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This paper describes the outline and first results of an international study to investigate the effect of a reasonable amount of dietary fish on some aspects of cardiovascular risk. In Maastricht and Zeist, The Netherlands, and Tromsø, Norway, healthy male volunteers were given a dietary supplement consisting of 100 g/d of mackerel or meat for a 6-wk period. Compliance was monitored on the basis of the urinary excretion of lithium, which was added to the supplements. Average compliance was ~80% and this decreased slightly in time. Systolic blood pressure decreased in both groups to a comparable degree; consequently no specific effect of the fish supplement was observed. The fish supplement significantly prolonged bleeding times. Hematology was hardly affected but platelet counts decreased significantly. No indications were obtained for adverse effects of the fish supplement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The n-3 fatty acids (FA) from marine sources are known to exert antiinflammatory effects on monocyte function. There is still controversy whether n-3 FA may increase the susceptibility to infections. The present study was designed to assess the effect of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHa) on monocyte phagocytosis and respiratory burst activity. Fifty-eight healthy men were randomized to take a daily supplement of 3.8 g highly purified EPA ( n=20), 3.6 g DHA ( n=19), or corn oil ( n=19) for 7 wk. Mononuclear leukocytes were collected, isolated, and cryopreserved prior to and after dietary supplementation. Paired samples were analyzed in the presence of autologous serum in a crossover design. Monocyte phagocytosis and respiratory burst activity were measured by flow cytometry after ingestion of Escherichia coli. Monocytes retained their phagocytic ability and respiratory burst activity after supplementation. No reduction in internalization of bacteria was registered. Dietary n-3 FA and particularly EPA improved bacterial adherence to the monocyte surface. In the crossover experiments, there was an adverse effect of serum enriched with n-3 FA on bacterial adherence. We conclude that monocytes retain their phagocytic potential after supplementation with purified EPA and DHA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Patients with combined hyperlipidemia are at increased risk for development of coronary heart disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency and the safety of treatment with Simvastatin and omega-3 fatty acids in patients with this lipid disorder.Design: A double-blind placebo controlled, randomized study evaluating the effects of Simvastatin separately and in combination with omega-3 fatty acids in 41 healthy patients with defined hyperlipidemia. After a 16 weeks dietary run-in period the patients were treated in periods of 5 weeks.Results: As expected Simvastatin (20 mg day[-1]) reduced serum total cholesterol, triacylglycerols, apolipoproteins B and E and increased HDL-cholesterol and apolipoprotein A1. Addition of omega-3 fatty acids (4 g day[-1]) further decreased serum triacylglycerols (P = 0.007), total cholesterol (P = 0.052) and apolipoprotein E (P = 0.035). No significant changes attributable to supplementation of polyunsaturated fatty acids on the content of lipid peroxides in plasma and in the various lipoprotein fractions were observed.Conclusions: The combined treatment of Simvastatin and omega-3 fatty acids seems to be an efficient and safe alternative for patients with combined hyperlipidemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the cross-sectional relationships between the frequency of habitual fish consumption, plasma phospholipid fatty acids, and serum lipids and hipoproteins in 152 men and women. There was a significant association between fish consumption starting from 1 dish/wk and plasma n-3, n-6, and n-9 fatty acids. Plasma eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20: 5n-3) reflected fish consumption to a greater extent than did docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3). Triglycerides decreased (P < 0.05) with fish consumption. In multivariate analysis in which anthropometric and lifestyle factors were controlled for, EPA correlated inversely with triglycerides (P < 0.05) and positively with high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-I (both P < 0.001). In contrast, DHA did not correlate with triglycerides and showed negative associations to HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-I (both P < 0.001). Platelet phospholipid EPA, but not DHA, was associated with lower triglyceride and higher HDL-cholesterol concentrations (both P < 0.05). This study suggests that hong-term intake of small amounts of fish has biological effects, and that EPA and DHA have divergent relations with lipoprotein metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]