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

authored by

Jan Philipp Schuchardt, Annika I Ostermann, Lisa Stork, Laura Kutzner, Heike Kohrs, Theresa Greupner, Andreas Hahn, Nils Helge Schebb

Abstract

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.

Organisation(s)

Institute of Food Science and Human Nutrition
Nutrition Physiology and Human Nutrition Section

External Organisation(s)

University of Veterinary Medicine of Hannover, Foundation
The University of Wuppertal

Type

Article

Journal

Prostaglandins Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids

Volume

115

Pages

12-23

No. of pages

12

ISSN

0952-3278

Publication date

12.2016

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Clinical Biochemistry, Cell Biology

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plefa.2016.10.005 (Access: Closed)