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A diet containing rapeseed oil-based fats does not increase lipid peroxidation in humans when compared to a diet rich in saturated fatty acids

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 55, pages 922–931 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: To compare the effects of a rapeseed oil-based diet containing an increased proportion of easily oxidised polyunsaturated fatty acids such as α-linolenic acid with a diet rich in saturated fatty acids on the degree of lipid peroxidation in the human body.

Design: A randomised cross-over study.

Subjects and interventions: Nineteen healthy moderately hyperlipidemic subjects (six women and 13 men, age 50±8 y and body mass index (BMI) 24.5±2.6 kg/m2) were given a rapeseed oil-based diet (RO) and a control diet (SAT) rich in saturated fatty acids during two consecutive 4 week periods separated by a 4 week wash-out period. Biomarkers of lipid peroxidation and antioxidants were analysed in plasma and urine.

Results: No significant differences in plasma or urinary levels of free 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α, plasma total 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α plasma hydroperoxides or plasma malondialdehyde were observed between the RO and SAT diets (P=0.14–0.95). A higher concentration of serum γ-tocopherol was detected after the RO diet compared to the SAT diet (P<0.001), whereas the serum α-tocopherol concentration and plasma antioxidative capacity did not differ between the two test diets. The total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and LDL/HDL ratio were lower after the RO diet compared to the SAT diet (P<0.001), while HDL cholesterol and total triglyceride levels were similar after the two diets.

Conclusion: These results suggest that a rapeseed oil-based diet rich in α-linolenic acid does not seem to increase the degree of lipid peroxidation in plasma and urine compared to a diet rich in saturated fats. This is possibly due to a sufficient content of antioxidants in the rapeseed oil diet to increase circulating concentrations of antioxidants that may protect unsaturated fatty acids from oxidation.

Sponsorship: Swedish Council for Forestry and Agricultural Research and Foundation for Geriatric Research.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2001) 55, 922–931

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the Swedish Council for Forestry and Agricultural Research and the Foundation for Geriatric Research. We wish to thank Carlshamn Mejeri AB and Van den Bergh Foods AB for providing us with fat products. We are grateful to all subjects and to the co-workers at the metabolic ward and the Section for Geriatric/Clinical Nutrition Research for support during the study, especially Eva Sejby, Barbro Simu and Siv Tengblad for excellent technical assistance and Rawya Mohsen for data handling.

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Author notes

  1. E Södergren and B Vessby: Guarantors: E Södergren and B Vessby.

  2. E Södergren, I-B Gustafsson, S Basu, J Nourooz-Zadeh, C Nälsén, A Turpeinen, L Berglund and B Vessby: Contributors: ES organised the dietary intervention, analysed hydroperoxides and total F2-isoprostanes, co-ordinated data and drafted the manuscript. I-BG was involved in the study design and supervised the dietary intervention. SB performed the analyses of free F2-isoprostanes. CN did the analyses of antioxidative capacity. AT performed the analyses of thromboxanes. LB was involved in the study design and statistical analyses. BV was involved in the study design and provided advice during all stages of the study. All authors were involved in editing the manuscript.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Section for Geriatrics/Clinical Nutrition Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

    E Södergren, S Basu, C Nälsén, L Berglund & B Vessby

  2. Department of Culinary Arts, University of Örebro, Örebro, Sweden

    I-B Gustafsson

  3. Division of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University College London, London, UK

    J Nourooz-Zadeh

  4. Department of Applied Chemistry and Microbiology, Division of Nutrition, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    A Turpeinen

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Södergren, E., Gustafsson, IB., Basu, S. et al. A diet containing rapeseed oil-based fats does not increase lipid peroxidation in humans when compared to a diet rich in saturated fatty acids. Eur J Clin Nutr 55, 922–931 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601246

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