Positive Health Online

Abstract

CONQUER and HOLUB, Department of Human Biology and Nutritional Sciences, Universityof Guelph, Ontario Canada conducted a double-blind study with healthy vegetarian subjects in order to study the effect of dietary supplementation with an algae source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), without any eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) upon: 1) serum/platelet DHA status; 2) the estimated retroconversion of DHA to EPA; and 3) risk factors for heart disease in vegetarians. @m:METHODS: 12 healthy male and 12 healthy female vegetarians took 9 capsules daily of either DHA or corn oil for a 6 week period. @r: In the people consuming DHA capsules, DHA serum phospholipid levels increased by 246%; EPA serum phospholipid levels increased by 117% and in platelet phospholipids by 176% via metabolic retroconversion. The estimated DHA retroconversion of DHA to EPA was 11.3% and 12%, according to the serum and platelet analyses respectively. Arachidonic acid levels in serum and platelet phospholipids decreased moderately in the DHA group, as did docosapentaenoic acid levels. Total cholesterol: HDL-cholesterol ratio, LDL-cholesterol: HDL-cholesterol ratio and serum triglyceride concentrations decreased moderately over time, although there were no significant changes in the total and LDL-cholesterol levels in the DHA group. Thrombogenic factors were not altered by DHA supplementation. @c:CONCLUSIONS: DHA supplementation markedly enhanced the DHA status of serum and platelets, enabled the formation of substantial EPA and lowered the total and LDL-cholesterol: HDL-cholesterol ratios in healthy vegetarians. Conquer JA and Holub BJ. Supplementation with an algae source of docosahexaenoic acid increases (n-3) fatty acid status and alters selected risk factors for heart disease in vegetarian subjects. J Nutr 126 (12): 3032-9. Dec 1996.

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