeks, of either placebo, ALA, GLA, arachidonic acid (AA), DHA, or EPA plus DHA (fish oil). Subjects who received fish oil exhibited a 48 percent reduction in NK cell activity from baseline. The other fatty acids had no effect on NK cell activity.
Thies F, et al: Dietary supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid, but not with other long-chain n-3 or n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, decreases natural killer cell activity in healthy subjects aged >55 y, Am J Clin Nutr 2001 Mar;73(3):539-48
Thrombic Stroke
Thrombic stroke
Women who eat fish two or more times per week significantly reduce their risk for thrombotic infarction (stroke due to a blood clot), according to this study conducted on 79,839 women (ages 34-59). Over 14 years of follow-up, researchers studied stroke risk in association with fish and omega-3 polyunsaturated fat intake. Women with a higher intake of fish had a lower risk of total stroke, and women with the highest fish intake exhibited significant risk reduction for thrombotic stroke. No association was found for hemorrhagic stroke and fish intake.
Iso H, et al: Intake of fish and omega-3 fatty acids and risk of stroke in women, JAMA 2001 Jan 17;285(3):304-12
Enhancement of Effects by Vitamin E
Enhancement of effects by vitamin E
Vitamin E may enhance the beneficial antioxidant effects of fish oil in hypercholesterolemic rabbits, according to this study. Rabbits were fed a high fat and cholesterol diet, with or without fish oil and/or vitamin E supplement, for six weeks. Compared to a normal diet, the high fat and cholesterol diet increased atheroma formation, plasma lipid and peroxide levels, decreased blood glutathione levels, and reduced plasma glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase activities. Fish oil supplementation reduced atheroma and increased glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase activities and blood glutathione levels. However, it also increased plasma lipid peroxide levels. When vitamin E was administered along with the fish oil supplement, it enhanced the supplement's effects by increasing glutathione reductase activity and decreasing peroxide levels. Therefore, a combination of fish oil and vitamin E supplementation may be beneficial for enhancing the body's antioxidative defenses in hypercholesterolemia.
Hsu HC, Lee YT, Chen MF: Effects of fish oil and vitamin E on the antioxidant defense system in diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rabbits, Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat 2001 Sep;66(2):99-108
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