TITLE:
Beneficial n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid levels and n6:n3 ratios after 4-week EPA + DHA supplementation associated with reduced CRP: A pilot study in healthy young adults
AUTHORS:
Jodi McDaniel, Emily Ickes, Christopher Holloman
KEYWORDS:
n-6:n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Ratios; n-3 Dietary Supplementation; Inflammation; CRP
JOURNAL NAME:
Modern Research in Inflammation,
Vol.2 No.4,
October
24,
2013
ABSTRACT:
Chronic systemic
inflammation is associated with many
conditions of aging such as atherosclerosis. Lowering high n-6:n-3
polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratios are commonly found in Western diets aids in preventing inflammatory-related diseases. However, it is not clear whether dietary interventions designed to alter n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios can reduce
systemic inflammation in younger adults. Studies that evaluate PUFA intake
often use subjective data from food frequency questionnaires or food records rather than more precise physiological measures of PUFAs (e.g. plasma levels). Therefore, the purpose of this pilot study that analyzed data
from the experimental parent study of younger adults (n = 18), was to determine
whether plasma PUFA levels were associated with levels of C-reactive protein
(CRP), an inflammatory marker, and if supplementation with n-3 PUFAs was correlated
with rising n-3 PUFA concentrations in plasma and decreasing n-6:n-3 ratios. In
the parent study, participants received daily either placebo or n-3 PUFA
softgels (1.6 g eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and 1.2 g docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]).
EPA and DHA are the biologically active components in fish oil. Measures included
blood for PUFA quantification at baseline and four weeks later, when blister
wounds were created and wound fluid and saliva were collected. The saliva samples
were used to measure CRP in the present study.
We report that CRP was significantly and negatively correlated with
total n-3 PUFAs (tau-β = ?0.373, p = 0.031) and positively correlated with n-6:n-3
ratios (tau-β = 0.320, p = 0.063). Those consuming EPA + DHA supplements had significantly
higher concentrations of total n-3 PUFAs and significantly lower n-6:n-3 ratios
(p The present study has shown that beneficial levels of n-3 PUFAs and n-6:n3 ratios were achieved with 4-weeks of EPA + DHA supplementation and were associated with reduced
CRP in young adults. EPA + DHA supplementation for some young adults may help
prevent inflammatory conditions later in life.