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  • Original Article
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Lipids and cardiovascular/metabolic health

Effects of stearidonic acid on serum triacylglycerol concentrations in overweight and obese subjects: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background/objectives:

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which may reduce the risk for coronary heart disease (CHD), can be synthesized at low rates from α-linolenic acid (ALA). The rate-limiting step for this conversion is the Δ6-desaturation of ALA into stearidonic acid (SDA). Thus providing oils rich in SDA may increase endogenous synthesis of EPA, which may subsequently lower serum triacylglycerol concentrations, an effect frequently observed after EPA supplementation. We therefore studied the effects of Echium oil on serum triacylglycerol concentrations and the omega-3 index, which correlate negatively with the risk for CHD.

Subjects/methods:

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial was conducted, in which 36 healthy overweight and slightly obese subjects daily received 10 g of Echium oil (providing 1.2 g of SDA) or a high oleic acid sunflower oil (HOSO) as control for 6 weeks, with a washout period of at least 14 days. Four subjects dropped out. Differences between periods were tested for statistical significance (P<0.05) using a paired t-test.

Results:

Serum triacylglycerol and other lipid concentrations were not significantly affected by consumption of Echium oil compared with HOSO. Echium oil significantly increased percentage of EPA in red blood cell (RBC) membranes with 0.14±0.25% (mean±s.d.) compared with HOSO (P=0.02). No significant effects on docosahexaenoic acid in RBC membranes or on the omega-3 index were found.

Conclusions:

In healthy overweight and slightly obese subjects, an increased intake of SDA from Echium oil does not lower serum triacylglycerol concentrations. Despite an increase in the percentage of EPA in RBC membranes, the omega-3 index was not changed.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank M Hulsbosch, H Aydeniz and W Sluijsmans for their technical support, and N Wystyrk for her dietary assistance. Bioriginal Europe Asia b.v., Den Bommel, The Netherlands, funded the study and provided the test products. Bioriginal Europe Asia b.v. had no role in the design, analysis or writing of this article.

Author contribution

RPM designed the research; DJMP conducted the research; DJMP and RPM analysed the data and wrote the paper; RPM had primary responsibility for final content. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to R P Mensink.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Supplementary Information accompanies this paper on European Journal of Clinical Nutrition website

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Pieters, D., Mensink, R. Effects of stearidonic acid on serum triacylglycerol concentrations in overweight and obese subjects: a randomized controlled trial. Eur J Clin Nutr 69, 121–126 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2014.193

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