HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Harris, W. S Articles by Jones, P. G Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Harris, W. S Articles by Jones, P. G Agricola Articles by Harris, W. S Articles by Jones, P. G

Comparison of the effects of fish and fish-oil capsules on the n–3 fatty acid content of blood cells and plasma phospholipids^1,2,3

¹ From the Lipid and Diabetes Research Center, Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute, Kansas City, MO

Background: n–3 Fatty acids (FAs) have been shown to be beneficial for cardiovascular health. Whether n–3 FAs from oily fish consumed weekly or from fish-oil capsules taken daily are equally bioavailable is not clear.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the rate and extent of enrichment of blood cell membranes [ie, red blood cells (RBCs)] and plasma phospholipids with n–3 FAs from these 2 sources.

Design: Healthy premenopausal female volunteers were randomly assigned to consume a daily average of 485 mg eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids either from 2 servings of oily fish (ie, salmon and albacore tuna) per week or from 1–2 capsules/d.

Results: After 16 wk, EPA+DHA in RBCs in the fish group (n = 11) increased from 4.0 ± 0.6% of total FAs to 6.2 ± 1.4%, whereas it rose from 4.3 ± 1.0% to 6.2 ± 1.4% in the capsule group (P < 0.0001 for both; NS for group effect). Similar results were observed in plasma phospholipids. EPA+DHA stabilized in the latter after 4 wk but continued to rise through week 16 in RBCs. EPA in RBCs increased significantly (P = 0.01) more rapidly in the fish group than in the capsule group during the first 4 wk, but rates did not differ significantly between groups thereafter. Total FA variances were less in RBCs than in plasma phospholipids (P = 0.04).

Conclusion: These findings suggest that the consumption of equal amounts of EPA and DHA from oily fish on a weekly basis or from fish-oil capsules on a daily basis is equally effective at enriching blood lipids with n–3 FAs.

Key Words: n–3 Fatty acids • eicosapentaenoic acid • docosahexaenoic acid • fish • fish oil • erythrocytes • phospholipids