Dietary Fatty Acid Supplementation Modulates the Urinary Excretion of Calcium and Oxalate in the Rat

Abstract

Background: An anomalous plasma phospholipid polyunsaturated fatty acid composition has been reported in calcium nephrolithiasis, and was proposed to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of hypercalciuria and hyperoxaluria, well-known risk factors for lithogenesis. Methods: To confirm this hypothesis, we administered rats three different diets rich in coconut, soybean and fish oils, and evaluated their effect on plasma urinary calcium and oxalate excretion, since the quality of fatty acids represents an important factor able to influence the activity of delta-6-desaturase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of highly unsaturated fatty acids. Results: In comparison with coconut and fish oil, dietary supplementation with soybean oil increased plasma phospholipid arachidonic acid and serum 1,25-vitamin D₃ values, as well as renal tissue calcium content and urinary excretion of sodium, oxalate and calcium. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that the quality of fatty acids may modify the urine excretion of calcium and oxalate, confirming our previous hypothesis of a pathogenetic link between cellular membrane phospholipid polyunsaturated fatty acid composition and calcium nephrolithiasis. In addition, our study provides new insights into the relationship between dietary, environmental factors and renal stone disease.

Effect of chronic fish oil supplementation on renal function of normal and cachectic rats

“…Over the past 15 years, several studies have suggested the efficacy and potential clinical utility of dietary supplementation with n-3 fatty acids in human renal diseases such as idiopathic immunoglobulin A nephropathy, lupus nephritis, cyclosporine A toxicity, vascular access thrombosis of end-stage renal disease, idiopathic calcium urolithiasis, and chronic renal insufficiency (10,(27)(28)(29). The most accepted hypothesis to explain the multifaceted actions of n-3 fatty acids on kidney diseases concerns the activities of metabolites derived from EPA as opposed to those derived from AA.…”

Evaluation of the therapeutic effect of <em>Nigella sativa</em> crude oil and its blend with omega-3 fatty acid-rich oils in a modified hepatorenal syndrome model in rats

“…Over the past 25 years, several studies have suggested the efficacy and potential clinical utility of dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids in human renal diseases (Donadio, 2001;De Caterina et al, 1994;Baggio et al, 2002;Azar et al, 1989).…”

Dietary Arachidonic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid Elevate Femur Calcium and Reduce Zinc Content in Piglets

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