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A long-term seal- and cod-liver-oil supplementation in hypercholesterolemic subjects

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Lipids

Abstract

In this long-term study, we wanted to explore the effect of dietary supplementation of seal oil (SO) as compared cod-liver oil (CLO) on subjects with moderate hypercholesterolemia. The test parameters included fatty acid composition in serum, blood lipids, platelet aggregation, and the activity of blood monocytes. After a run-in period of 6 mon, 120 clinically healthy hypercholesterolemic (7.0–9.5 mmol/L; 270–366 mg/dL) subjects were randomly selected to consume either 15 mL of SO or CLO daily for 14 mon followed by a 4-mon wash-out period. A third group was not given any dietary supplement (control). Consumption of marine oils (SO and CLO) changed the fatty acid composition of serum significantly. Maximal levels were achieved after 10 mon. No further changes were seen after 14 mon. A wash-out period of 4 mon hardly altered the level of n−3 fatty acids in serum. Addition of SO gave 30% higher level of eicosapentaenoic acid, as compared to CLO. Subjects taking SO or CLO had lower whole-blood platelet aggregation than the control group. Neither SO nor CLO had any effects on the levels of serum total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, postprandial triacylglycerol, apolipoproteins A1 and B100, lipoprotein (a), monocyte function expressed as monocyte-derived tissue factor expression, and tumor necrosis factor.

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Abbreviations

ALAT:

alanine amino transferase

ALP:

alkaline phosphatase

Apo:

apolipoprotein

AST:

aspartate aminotransferase

CLO:

codliver oil

CRP:

C reactive protein

CV:

coefficient of variation

DHA:

docosahexaenoic acid

EPA:

eicosapentaenoic acid

HDL:

high density lipoprotein

Lp(a):

lipoprotein (a)

MUFA:

monounsaturated fatty acids

PUFA:

polyunsaturated fatty acids

SFA:

saturated fatty acids

SO:

seal oil

TF:

ussue factor

TNF:

tumor necrosis factor

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital of Tromsø, N-9038, Tromsø, Norway

    Jan Brox

  2. Hammerfest Hospital, N-9600, Hammerfest, Norway

    Kirsten Olaussen & Hanne Iversen

  3. Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Medical Biology, University of Tromsø, N-9037, Tromsø, Norway

    Bjarne Østerud

  4. Norwegian Institute of Fisheries and Aquaqulture Ltd., N-9005, Tromsø, Norway

    Edel O. Elvevoll

  5. University College of Finnmark, N-9500, Alta, Norway

    Eivin Bjørnstad

  6. Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø, N-9037, Tromsø, Norway

    Tormod Brenn

  7. University Hospital of Bergen, N-5000, Bergen, Norway

    Guttorm Brattebø

Authors
  1. Jan Brox
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  2. Kirsten Olaussen
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  3. Bjarne Østerud
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  4. Edel O. Elvevoll
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  5. Eivin Bjørnstad
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  6. Tormod Brenn
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  7. Guttorm Brattebø
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  8. Hanne Iversen
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Correspondence to Jan Brox.

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Brox, J., Olaussen, K., Østerud, B. et al. A long-term seal- and cod-liver-oil supplementation in hypercholesterolemic subjects. Lipids 36, 7–13 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-001-0661-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-001-0661-4

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