GNLD & Omega-3: Dr. Carughi Presents New Research At Linus Pauling Institute
About Linus Pauling Institute:
The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University is one of the nation's first Centers of Excellence for Research on Complementary and Alternative Medicine designated by the NCCAM (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Diet and Optimum Health Conference focuses on dietary and lifestyle approaches to improving human health and preventing or treating disease. It is an honor and significant achievement to present work at this event.
On May 13, 2009, world-renown members of the scientific community convened in Portland, Oregon for the annual Linus Pauling Institute’s Diet and Optimum Health Conference. In attendance were scientists and health professionals in biochemistry, nutrition, preventive medicine, public health, endocrinology, cardiology, oncology, and gerontology.
Dr. Carughi's Poster Presentation
Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Inflammatory Markers
Carughi, A. and Perelman, D.
Health Research and Studies Center, Los Altos, CA
Note: Arianna Carughi is also a consultant to GNLD International, the company which markets the supplement used in this study
Abstract: Diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 FA) are associated with lower cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. Numerous mechanisms, including triglyceride-lowering and anti-inflammatory effects, have been proposed to explain the protective action of n-3 FA. We investigated the effect of marine-sourced n-3 FA supplementation on CVD risk factors and on markers of inflammation in healthy, normotriglyceridemic volunteers. Thirty-one men and women took a supplement providing 1070 mg total n-3 FA (480 mg docosahexaenoic acid, DHA; 460 mg eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA; 50 mg docosapentaenoic acid, DPA; and 80 mg other n-3 FA) daily for 8 wks. By 4 wks, values for % EPA, DPA, and DHA in red blood cell (RBC) membranes were significantly higher than at baseline, and kept increasing until the end of the study, when they were 56%, 16%, and 19% higher (p < 0.01, 0.05, and 0.01, respectively). While there were no changes in % linoleic acid or % -linolenic acid in RBC membranes, % arachidonic acid was 10% lower after supplementation (p < 0.05). At 8 wks serum triglyceride levels were 17% lower (p < 0.01), Omega-3 Index (% DHA + EPA in RBC) was 38% higher (p < 0.01), and the omega-6/omega-3 ratio was 30% lower (p < 0.05) than at baseline. Lp-PLA2 levels were slightly higher (147 ± 43 and 157 ± 51; p<0.05) but well within the normal range. While there were no significant changes in IL-6 and TNFa levels, Inflammatory Index was 68% lower (%AA: %EPA in RBC; p<0.01) after supplementation. This study shows that supplementation with relatively low levels of marine-sourced omega-3 fatty acids can quickly improve cardiovascular risk factors and modify fatty acid RBC membrane composition consistent with a lower inflammatory state.
