Comparison of Omega-3 Eicosapentaenoic Acid Versus Docosahexaenoic Acid-Rich Fish Oil Supplementation on Plasma Lipids and Lipoproteins in Normolipidemic Adults.

Zhi-Hong Yang,Marcelo Amar,Scott M Gordon,Nehal N Mehta,Martin P Playford,Michael Stagliano,Angel M Aponte,Alexander V Sorokin,Shanna Yang,Alan T Remaley,Maureen Sampson,Yi-Ping Fu,Amber B Courville

doi:10.3390/nu12030749

Abstract

Background: Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have both shared and different cardiovascular effects, and commonly used fish oil supplements have considerably varied EPA/DHA ratios. Aims: We compared the effects of fish oil supplements with different EPA/DHA ratios on lipoprotein metabolism. Methods: In a double-blind, randomized cross-over study, normolipidemic adults (n = 30) consumed 12 g/day of EPA-rich (EPA/DHA: 2.3) or DHA-rich (EPA/DHA: 0.3) fish oil for 8-weeks, separated by an 8-week washout period. Results: Both fish oil supplements similarly lowered plasma TG levels and TG-related NMR parameters versus baseline (p < 0.05). There were no changes in plasma cholesterol-related parameters due to either fish oil, although on-treatment levels for LDL particle number were slightly higher for DHA-rich oil compared with EPA-rich oil (p < 0.05). Both fish oil supplements similarly altered HDL subclass profile and proteome, and down regulated HDL proteins related to inflammation, with EPA-rich oil to a greater extent. Furthermore, EPA-rich oil increased apoM abundance versus DHA-rich oil (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Overall, fish oil supplements with varied EPA/DHA ratios had similar effects on total lipids/lipoproteins, but differences were observed in lipoprotein subfraction composition and distribution, which could impact on the use of EPA versus DHA for improving cardiovascular health.

Highlights

Fish oil supplements are one of the most commonly used non-vitamin/non-mineral natural products consumed in the United States and are used for several putative health benefits, including for their atheroprotective benefits on heart disease [1]
This study addressed whether fish oil supplements with varied Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)/docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) ratios have different effects on lipoprotein metabolism in healthy normolipidemic adults
We chose two fish oil supplements from natural sources that nearly spans the range for EPA/DHA that can be found in over-the-counter fish oil supplements

Summary

Introduction

Fish oil supplements are one of the most commonly used non-vitamin/non-mineral natural products consumed in the United States and are used for several putative health benefits, including for their atheroprotective benefits on heart disease [1]. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have both shared and different cardiovascular effects, and commonly used fish oil supplements have considerably varied EPA/DHA ratios. There were no changes in plasma cholesterol-related parameters due to either fish oil, on-treatment levels for LDL particle number were slightly higher for DHA-rich oil compared with EPA-rich oil (p < 0.05). Both fish oil supplements altered HDL subclass profile and proteome, and down regulated HDL proteins related to inflammation, with EPA-rich oil to a greater extent. Conclusions: Overall, fish oil supplements with varied EPA/DHA ratios had similar effects on total lipids/lipoproteins, but differences were observed in lipoprotein subfraction composition and distribution, which could impact on the use of EPA versus DHA for improving cardiovascular health

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