Low breast milk levels of long‐chain n‐3 fatty acids in allergic women, despite frequent fish intake

Abstract

BackgroundLong-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have immune regulating and anti-inflammatory effects. However, their role in allergic disease is unclear. Allergic diseases are immunologically heterogeneous, and we hypothesized that n-3 fatty acid composition in serum and breast milk may vary according to clinical manifestations. Further, animal studies have shown reduction of serum-PUFA levels during allergic inflammation.ObjectiveTo investigate fatty acid composition in breast milk and serum from women with different atopic disease manifestations. Secondly, to determine whether low PUFA levels reflected insufficient intakes.MethodsFatty acids were analysed in breast milk and serum of women with atopic eczema and respiratory allergy (n=16), only respiratory allergy (n=7), as well as healthy women (n=22). Dietary intake of foods expected to affect long-chain n-3 PUFA levels were estimated by food-frequency questionnaire. The fatty acid pattern was related to diagnostic group and intake of relevant food items using a multivariate pattern recognition method (partial least squares projections to latent structures and discriminant analysis).ResultsWomen with a combination of eczema and respiratory allergy had lower breast milk levels of several PUFAs (arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA, docosahexaenoic acid, DHA, and docosapentaenoic acid, DPA), and a lower ratio of long-chain n-3 PUFAs/n-6 PUFAs. Their PUFA levels differed not only from that of healthy women, but also from that of women with only respiratory allergy. The latter had a fatty acid pattern similar to that of healthy women. Despite low EPA, DHA and DPA levels women with eczema and respiratory allergy consumed no less fish than did healthy women.Conclusion & Clinical RelevanceOur data suggest that reduced levels of long-chain n-3 fatty acids in serum and breast milk characterize women with extensive allergic disease including eczema, and are not related to low fish intake. Consumption of PUFAs during the allergic process may explain these findings.

Fat intake and breast milk fatty acid composition in farming and nonfarming women and allergy development in the offspring

“…High margarine intake in pregnant women has previously been shown to be associated with eczema in their 2-y-old offspring (12), and maternal margarine intake during lactation has been reported to be a weak risk factor for asthma in the children at 5 y of age (13). Moreover, margarine intake in childhood has been associated with different allergies (14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20), as has consumption of margarine in adolescent/adulthood (21-23); while other studies have failed to find such associations (24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30).…”

“…Fatty acids in the total lipid fraction of breast milk were analyzed by gas chromatography after conversion to methyl esters (37), as earlier described (28). Two columns were used: a fused silica SPB-5 …”

Factors affecting breast milk composition and potential consequences for development of the allergic phenotype

“…In contrast, Johansson and co-authors suggest that diet is not so important in that women with a combination of eczema and respiratory allergy had lower BM levels of several PUFAs and lower ratio of long-chain n-3/n-6 PUFAs than healthy women, despite similar fish consumption (129). Recent data suggests that two FADS haplotypes are strongly associated with the levels of PUFAs.…”

High Levels of Both n-3 and n-6 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Cord Serum Phospholipids Predict Allergy Development

“…Hence, in an animal model of allergen-induced sensitisation and respiratory inflammation, both n-3 and n-6 LCPUFAs in the serum were rapidly reduced, suggesting that they are consumed during immune activation and inflammation [59]. This may explain why already allergic individuals may have reduced proportions of n-3 LCPUFAs [60].…”