Fatty acid patterns of dog erythrocyte membranes after feeding of a fish-oil based DHA-rich supplement with a base diet low in n-3 fatty acids versus a diet containing added n-3 fatty acids

Katja Stoeckel,Leif Højvang Nielsen,Herbert Fuhrmann,Lisa Bachmann

doi:10.1186/1751-0147-53-57

Katja Stoeckel, Leif Højvang Nielsen + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1751-0147-53-57

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Abstract

BackgroundIn dogs, increasing the tissue n-3 fatty acid (FA) content is associated with potential benefit in some medical conditions, e.g. atopic dermatitis, cancer or heart disease. Therefore effectively and conveniently increasing tissue n-3 FA levels in dogs is of interest. Incorporation of dietary n-3 FA into cell membranes may be studied by FA analysis of erythrocyte membranes (EM), because of the correlation of its FA composition with the FA composition of other cells. Aim of the study was to determine whether an n-3 FA additive added to a control diet is as effective in increasing EM n-3 FA content as feeding an n-3 FA enriched diet. Furthermore the time course of the incorporation of dietary n-3 FA into canine EM was investigated.MethodsThirty dogs were randomly divided into three dietary groups with ten dogs per group. CONT got a dry dog food diet which did not contain EPA or DHA. FO got a dry dog food diet with a high EPA and DHA content. ADD got the CONT diet combined with an n-3 FA additive rich in DHA and EPA. After a feeding period of 12 weeks the additive was discontinued in ADD and these dogs were fed CONT diet for another four weeks to observe washout effects. Erythrocyte lipids were extracted from venous blood samples and their FA composition was determined by gas chromatography. The Mann-Whitney-U-test was used to detect significant differences between the different groups and time points.ResultsAfter one week the proportions of n-3 FA, DHA and EPA were already significantly increased in ADD and FO, apparently reaching a plateau within eight weeks. In our study DHA and not EPA was preferably incorporated into the EM. After discontinuing the administration of the additive in ADD, the n-3 FA values declined slowly without reaching baseline levels within four weeks.ConclusionsIn dogs, an increase of dietary n-3 FA content leads to a rapid inclusion of n-3 FA into EM, regardless of whether the n-3 FA are offered as an enriched diet or as a normal diet supplemented with an n-3 FA additive.

Highlights

In dogs, increasing the tissue n-3 fatty acid (FA) content is associated with potential benefit in some medical conditions, e.g. atopic dermatitis, cancer or heart disease
As the body weights of the dogs were similar (Table 2) all dogs within the same group got the same amount of food and the dose of the additive was similar among the dogs of ADD (0.92 ml ± 0.17 ml) during the study period
We compared the incorporation of n-3 FA into erythrocyte membranes (EM) in dogs fed three types of diet; a control diet containing low amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the control diet supplemented with an n-3 FA additive and a commercial dog food containing n-3 FA from fish oil

Summary

Introduction

In dogs, increasing the tissue n-3 fatty acid (FA) content is associated with potential benefit in some medical conditions, e.g. atopic dermatitis, cancer or heart disease. The consumption of n-3 PUFA has been linked to beneficial effects on atopic dermatitis[5], cancer[6], heart disease[7] and chronic renal failure[8]. The inclusion of plentiful DHA in the diet is considered to improve learning ability and the development of the brain[11] If these findings are verified in dogs, the ability to selectively increase the incorporation of either DHA or EPA into cell membranes according to the therapeutic goal, would be desirable as part of the disease management

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