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Lipid Responses to a Dietary Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplement in Men and Women with Below Average Levels of High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol

Radiant Development (K.C.M., S.P.H., P.E.V., M.B., M.H.D.), Chicago, Illinois
University of Illinois (P.S.), Chicago, Illinois
Martek Biosciences Boulder Corporation, Boulder, Colorado (M.E.V.E., D.M.)

Address reprint requests to: Michael H. Davidson, M.D., Radiant Development, 515 N. State St., 27th Floor, Chicago, IL 60610. E-mail: MichaelDavidson{at}RadiantResearch.com

Objective: To assess fasting lipid responses to a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplement in men and women with below-average levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.

Methods: This randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial included 57 subjects, 21–80 years of age, with fasting HDL cholesterol concentrations 44 mg/dL (men) and 54 mg/dL (women), but 35 mg/dL. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either 1.52 g/day DHA from capsules containing DHA-rich algal triglycerides or olive oil (control) for six weeks.

Results: There were no significant differences between groups in baseline lipid values. The DHA supplemented group showed significant changes [–43 (DHA) vs. –14 (controls) mg/dL, p = 0.015] and percent changes [–21% (DHA) vs. –7% (controls), p = 0.009] in triglycerides, total (12 vs. 3 mg/dL; p = 0.021 and 6% vs. 2%; p = 0.018) and low-density lipoprotein (17 vs. 3 mg/dL; p = 0.001 and 12% vs. 3%; p = 0.001) cholesterol concentrations, and in the triglyceride to HDL cholesterol ratio (–1.33 vs. –0.50, p = 0.010), compared with controls. In addition, there was a significant reduction in the percentage of LDL cholesterol carried by small, dense particles in the DHA supplemented group (changes = –10% vs. –3%, p = 0.025).

Conclusions: Supplementation with 1.52 g/d of DHA in men and women with below-average HDL cholesterol concentrations raised the LDL cholesterol level, but had favorable effects on triglycerides, the triglyceride/HDL cholesterol ratio and the fraction of LDL cholesterol carried by small, dense particles. Further research is warranted to evaluate the net impact of these alterations on cardiovascular risk.

Key words: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), fatty acids, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), hypertriglyceridemia

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