Assessment of blood measures of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids with acute fish oil supplementation and washout in men and women

• Published in: Prostaglandins, leukotrienes and essential fatty acids leukotrienes and essential fatty acids, 2009-07, Vol.81 (1), p.23-29
• Main Authors: Metherel, A.H, Armstrong, J.M, Patterson, A.C, Stark, K.D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Advanced Basic Science; Biological and medical sciences; Blood biomarker; Dietary Supplements; Docosahexaenoic acid; Eicosapentaenoic acid; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - blood; Endocrinology & Metabolism; Erythrocytes; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - blood; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated - blood; Female; Fingertip prick blood; Fish Oils - administration & dosage; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Male; n-3 fatty acids; Plasma; Sex; Sex Factors; Supplementation; Vertebrates: endocrinology; Whole blood; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0952-3278; 1532-2823
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2009.05.018

Abstract Changes in n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA, ≥20 carbons and ≥3 carbon–carbon double bonds) at baseline, during fish oil supplementation (4 weeks) and during washout (8 weeks) were compared in venous plasma, erythrocytes, whole blood and fingertip prick blood (weeks 0, 4, 8 and 12) with additional weekly fingertip prick samples. Correlations between the various blood fractions were slightly stronger when n-3 HUFA status was expressed as the percentage of n-3 HUFA in total HUFA as compared with the sum of EPA and DHA. Increases and decreases in n-3 HUFA were more dramatic in plasma, and EPA responded rapidly (within 1 week) with fish oil supplementation and cessation. Sex differences in the proportions of n-3 HUFA in blood were also apparent at baseline with females ( n =7) having a tendency for higher docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) relative to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) and n-3 docosapentaenoic acid (DPAn-3, 22:5n-3) as compared with males ( n =9). Further n-3 biomarker research in larger populations is required.