Increased EPA levels in serum phospholipids of humans after four weeks daily ingestion of one portion chicken fed linseed and rapeseed oil

Lipids Health Dis. 2012 Aug 22:11:104. doi: 10.1186/1476-511X-11-104.

Abstract

Since the amounts of arachidonic acid (AA) and EPA in food may have implications for human health, we investigated whether a small change in chicken feed influenced the blood lipid concentration in humans ingesting the chicken. Forty-six young healthy volunteers (age 20-29) were randomly allocated into two groups in a double-blind dietary intervention trial, involving ingestion of about 160 g chicken meat per day for 4 weeks. The ingested meat was either from chickens given a feed concentrate resembling the commercial chicken feed, containing 4% soybean oil (SO), or the meat was from chickens given a feed where the soybean oil had been replaced by 2% rapeseed oil plus 2% linseed oil (RLO).Serum total cholesterol, LDL and HDL cholesterol, triacylglycerols, serum phospholipid fatty acid concentration, blood pressure, body weight and C-reactive protein were determined at baseline and post-intervention. In subjects consuming chicken meat from the RLO group there was a significantly (p < 0.001) increased concentration of EPA in serum phospholipids, and a reduced ratio between AA and EPA. The participants that had a low% of EPA + DHA in serum phospholipids (less than 4.6%), all increased their% of EPA + DHA after the four week intervention period when consuming the RLO chicken. No significant response differences in cholesterol, triacylglycerol, C-reactive protein, body weight or blood pressure were observed between the groups. This trial demonstrates that a simple change in chicken feed can have beneficial effects on amount of EPA and the AA/EPA ratio in human serum phospholipids.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animal Feed
  • Animals
  • Arachidonic Acid / blood
  • Chickens* / metabolism
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Eicosapentaenoic Acid / blood*
  • Fatty Acids / analysis
  • Fatty Acids / blood
  • Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated
  • Female
  • Food Analysis
  • Humans
  • Linseed Oil / administration & dosage*
  • Male
  • Meat / analysis*
  • Phospholipids / blood*
  • Plant Oils / administration & dosage*
  • Rapeseed Oil
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Fatty Acids
  • Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated
  • Phospholipids
  • Plant Oils
  • Rapeseed Oil
  • Arachidonic Acid
  • Linseed Oil
  • Eicosapentaenoic Acid