Lipid Responses to a Dietary Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplement in Men and Women with Below Average Levels of High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol

Abstract

Objective: To assess fasting lipid responses to a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplement in men and women with below-average levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.Methods: This randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial included 57 subjects, 21–80 years of age, with fasting HDL cholesterol concentrations ≤44 mg/dL (men) and ≤54 mg/dL (women), but ≥35 mg/dL. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either 1.52 g/day DHA from capsules containing DHA-rich algal triglycerides or olive oil (control) for six weeks.Results: There were no significant differences between groups in baseline lipid values. The DHA supplemented group showed significant changes [−43 (DHA) vs. −14 (controls) mg/dL, p = 0.015] and percent changes [−21% (DHA) vs. −7% (controls), p = 0.009] in triglycerides, total (12 vs. 3 mg/dL; p = 0.021 and 6% vs. 2%; p = 0.018) and low-density lipoprotein (17 vs. 3 mg/dL; p = 0.001 and 12% vs. 3%; p = 0.001) cholesterol concentrations, and in the triglyceride to HDL cholesterol ratio (−1.33 vs. −0.50, p = 0.010), compared with controls. In addition, there was a significant reduction in the percentage of LDL cholesterol carried by small, dense particles in the DHA supplemented group (changes = −10% vs. −3%, p = 0.025).Conclusions: Supplementation with 1.52 g/d of DHA in men and women with below-average HDL cholesterol concentrations raised the LDL cholesterol level, but had favorable effects on triglycerides, the triglyceride/HDL cholesterol ratio and the fraction of LDL cholesterol carried by small, dense particles. Further research is warranted to evaluate the net impact of these alterations on cardiovascular risk.