Diabetes puts myocardial n-3 fatty acid status at risk in the absence of supplementation in the rat.

Abstract

ConclusionsThe changes in fatty acid incorporation into myocardial membranes that occurred with acute diabetes in this study were indicative of depressed PUFA desaturation. However this was largely confined to the long‐chain n‐3 PUFA, DHA. Anti‐arrhythmic efficets of n‐3 PUFA diets were associated with elevated DHA levels. It is conclused that perturbed PUFA metabolism in diabetes puts myocardial n‐3 PUFA status at high risk which may have important implications for heart function and that this may be prevented by low‐level supplementation with purified DHA.