Plasma lipoprotein profile and lipolytic activities in response to the substitution of lean white fish for other animal protein sources in premenopausal women

Abstract

A crossover study was conducted to examine the effects on plasma lipoprotein concentrations of substituting lean white fish (LWF) for beef, port, veal, eggs, and milk products (BPVEM) within prudent isoenergetic diets. Fourteen premenopausal women received 8784 kJ--20% as protein, 50% as carbohydrates, and 30% as lipids [ratio of polyunsaturated to monounsaturated to saturated fatty acids (P:M:S) of 1:1:1 compared with 0.4:1:1 in preexperimental diet]--and 260 mg cholesterol/d. After 4 wk, the BPVEM diet significantly reduced concentrations of plasma cholesterol, low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, HDL-apolipoprotein A-I, and LDL-apolipoprotein B (P<0.05) as well as plasma postheparin hepatic triacylglycerol lipase activity compared with the preexperimental diet. These effects are probably attributable to elevation of the P:M:S. These responses were not observed with the LWF diet, suggesting that fish protein in LWF maintains unchanged plasma cholesterol concentrations despite a high P:M:S. The LWF diet, compared with the preexperimental diet, reduced very-low-density-lipoprotein triacylglycerol (P<0.05) and also the ratio of LDL cholesterol to apolipoprotein B (P<0.05), revealing the presence of denser LDL particles. Compared with the BPVEM diet, the LWF diet induced lower concentrations of very-low-density-lipoprotein triacylglycerols (P<0.05) and higher concentrations of LDL triacylglycerol and LDL apolipoprotein B (P<0.05), which were not associated with any increase in lipoprotein lipase activity. These results suggest that LWF as a substitute for BPVEM in isoenergetic diets with an elevated P:S produces minimal improvement in the lipoprotein profile in premenopausal women.