Fish oil, adrenal activation, and cardiovascular health

Abstract

Schmidt et al. point out that fish oil improves endothelial function [ [1] Schmidt E.B. Arnesen H. de Caterina R. Rasmussen L.H. Kristensen S.D. Marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and coronary heart disease: Part I. Background, epidemiology, animal data, effects on risk factors and safety. Thromb Res. 2005; 115: 163-170 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (105) Google Scholar ]. While in vitro work has demonstrated that n-3 fatty acids interact directly with the blood vessels to improve endothelial health [ [2] Chisaki K. Okuda Y. Suzuki S. Miyauchi T. Soma M. Ohkoshi N. et al. Eicosapentaenoic acid suppresses basal and insulin-stimulated endothelin-1 production in human endothelial cells. Hypertens Res. 2003 (Aug.); 26: 655-661 Crossref PubMed Scopus (23) Google Scholar ], there is an indirect mechanism that deserves to be mentioned. Glucocorticoids produced by the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis in response to stress have a negative impact on the endothelium [ 3 Rogers K.M. Bonar C.A. Estrella J.L. Yang S. Inhibitory effect of glucocorticoid on coronary artery endothelial function. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2002 (Nov.); 283: H1922-H1928 PubMed Google Scholar , 4 Ghiadoni L. Donald A.E. Cropley M. Mullen M.J. Oakley G. Taylor M. et al. Mental stress induces transient endothelial dysfunction in humans. Circulation. 2000 (Nov. 14); 102: 2473-2478 Crossref PubMed Scopus (516) Google Scholar ]. Recent research has found that n-3 fatty acids inhibit stress-induced adrenal activation [ [5] Delarue J. Matzinger O. Binnert C. Schneiter P. Chiolero R. Tappy L. Fish oil prevents the adrenal activation elicited by mental stress in healthy men. Diabetes Metab. 2003 (Jun.); 29: 289-295 Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (113) Google Scholar ]. The ability of n-3 fatty acids to blunt adrenal activation may be another mechanism by which fish oil reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.