Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Deficiency Research Articles

Effect of Omega-3 Rich High-Fat Diet on Markers of Tissue Lipid Metabolism in Glucocorticoid-Treated Mice.

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are some of the most widely prescribed therapies for treating numerous inflammatory diseases and multiple cancer types. With chronic use, GCs' therapeutic benefits are concurrent with deleterious metabolic side effects, which worsen when combined with a high-fat diet (HFD). One characteristic of the common Western HFD is the presence of high omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and a deficiency in omega-3 PUFAs. The aim of this experiment was to determine whether fat composition resulting from HFD affects glucocorticoid-induced alterations in lipid-handling by the liver and skeletal muscle. Male wild-type C57BL/6 mice were randomized into two groups: n-6 (45% fat 177.5 g lard) and n-3 (45% fat 177.5 g Menhaden oil). After 4 weeks on their diets, groups were divided to receive either daily injections of dexamethasone (3 mg/kg/day) or sterile PBS for 1 week while continuing diets. The n-3 HFD diet attenuated adipose and hepatic fatty accumulation and prevented GC-induced increases in liver lipid metabolism markers Cd36 and Fabp. N-3 HFD had little effect on markers of lipid metabolism in oxidative and glycolytic skeletal muscle and was unable to attenuate GC-induced gene expression in the muscle. The present study's result demonstrated that the change of fat composition in HFD could beneficially alter the fatty acid accumulation and associated lipid metabolism markers in mice treated with dexamethasone.

Overconsumption of Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) versus Deficiency of Omega-3 PUFAs in Modern-Day Diets: The Disturbing Factor for Their "Balanced Antagonistic Metabolic Functions" in the Human Body.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) contain ≥2 double-bond desaturations within the acyl chain. Omega-3 (n-3) and Omega-6 (n-6) PUFAs are the two known important families in human health and nutrition. In both Omega families, many forms of PUFAs exist: α-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from the n-3 family and linoleic acid (LA), dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA), and arachidonic acid (AA) from the n-6 family are the important PUFAs for human health. Omega-3 and Omega-6 PUFAs are competitively metabolized by the same set of desaturation, elongation, and oxygenase enzymes. The lipid mediators produced from their oxidative metabolism perform opposing (antagonistic) functions in the human body. Except for DGLA, n-6 PUFA-derived lipid mediators enhance inflammation, platelet aggregation, and vasoconstriction, while those of n-3 inhibit inflammation and platelet aggregation and enhance vasodilation. Overconsumption of n-6 PUFAs with low intake of n-3 PUFAs is highly associated with the pathogenesis of many modern diet-related chronic diseases. The volume of n-6 PUFAs is largely exceeding the volume of n-3PUFAs. The current n-6/n-3 ratio is 20-50/1. Due to higher ratios of n-6/n-3 in modern diets, larger quantities of LA- and AA-derived lipid mediators are produced, becoming the main causes of the formation of thrombus and atheroma, the allergic and inflammatory disorders, and the proliferation of cells, as well as the hyperactive endocannabinoid system. Therefore, in order to reduce all of these risks which are due to overconsumption of n-6 PUFAs, individuals are required to take both PUFAs in the highly recommended n-6/n-3 ratio which is 4-5/1.

Polyunsaturated fatty acid deficiency and pediatric neuropsychiatric morbidity

Child morbidity and disability is a national problem in any country, and measures to reduce it are the priority for every society. Recent years, children’s diseases such as neuropsychiatric diseases, (24,3%), nervous system diseases (22.9%); congenital anomalies (malformations), deformations and chromosomal disorders (16.2%). The absolute value of disabled children with nervous system diseases as of January 1, 2020 was 157,727. At all stages of the nervous system formation, the process of cell membranes formation, covering both glial cells and neurons themselves (and their branches - dendrites and axons), progresses actively. Cell membranes consist mainly of phospholipids, which are synthesized from long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids coming from food. In an attempt to determine the reasons for the growing disability of the child population, the researchers drew attention to the changed nature of the nutrition of society in general and the child population in particular over the past century. One of the significant components of the diet that affects the formation and development of the nervous system and the mental sphere were polyunsaturated fatty acids, some of which, with an unbalanced diet, can’t be obtained by the body from sources alternative to food. In this review, we observe the experience of correcting the nutritional status of young children and pregnant and lactating women with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Numerous studies have confirmed the fact that there is a relationship between omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids deficiency, neurological deficiency and reduced intellectual abilities of a child.

MON-129 Analysis of Omega3 PUFAs Status Among the Female and Male Population of the Moscow Region

INTRODUCTION:All humans have levels of EPA+DHA that if methodologically correctly assessed in erythrocytes, are optimal more than 8%. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), namely eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are permanent subjects of interest not only in relation to the protection of cardiovascular health and the prevention of the incidence of both ventricular and atrial arrhythmias, but also many serious health issues that can be prevented by optimal levels. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess in a retrospective study the omega-3 PUFAs status at Moscow region according age and sex.SUBJECTS AND METHODS:In this retrospective study, the records of 1349 patients who presented with various complaints in the period from 2013 to 2017 aged 1 to 91 were examined. Fatty acids within the red blood cell membranes were analyzed as methyl ethers after trans-esterification with sodium methylate using GC-MS followed by omega-3 index calculation.RESULTS:Deficiency of omega-3 PUFAs was found in 68.5% of patients. The most severe deficiency was noted in children and adolescents aged 0 to 17 years (in girls to a greater extent). In age groups of 18–44 and 45–59 years, the prevalence of severe (<4%) and moderate (4–8%) deficiency was comparable in males and females: among 18–44-year-old men severe deficiency was noted in 5.6%, moderate – in 29.4%, at the age of 45–59 years – in 7 and 23%, respectively; among women – 6.4, 24.4, 8.4 and 20%, respectively. In the age group of 60-74 years, prevalence of severe deficiency was significantly higher in men, who had severe deficiency in 9.2% of cases, whereas in women of the same age it was found only in 4.8% of cases, the prevalence of moderate deficiency is 23 and 23.8%, respectively.CONCLUSIONS:Such high prevalence of severe omega-3 PUFA deficiency in girls under 17 is likely due to girls’ and their parents’ concerns about weight, diet and veganism, and requires the inclusion of omega-3 index analysis in adolescent girls’ screening. Thus, during the most important period – the period of puberty – 25% of girls have metabolic and hypoxic disorders due to deficiency of omega-3 PUFA and are at risk of not only diseases associated with metabolic disorders, but also reproductive disorders (infertility, miscarriage, fetal malformations). The obtained data is indicative of the necessity to choose dosages of omega-3 PUFAs, considering not only the patients age, but also their gender.

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Deficiency and Progressive Neuropathology in Psychiatric Disorders: A Review of Translational Evidence and Candidate Mechanisms.

Meta-analytic evidence indicates that mood and psychotic disorders are associated with both omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (omega-3 PUFA) deficits and progressive regional gray and white matter pathology. Although the association between omega-3 PUFA insufficiency and progressive neuropathological processes remains speculative, evidence from translational research suggests that omega-3 PUFA insufficiency may represent a plausible and modifiable risk factor not only for enduring neurodevelopmental abnormalities in brain structure and function, but also for increased vulnerability to neurodegenerative processes. Recent evidence from human neuroimaging studies suggests that lower omega-3 PUFA intake/status is associated with accelerated gray matter atrophy in healthy middle-aged and elderly adults, particularly in brain regions consistently implicated in mood and psychotic disorders, including the amygdala, anterior cingulate, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and temporal cortex. Human neuroimaging evidence also suggests that both low omega-3 PUFA intake/status and psychiatric disorders are associated with reductions in white matter microstructural integrity and increased rates of white matter hyperintensities. Preliminary evidence suggests that increasing omega-3 PUFA status is protective against gray matter atrophy and deficits in white matter microstructural integrity in patients with mood and psychotic disorders. Plausible mechanisms mediating this relationship include elevated pro-inflammatory signaling, increased synaptic regression, and reductions in cerebral perfusion. Together these associations encourage additional neuroimaging research to directly investigate whether increasing omega-3 PUFA status can mitigate neuropathological processes in patients with, or at high risk for, psychiatric disorders.

Alterations of attention and impulsivity in the rat following a transgenerational decrease in dietary omega-3 fatty acids

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), particularly the omega-3 PUFAs, are thought to be involved in neuronal processes, to play a role in neurodevelopmental disorders and to be important for the integrity of central nervous system functioning. The present study investigated the effects of nutritional omega-3 PUFAs on attentional functions and impulsive behavior in Wistar rats. For this purpose, female Wistar rats were fed an omega-3 deficient diet over several generations, and the dams of the seventh generation were randomly assigned to two diet groups and fed an omega-3 deficient or an omega-3 sufficient diet. In addition, a group of previously untreated dams was fed an omega-3 sufficient diet. The male offspring of these three diet groups were tested using an established paradigm for the assessment of attention and impulsive behavior, i.e. a modified version of the five-choice-serial-reaction-time task (5CSRTT). The present data show that the deficiency of omega-3 PUFAs over generations led to substantial changes in attentional processes and impulsive behaviors. The impairments associated with an omega-3 deficiency were partly corrected by treatment with the omega-3 sufficient diet in the last generation of the omega-3 deficient group which showed substantial improvements in attention parameters. While there were no significant effects of dietary modifications on psychomotor activity levels, there was some evidence for changes in impulsive behavior. In conclusion, transgenerational dietary changes in the availability of omega-3 PUFAs led to changes in attentional processes and impulsive behavior in rats, supporting the hypothesis that omega-3 PUFAs play a role in cognitive and behavioral processes. The present findings offer a promising approach in the investigation of the role of omega-3 PUFAs in a variety of cognitive and behavioral domains.

Анализ распространенности дефицита омега-3-полиненасыщенных жирных кислот среди жителей разного пола в московском регионе

Анализ распространенности дефицита омега-3-полиненасыщенных жирных кислот среди жителей разного пола в московском регионе

Meta-analysis of erythrocyte polyunsaturated fatty acid biostatus in bipolar disorder.

Dietary deficiency in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3), and excesses in omega-6 fatty acids, including linoleic acid (LA; 18:2n-6) and arachidonic acid (AA; 20:4n-6), may be associated with the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder. In an effort to provide clarification regarding the relationship between PUFA biostatus and bipolar disorder, this meta-analysis investigated studies comparing erythrocyte (red blood cell) membrane PUFA composition in patients with bipolar disorder and healthy controls. A meta-analysis was performed on case-control studies comparing erythrocyte PUFA (EPA, DHA, LA and AA) levels in patients with bipolar I disorder and healthy controls. Standardized effect sizes were calculated and combined using a random effects model. Six eligible case-control studies comprising n = 118 bipolar I patients and n = 147 healthy controls were included in the analysis. Compared with healthy controls, patients with bipolar I disorder exhibited robust erythrocyte DHA deficits (p = 0.0008) and there was a trend for lower EPA (p = 0.086). There were no significant differences in LA (p = 0.42) or AA (p = 0.64). Bipolar I disorder is associated with robust erythrocyte DHA deficits. These findings add to a growing body of evidence implicating omega-3 PUFA deficiency in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder.

Association of decreased spermatozoa omega-3 fatty acid levels and increased oxidative DNA damage with varicocele in infertile men: a case control study.

Varicocele is commonly associated with male infertility because it impairs normal sperm morphology and activity. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are important determinants of sperm cell structure and function, but their relationship with varicocele remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the PUFA composition in spermatozoa of infertile men with varicocele and to evaluate the potential relationship between PUFA and varicocele. This case control study recruited 92 infertile men with varicocele, 99 infertile men without varicocele and 95 fertile male control subjects. Semen morphology and activity parameters were assessed and seminal plasma 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) content was determined by ELISA. Sperm concentrations of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids were measured by gas chromatography. Infertile men with varicocele had lower concentrations of omega-3 PUFA, higher omega-6:omega-3 PUFA ratios and greater oxidative DNA damage in spermatozoa compared with infertile men without varicocele and normal subjects. The degree of varicocele and DNA damage was associated with decreased omega-3 PUFA concentrations and semen quality in infertile men with varicocele. The findings suggest that omega-3 PUFA deficiency could be implicated in varicocele-associated infertility, and highlight the need for intervention trials to test the usefulness of omega-3 supplementation in reducing sperm abnormalities in infertile men with varicocele.