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Paradoxical effect of n−3‐containing vegetable oils on long‐chain n−3 fatty acids in rat heart
Author(s) -
Cleland Leslie G.,
Gibson Robert A.,
Pedler Janet,
James Michael J.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
lipids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.601
H-Index - 120
eISSN - 1558-9307
pISSN - 0024-4201
DOI - 10.1007/s11745-005-1461-6
Subject(s) - canola , food science , lipidology , sunflower oil , clinical chemistry , chemistry , sunflower , fatty acid , vegetable oil , biochemistry , biology , agronomy
Flaxseed, echium, and canola oils contain α‐linolenic acid (18∶3n−3, ALA) in a range of concentrations. To examine their effect on elevating cardiac levels of long‐chain n−3 FA, diets based on these n−3‐containing vegetable oils were fed to rats for 4 wk. Sunflower oil, which contains little ALA, was a comparator. Despite canola oil having the lowest ALA content of the three n−3‐containing vegetable oils, it was the most potent for elevating DHA (22∶6n−3) levels in rat hearts and plasma. However, the relative potencies of the dietary oils for elevation of EPA (20∶5n−3) in heart and plasma followed the same rank order as their ALA content, i.e., flaxseed>echium>canola>sunflower oil. This paradox may be explained by lower ALA intake leading to decreased competition for Δ6 desaturase activity between ALA and the 24∶5n−3 FA precursor to DHA formation.