Abstract
Purpose
We investigated effects of ground whole flaxseed supplementation on erythrocyte polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and serum biomarkers of inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and thrombosis in Chinese with risk factors of metabolic syndrome (MetS).
Methods
This study was a secondary analysis of a 12-week, randomized, parallel-group trial in participants screened for MetS. The analysis included only those with 2 or more components of MetS before receiving either lifestyle counseling (LC, n = 90) or LC + 30 g/day flaxseed supplementation (LCF, n = 83).
Results
Compared to the LC group, those in the LCF group experienced significant increases in total erythrocyte n-3 PUFAs, α-linolenic acid, eicosapentenoic acid, and docosapentenoic acid (all P < 0.001), while total n-6 PUFAs (P < 0.05) and n-6/n-3 ratio decreased (P < 0.001). Arachidonic acid increased significantly in the LC group (P < 0.001), and serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, interleukin-18, soluble intracellular adhesion molecular-1, E-selectin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 declined significantly in both groups (all P < 0.05), but no between-group differences were observed. There was no significant change in serum interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, soluble vascular adhesion molecular-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and oxidized low-density lipoprotein in either group.
Conclusions
These data suggest that flaxseed supplementation increases erythrocyte n-3 PUFAs, decreases n-6 PUFAs and n-6/n-3 ratio in participants with risk factors of MetS, but has no additional benefits beyond the lifestyle consulting for the multiple biomarkers tested in the current study.
Abbreviations
- ALA:
-
α-Linolenic acid
- PUFA:
-
Polyunsaturated fatty acid
- MetS:
-
Metabolic syndrome
- LC:
-
Lifestyle counseling
- LCF:
-
LC + 30 g/day flaxseed
- FAME:
-
Fatty acid methyl ester
- hsCRP:
-
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein
- IL-6:
-
Interluekin-6
- TNF-α:
-
Tumor necrosis factor-α
- MCP-1:
-
Monocyte chemotactic protein-1
- sICAM-1:
-
Soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1
- sVCAM-1:
-
Soluble vascular adhesion molecule-1
- PAI-1:
-
Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1
- ox-LDL:
-
Oxidized low-density lipoprotein
- IL-18:
-
Interleukin-18
- EPA:
-
Eicosapentenoic acid
- DHA:
-
Docosahexenoic acid
- DPA:
-
Docosapentenoic acid
- LA:
-
Linoleic acid
- AA:
-
Arachidonic acid
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Acknowledgments
This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30930081 and 81021002), the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2011CB504002) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KSCX2-EW-R-10). The authors’ responsibilities were as follows: H.W. and X.L. were involved in the study design; G.Z. and H.W. were in charge of participant management; G.Z., H.W, and X.L. took part in the data collection; G.Z completed the data analysis and drafted the initial manuscript, with help from H.W. W.D-W and X.L for interpretation of the findings. All authors were responsible for critical revisions and final approval of the manuscript. All authors declared no conflict of interest.
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Zong, G., Demark-Wahnefried, W., Wu, H. et al. Effects of flaxseed supplementation on erythrocyte fatty acids and multiple cardiometabolic biomarkers among Chinese with risk factors of metabolic syndrome. Eur J Nutr 52, 1547–1551 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-012-0461-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-012-0461-y