Does the endothelium of competitive athletes benefit from the consumption of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids-enriched hen eggs? – Paper presentation

Aim: Present study aimed to determine the effect of n-3 PUFAs enriched hen eggs consumption on microvascular vasodilation, microvascular responsiveness range to a stress challenge and markers of oxidative stress in competitive athletes. Materials and Methods: 23 competitive athletes were divided to Control group (N=9) who ate three regular hens’ eggs/daily (249 mg n-3 PUFAs/day), and n-3 PUFAs group (N=14) who ate three n-3 PUFAs enriched hen eggs/daily (1053 g n-3 PUFAs/day) for 3 weeks. Endothelium- dependent (post-occlusive reactive hyperemia, PORH ; and iontophoresis of acetylcholine, AChID) and endothelium-independent responses (iontophoresis of sodium nitroprusside, SNPID) of skin microvascular blood flow was assessed by laser Doppler flowmetry in pre- and post- acute exhausting exercise (AEE) sessions. Blood pressure (BP), body composition, body fluid status, serum lipid and free fatty acids profile, markers of oxidative stress (TBARS ; thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) and antioxidative defense (FRAP ; ferric-reducing ability of plasma and serum antioxidant enzymes activity), were measured before and after respective dietary protocol. Results: Serum n-3 PUFAs significantly increased, n-6/n-3 ratio decreased (by 27%), PORH and AChID at rest were significantly enhanced, and SNPID at rest remained unchanged in n-3 PUFAs group, while none was changed in Control group. BP, body composition and body fluid status were not changed in any group. TBARS and FRAP remained unaffected by diet protocol in both groups, while serum GPx and SOD (but not CAT) activity significantly decreased in n-3 PUFAs, and remained unaltered in Control group. PORH, AChID and SNP were significantly reduced post-AEE, in both groups compared to pre-AEE measurement, both before and after respective diet protocol. Only AChID responsiveness range to AEE (ΔAChID) significantly increased following n-3 PUFAs consumption. Conclusion: n-3 PUFAs functional food consumption contributes to enhanced microvascular endothelial function at rest, as well as to its adaptation to the AEE in competitive athletes. (Funded by the European Structural and Investment Funds grant for the Croatian National Scientific Center of Excellence for Personalized Health Care, University of Josip Juraj Strossmayer Osijek - grant #KK.01.1.1.01.0010).