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Stearidonic Acid Increases the Red Blood Cell and Heart Eicosapentaenoic Acid Content in Dogs
Author(s) -
Harris William S.,
DiRienzo Maureen A.,
Sands Scott A.,
George Cherian,
Jones Philip G.,
Eapen Alex K.
Publication year - 2007
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/s11745-007-3036-6
Subject(s) - eicosapentaenoic acid , docosahexaenoic acid , food science , lipidology , chemistry , oleic acid , fatty acid , sunflower oil , clinical chemistry , polyunsaturated fatty acid , zoology , biochemistry , biology
Plant sources of omega‐3 fatty acids (FA) are needed that can materially raise tissue levels of long‐chain omega‐3 FA [i.e., eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n‐3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 20:6n‐3)]. Stearidonic acid (SDA; 18:4n‐3) is the delta‐6 desaturase product of alpha‐linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3n‐3), and when fed to humans, increases red blood cell (RBC) content of EPA to a greater extent than does ALA. This study was undertaken to determine the dose‐dependence and time course of the increase in the EPA and DHA content of the heart and RBC in dogs. Adult male Beagles were fed 21, 64, or 193 mg/kg of SDA in in their food daily for up to 12 weeks. Positive and negative controls were given EPA (43 mg/kg) or high oleic acid sunflower oil, respectively. The baseline EPA content of RBC was 0.38 ± 0.03% which increased ( P < 0.01) in a dose‐dependent manner, with the high dose of SDA and EPA achieving levels of 1.33 ± 0.26 and 1.55. ± 0.28%, respectively. In the heart, the content of EPA rose from 0.06 ± 0.01 to 1.24 ± 0.22% in the EPA group and to 0.81 ± 0.32% in the high SDA group (both P < 0.01). In both tissues, DHA did not change. Compared to dietary EPA, SDA was 20–23% as efficient in raising tissue EPA levels. In conclusion, SDA supplementation increased the EPA content of RBC and heart and may have utility as a plant‐based source of omega‐3 FA.