TY - JOUR

T1 - Effects of docosahexaenoic acid supplementation on PUFA levels in red blood cells and plasma

AU - Schuchardt, Jan Philipp

AU - Ostermann, Annika I

AU - Stork, Lisa

AU - Kutzner, Laura

AU - Kohrs, Heike

AU - Greupner, Theresa

AU - Hahn, Andreas

AU - Schebb, Nils Helge

N1 - Funding Information: This study was supported by grants from the German Research Foundation (Grant SCHE 1801 and SCHU 2516) to NHS and JPS. The provision of the DHASCO® oil capsules by DSM Nutritional Products (Columbia, MD, USA) is kindly acknowledged. We would like to thank the participants who contributed their time to this project.

PY - 2016/12

Y1 - 2016/12

N2 - Introduction Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are metabolized in a complex network of elongation, desaturation and beta oxidation. Material and methods The short (1 and 3 wk), and long term (6 and 12 wk) effect of 1076 mg/d docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, free of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)) on (absolute) PUFA concentrations in plasma and red blood cells (RBC) of 12 healthy men (mean age 25.1±1.5 years) was investigated. Results RBC DHA concentrations significantly (p<0.001) increased from 28±1.6 µg/mL to 38±2.0 µg/mL (wk 1), 52±3.3 µg/mL (wk 3), 68±2.6 µg/mL (wk 6), and 79±3.5 µg/mL (wk 12). Arachidonic acid (AA) concentrations declined in response to DHA treatment, while the effect was more pronounced in plasma (wk 0: 183±9.9 µg/mL, wk 12: 139±8.0 µg/mL, −24%, p<0.001) compared to RBC (wk 0: 130±3.7 µg/mL, wk 12: 108±4.0 µg/mL, −16%, p=0.001). Furthermore, an increase of EPA concentrations in plasma (wk 0: 15±1.5 µg/mL, wk 1:19±1.6 µg/mL, wk 3: 27±2.3 µg/mL, wk 6: 23±1.2 µg/mL, wk 12: 25±1.7 µg/mL, p<0.001) and RBC (wk 0: 4.7±0.33 µg/mL, wk 1: 6.7±1.3 µg/mL, wk 3: 8.0±0.66 µg/mL, wk 6: 6.9±0.44 µg/mL, wk 12: 6.7±0.45 µg/mL, n.s.) was observed suggesting a retroconversion of DHA to EPA. Conclusion Based on PUFA concentrations we showed that DHA supplementation results in increased EPA levels, whereas it is not known if this impacts the formation of EPA-derived lipid mediators. Furthermore, shifts in the entire PUFA pattern after supplementation of EPA or DHA should be taken into account when discussing differential physiological effects of EPA and DHA.

AB - Introduction Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are metabolized in a complex network of elongation, desaturation and beta oxidation. Material and methods The short (1 and 3 wk), and long term (6 and 12 wk) effect of 1076 mg/d docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, free of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)) on (absolute) PUFA concentrations in plasma and red blood cells (RBC) of 12 healthy men (mean age 25.1±1.5 years) was investigated. Results RBC DHA concentrations significantly (p<0.001) increased from 28±1.6 µg/mL to 38±2.0 µg/mL (wk 1), 52±3.3 µg/mL (wk 3), 68±2.6 µg/mL (wk 6), and 79±3.5 µg/mL (wk 12). Arachidonic acid (AA) concentrations declined in response to DHA treatment, while the effect was more pronounced in plasma (wk 0: 183±9.9 µg/mL, wk 12: 139±8.0 µg/mL, −24%, p<0.001) compared to RBC (wk 0: 130±3.7 µg/mL, wk 12: 108±4.0 µg/mL, −16%, p=0.001). Furthermore, an increase of EPA concentrations in plasma (wk 0: 15±1.5 µg/mL, wk 1:19±1.6 µg/mL, wk 3: 27±2.3 µg/mL, wk 6: 23±1.2 µg/mL, wk 12: 25±1.7 µg/mL, p<0.001) and RBC (wk 0: 4.7±0.33 µg/mL, wk 1: 6.7±1.3 µg/mL, wk 3: 8.0±0.66 µg/mL, wk 6: 6.9±0.44 µg/mL, wk 12: 6.7±0.45 µg/mL, n.s.) was observed suggesting a retroconversion of DHA to EPA. Conclusion Based on PUFA concentrations we showed that DHA supplementation results in increased EPA levels, whereas it is not known if this impacts the formation of EPA-derived lipid mediators. Furthermore, shifts in the entire PUFA pattern after supplementation of EPA or DHA should be taken into account when discussing differential physiological effects of EPA and DHA.

KW - Adult

KW - Dietary Supplements

KW - Docosahexaenoic Acids/administration & dosage

KW - Drug Administration Schedule

KW - Eicosapentaenoic Acid/blood

KW - Erythrocytes/chemistry

KW - Fatty Acids, Unsaturated/blood

KW - Healthy Volunteers

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Plasma/chemistry

KW - Young Adult

KW - Retroconversion

KW - Purified DHA

KW - LC n3 PUFA

KW - Metabolism

KW - EPA

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84992028032&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.plefa.2016.10.005

DO - 10.1016/j.plefa.2016.10.005

M3 - Article

C2 - 27914509

VL - 115

SP - 12

EP - 23

JO - Prostaglandins Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids

JF - Prostaglandins Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids

SN - 0952-3278

ER -