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Eur J Clin Nutr. 2006 Feb 15; [Epub ahead of print] |
Effects of alpha-linolenic acid versus those of EPA/DHA on cardiovascular risk markers in healthy elderly subjects. Goyens PL, Mensink RP. 1Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. Objective:To compare the effects of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3n-3) to those of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n-3) plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6n-3) on cardiovascular risk markers in healthy elderly subjects.Design:A randomized double-blind nutritional intervention study.Setting:Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, the Netherlands.Subjects:Thirty-seven mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects, 14 men and 23 women aged between 60 and 78 years.Interventions:During a run-in period of 3 weeks, subjects consumed an oleic acid-rich diet. The following 6 weeks, 10 subjects remained on the control diet, 13 subjects consumed an ALA-rich diet (6.8 g/day) and 14 subjects an EPA/DHA-rich diet (1.05 g EPA/day+0.55 g DHA/day).Results:Both n-3 fatty acid diets did not change concentrations of total-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerol and apoA-1 when compared with the oleic acid-rich diet. However, after the EPA/DHA-rich diet, LDL-cholesterol increased by 0.39 mmol/l (P=0.0323, 95% CI (0.030, 0.780 mmol/l)) when compared with the ALA-rich diet. Intake of EPA/DHA also increased apoB concentrations by 14 mg/dl (P=0.0031, 95% CI (4, 23 mg/dl)) and 12 mg/dl (P=0.005, 95% CI (3, 21 mg/dl)) versus the oleic acid and ALA-rich diet, respectively. Except for an EPA/DHA-induced increase in tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) of 14.6% (P=0.0184 versus ALA diet, 95% CI (1.5, 18.3%)), changes in markers of hemostasis and endothelial integrity did not reach statistical significance following consumption of the two n-3 fatty acid diets.Conclusions:In healthy elderly subjects, ALA might affect concentrations of LDL-cholesterol and apoB more favorably than EPA/DHA, whereas EPA/DHA seems to affect TFPI more beneficially.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition advance online publication, 15 February 2006; doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602408. PMID: 16482073 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2004 Jun;14(3):162-9. |
Alpha-linolenic acid and coronary heart disease. de Lorgeril M, Salen P. Laboratoire Nutrition, Vieillissement et Maladies Cardiovasculaires (NVMCV), UFR de Medecine et Pharmacie, Universite Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France. michel.delorgeril@ujf-grenoble.fr AIM: To summarize our present knowledge about vegetable omega-3 fatty acids. DATA SYNTHESIS: Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is one of the two essential fatty acids in humans. Epidemiological studies and dietary trials strongly suggest that this fatty acid is important in relation with the pathogenesis (and prevention) of coronary heart disease. Like other n-3 fatty acids from marine origin, it may prevent cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. The optimal dietary intake of alpha-linolenic acid seems to be about 2 g per day or 0.6 to 1% of total energy intake. Obtaining an optimal ratio of the two essential fatty acids, linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids--ie a ratio of less than 4 to 1 in the diet--is a major issue. The main sources of alpha-linolenic acid for the European population should be canola oil (and canola-oil based margarine if available), nuts (English walnut), ground linseeds and green leafy vegetables such as purslane. CONCLUSIONS: Epidemiological studies and dietary trials in humans suggest that alpha-linolenic acid is a major cardio-protective nutrient. Publication Types:
PMID: 15330276 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Altern Ther Health Med. 2005 May-Jun;11(3):24-30; quiz 31, 79. |
Does alpha-linolenic acid intake reduce the risk of coronary heart disease? A review of the evidence. Mozaffarian D. Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is an n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid found mainly in plant sources, including flaxseed oil, canola oil, and walnuts. Although substantial evidence indicates that consumption of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from seafood reduces the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), the effect of ALA intake on CHD risk is less well-established. ALA may reduce cardiovascular risk through a variety of biologic mechanisms, including platelet function, inflammation, endothelial cell function, arterial compliance, and arrhythmia. Although clinical benefits have not been seen consistently in all studies, most prospective observational studies suggest that ALA intake reduces the incidence of CHD, and two randomized trials have demonstrated that a dietary pattern that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts or legumes, and ALA-rich foods substantially reduces the recurrence of CHD events. Additional observational and clinical studies will help establish the effects of ALA on CHD risk and determine whether such effects vary based on gender, duration of intake, background dietary intake of seafood, or other factors. Presently, the weight of the evidence favors recommendations for modest dietary consumption of ALA (2 to 3 g per day) for the primary and secondary prevention of CHD. Publication Types:
PMID: 15945135 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Circulation. 2005 Nov 22;112(21):3232-8. |
Dietary alpha-linolenic acid intake and risk of sudden cardiac death and coronary heart disease. Albert CM, Oh K, Whang W, Manson JE, Chae CU, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Hu FB. Center for Arrhythmia Prevention, Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02215-1204, USA. calbert@partners.org BACKGROUND: Alpha-linolenic acid, an intermediate-chain n-3 fatty acid found primarily in plants, may decrease the risk of fatal coronary heart disease (CHD) through a reduction in fatal ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD). METHODS AND RESULTS: We prospectively examined the association between dietary intake of alpha-linolenic acid assessed via updated food-frequency questionnaires and the risk of SCD, other fatal CHD, and nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) among 76,763 women participating in the Nurses' Health Study who were free from cancer and completed a dietary questionnaire at baseline in 1984. During 18 years of follow-up, we identified 206 SCDs, 641 other CHD deaths, and 1604 nonfatal MIs. After controlling for coronary risk factors and other fatty acids, including long-chain n-3 fatty acids, the intake of alpha-linolenic acid was inversely associated with the risk of SCD (P for trend, 0.02) but not with the risk of other fatal CHD or nonfatal MI. Compared with women in the lowest quintile of alpha-linolenic acid intake, those in the highest 2 quintiles had a 38% to 40% lower SCD risk. This inverse relation with SCD risk was linear and remained significant even among women with high intakes of long-chain n-3 fatty acids. CONCLUSIONS: These prospective data suggest that increasing dietary intake of alpha-linolenic acid may reduce the risk of SCD but not other types of fatal CHD or nonfatal MI in women. The specificity of the association between alpha-linolenic acid and SCD supports the hypothesis that these n-3 fatty acids may have antiarrhythmic properties. PMID: 16301356 [PubMed - in process]