Docosahexaenoic acid

About: Docosahexaenoic acid is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 14412 publications have been published within this topic receiving 620852 citations. The topic is also known as: all-cis-DHA & all-cis-docosa-4,7,10,13,16,19-hexaenoic acid.

Fish oil, but not flaxseed oil, decreases inflammation and prevents pressure overload-induced cardiac dysfunction.

Abstract: Aims Clinical studies suggest that intake of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFA) may lower the incidence of heart failure. Dietary supplementation with ω-3 PUFA exerts metabolic and anti-inflammatory effects that could prevent left ventricle (LV) pathology; however, it is unclear whether these effects occur at clinically relevant doses and whether there are differences between ω-3 PUFA from fish [eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] and vegetable sources [α-linolenic acid (ALA)]. Methods and results We assessed the development of LV remodelling and pathology in rats subjected to aortic banding treated with ω-3 PUFA over a dose range that spanned the intake of humans taking ω-3 PUFA supplements. Rats were fed a standard food or diets supplemented with EPA+DHA or ALA at 0.7, 2.3, or 7% of energy intake. Without supplementation, aortic banding increased LV mass and end-systolic and -diastolic volumes. ALA supplementation had little effect on LV remodelling and dysfunction. In contrast, EPA+DHA dose-dependently increased EPA and DHA, decreased arachidonic acid in cardiac membrane phospholipids, and prevented the increase in LV end-diastolic and -systolic volumes. EPA+DHA resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the anti-inflammatory adipokine adiponectin, and there was a strong correlation between the prevention of LV chamber enlargement and plasma levels of adiponectin ( r = −0.78). Supplementation with EPA+DHA had anti-aggregatory and anti-inflammatory effects as evidenced by decreases in urinary thromboxane B2 and serum tumour necrosis factor-α. Conclusion Dietary supplementation with ω-3 PUFA derived from fish, but not from vegetable sources, increased plasma adiponectin, suppressed inflammation, and prevented cardiac remodelling and dysfunction under pressure overload conditions.

Fish Consumption, n-3 Fatty Acids in Cell Membranes, and Heart Rate Variability in Survivors of Myocardial Infarction With Left Ventricular Dysfunction

Abstract: To elucidate a possible antiarrhythmic effect of long-chained n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, heart rate variability was assessed in 52 patients with a previous myocardial infarction and left ventricular dysfunction The content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in platelets was closely associated with the patient's fish-consuming habits, and a significant positive correlation was observed between the n-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid and heart rate variability