Fifteen young (22-35 y) and 10 older (51-71 y) women received six capsules of fish oil (Pro-Mega)/d, providing a total of 1,680 mg eicosapentaenoic (EPA), 720 mg docosahexaenoic (DHA), 600 mg other fatty acids, and 6 IU vitamin E. Blood was collected before and after 1, 2 and 3 mo of supplementation. Compliance was confirmed by the significant increase in plasma EPA and DHA in all women. Older women had a significantly higher increase in EPA and DHA than did young women (10-fold increases in EPA and 2.5-fold increases in DHA vs. 8-fold in EPA and 2-fold in DHA for older and young women, respectively). The decrease in the arachidonic acid:EPA ratio was more dramatic in the older women. Plasma total triglycerides (TG) decreased significantly, and the ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids was significantly (P less than 0.01) increased. Plasma vitamin E levels did not change significantly after supplementation; however, after 3 mo of supplementation by young women, plasma vitamin E was significantly lower than after 1 mo. The vitamin E: TG ratio was significantly increased and vitamin E:(EPA + DHA) significantly decreased. All women showed a significant increase in plasma lipid peroxide through mo 2 of supplementation. After 2 mo, older women had significantly higher lipid peroxide levels than young women. The lipid peroxide:TG ratio, which declined by mo 3, was still significantly higher than baseline. These data indicate that although long-term fish oil supplementation may be beneficial in reducing plasma total TG, susceptibility of plasma lipids to free radical attack is potentiated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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We investigated the effects of a diet enriched in omega-3 (ω3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and vitamin E on responses of sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii) to hypoxia. After 3 months of feeding, there were significant increases in ω3 PUFA in liver and muscle, and of vitamin E in muscle, of fish fed the enriched diet (ED) compared with fish on a standard diet (SD), indicating that tissue composition is influenced by diet. Acute exposure to hypoxia (10 min at 10.8 kPa water O2 tension, PwO2 had no effect on oxygen consumption (VO2, increased gill ventilation frequency (fG) and reduced arterial blood O2 content (CaO2 in both dietary groups, but ED sturgeon exhibited a significantly smaller decrease in CaO2 than did SD animals. Progressive hypoxic exposure (PwO2 decreasing gradually from 20.5 to 3.6 kPa within 45–60 min) led to a significant increase in VO2 at intermediate levels of PwO2 in SD sturgeon that was not seen in ED animals. Furthermore, ED sturgeon showed no significant reduction in arterial plasma pH (pHa) and CaO2 at PwO2 levels that caused significant reductions in these variables in SD sturgeon. ED sturgeon exhibited a smaller increase in plasma lactate level than did SD fish. We suggest that PUFA and/or vitamin E contribute significantly to regulation of metabolism in hypoxia.