The Dietary α-Linolenic Acid to Linoleic Acid Ratio Does Not Affect the Serum Lipoprotein Profile in Humans

Abstract

Alpha-linolenic acid [ALA, 18:3(n-3)] and linoleic acid [LA, 18:2(n-6)] have comparable effects on serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations, but their effects on lipoprotein subclass distributions and particle sizes are unknown. It is also not known whether these effects are changed by the ALA:LA ratio in the diet. To address these questions, healthy subjects (n = 54) consumed a control diet providing 7% of energy (En%) as LA and 0.4 En% as ALA during a 4-wk run-in period. For the following 6 wk of intervention, each diet was consumed by 18 subjects: the control diet, a low-LA diet (3 En% LA, 0.4 En% ALA), or a high-ALA diet (7 En% LA, 1.1 En% ALA). The ALA:LA ratio for the control diet was 1:19 and was 1:7 for the other 2 diets. Compared with the control group, LDL cholesterol decreased significantly in the ALA group (-0.32 mmol/L, P = 0.024), as did total cholesterol, apolipoprotein (apo) B, and the total:HDL cholesterol ratio. None of the dietary interventions affected HDL cholesterol, apo A-1, or triacylglycerol concentrations. The decrease in total VLDL particle concentrations in the low-LA group was due mainly to a decrease in medium VLDL (-16 nmol/L, P = 0.018) and in the high-ALA group to a decrease in small VLDL (-14 nmol/L, P = 0.044). We conclude that the ALA:LA ratio does not affect the serum lipoprotein profile. Compared with the control and LA diets, ALA lowered LDL cholesterol concentrations, possibly caused by the decrease in small VLDL.

Long-chain n-3 fatty acid supplementation in men increases resistance to activated protein C

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A comparison of the effects of fish oil and flaxseed oil on cardiac allograft chronic rejection in rats

“…In agreement with previous reports (14,19,55), fish oil treatment was associated with reductions in TGs, TC, VLDL, non-HDL, and LDL-cholesterol levels. Furthermore, the ratio of LDL to HDL was significantly reduced in both treated groups compared with controls.…”

Fatty acid profile and meat quality of young bulls fed ground soybean or ground cottonseed and vitamin E

“…n-3 fatty acids have important biological functions in human body because they positively affect health by altering membrane protein functions, cell signaling and gene expression profiles (Surette, 2013), as well as its anti-inflammatory properties (Ferrucci et al, 2006). Other metabolic effects of α-linolenic acid were described, such as improved blood pressure (Djousse et al, 2005) and reduced plasma triglycerides concentration (Djousse et al, 2003;Vrablik et al, 2009) as well as reduced LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B concentrations (Goyens and Mensink, 2005). These changes are recognized to have health benefits in humans, especially relating to cardiovascular outcomes.…”