1
|
Burdge GC. α-linolenic acid interconversion is sufficient as a source of longer chain ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in humans: An opinion. Lipids 2022; 57:267-287. [PMID: 35908848 DOI: 10.1002/lipd.12355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
α-linolenic acid (αLNA) conversion into the functionally important ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), has been regarded as inadequate for meeting nutritional requirements for these PUFA. This view is based on findings of small αLNA supplementation trials and stable isotope tracer studies that have been interpreted as indicating human capacity for EPA and, in particular, DHA synthesis is limited. The purpose of this review is to re-evaluate this interpretation. Markedly differing study designs, inconsistent findings and lack of trial replication preclude robust consensus regarding the nutritional adequacy of αLNA as a source of EPC and DHA. The conclusion that αLNA conversion in humans is constrained is inaccurate because it presupposes the existence of an unspecified, higher level of metabolic activity. Since capacity for EPA and DHA synthesis is the product of evolution it may be argued that the levels of EPA and DHA it maintains are nutritionally appropriate. Dietary and supra-dietary EPA plus DHA intakes confer health benefits. Paradoxically, such health benefits are also found amongst vegetarians who do not consume EPA and DHA, and for whom αLNA conversion is the primary source of ω-3 PUFA. Since there are no reported adverse effects on health or cognitive development of diets that exclude EPA and DHA, their synthesis from αLNA appears to be nutritionally adequate. This is consistent with the dietary essentiality of αLNA and has implications for developing sustainable nutritional recommendations for ω-3 PUFA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Graham C Burdge
- School of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Robinson DT, Van Horn L, Balmert L, Silver RM, Parry S, Haas DM, Wing DA, Grobman WA. Dietary Fat and Fatty Acid Intake in Nulliparous Women: Associations with Preterm Birth and Distinctions by Maternal BMI. Curr Dev Nutr 2021; 5:nzab074. [PMID: 34104849 PMCID: PMC8178106 DOI: 10.1093/cdn/nzab074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence documenting whether diet quality, particularly dietary fatty acids, is associated with preterm birth (PTB) is limited. OBJECTIVE The aim was to measure associations between dietary fatty acid intake prior to pregnancy, specifically n-3 (ɷ-3) PUFAs and odds of PTB in US women and determine if associations differed by prepregnancy BMI. METHODS We designed a secondary analysis of dietary intake in nulliparous women enrolled in a longitudinal cohort (NCT01322529). Participants completed an FFQ, modified to assess detailed PUFA intake, during the 3 mo preceding pregnancy. Inclusion in this analytic cohort required total energy intake within 2 SDs of the group mean. Prepregnancy BMI was categorized as underweight, normal, overweight, or obese. The primary exposure was estimated intake of EPA and DHA (combined EPA+DHA), in the context of a recommended intake of 250 mg. The primary outcome was PTB (<37 wk). Adjusted regression models controlled for maternal factors relevant to PTB and evaluated associations with PUFAs. Interaction terms estimated effect modification of BMI. A false discovery rate (FDR) correction accounted for multiple comparisons. RESULTS Median daily intake of combined EPA+DHA in 7365 women was 70 mg (IQR: 32, 145 mg). A significant interaction term indicated the effects of EPA+DHA on odds of PTB were different for different BMI categories (P < 0.01). Specifically, higher intake of combined EPA+DHA was nominally associated with reduced odds of PTB in women with underweight (OR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.46-0.98) and normal BMI (OR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.78-0.96), yet was associated with increased odds of overweight BMI (OR: 1.21; 95% CI: 1.02-1.44). Associations remained significant after FDR correction. CONCLUSIONS Based on a cohort of US women designed to identify predictors of adverse pregnancy outcomes, dietary intake of combined EPA+DHA was considerably lower than recommended. Associations between intake of these recommended n-3 fatty acids and risk of PTB differ by maternal BMI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel T Robinson
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Linda Van Horn
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Lauren Balmert
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Robert M Silver
- University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Samuel Parry
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David M Haas
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | | | - William A Grobman
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Woodard V, Thoene M, Van Ormer M, Thompson M, Hanson C, Natarajan SK, Mukherjee M, Yuil-Valdes A, Nordgren TM, Ulu A, Harris Jackson K, Anderson-Berry A. Intrauterine Transfer of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Mother-Infant Dyads as Analyzed at Time of Delivery. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13030996. [PMID: 33808763 PMCID: PMC8003544 DOI: 10.3390/nu13030996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential for fetal development, and intrauterine transfer is the only supply of PUFAs to the fetus. The prevailing theory of gestational nutrient transfer is that certain nutrients (including PUFAs) may have prioritized transport across the placenta. Numerous studies have identified correlations between maternal and infant fatty acid concentrations; however, little is known about what role maternal PUFA status may play in differential intrauterine nutrient transfer. Twenty mother–infant dyads were enrolled at delivery for collection of maternal and umbilical cord blood, and placental tissue samples. Plasma concentrations of PUFAs were assessed using gas chromatography (GC-FID). Intrauterine transfer percentages for each fatty acid were calculated as follows: ((cord blood fatty acid level/maternal blood fatty acid level) × 100). Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to compare transfer percentages between maternal fatty acid tertile groups. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant. There were statistically significant differences in intrauterine transfer percentages of arachidonic acid (AA) (64% vs. 65% vs. 45%, p = 0.02), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (41% vs. 19% vs. 17%, p = 0.03), and total fatty acids (TFA) (27% vs. 26% vs. 20%, p = 0.05) between maternal plasma fatty acid tertiles. Intrauterine transfer percentages of AA, EPA, and TFA were highest in the lowest tertile of respective maternal fatty acid concentration. These findings may indicate that fatty acid transfer to the fetus is prioritized during gestation even during periods of maternal nutritional inadequacy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Woodard
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (V.W.); (M.T.); (M.V.O.); (M.T.); (A.Y.-V.); (A.A.-B.)
| | - Melissa Thoene
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (V.W.); (M.T.); (M.V.O.); (M.T.); (A.Y.-V.); (A.A.-B.)
| | - Matthew Van Ormer
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (V.W.); (M.T.); (M.V.O.); (M.T.); (A.Y.-V.); (A.A.-B.)
| | - Maranda Thompson
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (V.W.); (M.T.); (M.V.O.); (M.T.); (A.Y.-V.); (A.A.-B.)
| | - Corrine Hanson
- Department of Medical Sciences, College of Allied Health Professions, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA;
- Correspondence:
| | - Sathish Kumar Natarajan
- Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Education and Human Sciences, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA;
| | - Maheswari Mukherjee
- Department of Medical Sciences, College of Allied Health Professions, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA;
| | - Ana Yuil-Valdes
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (V.W.); (M.T.); (M.V.O.); (M.T.); (A.Y.-V.); (A.A.-B.)
| | - Tara M. Nordgren
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; (T.M.N.); (A.U.)
| | - Arzu Ulu
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; (T.M.N.); (A.U.)
| | - Kristina Harris Jackson
- OmegaQuant Analytics LLC, 5009 W. 12th St., Suite 8, Sioux Falls, SD 57106, USA;
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
| | - Ann Anderson-Berry
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (V.W.); (M.T.); (M.V.O.); (M.T.); (A.Y.-V.); (A.A.-B.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Nita R, Kawabata T, Kagawa Y, Nakayama K, Yanagisawa Y, Iwamoto S, Kimura F, Miyazawa T, Tatsuta N, Arima T, Yaegashi N, Nakai K. Associations of erythrocyte fatty acid compositions with FADS1 gene polymorphism in Japanese mothers and infants. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2020; 152:102031. [PMID: 31923811 DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2019.102031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) are involved in the fetal growth in utero, and are essential for the development of visual and cognitive functions during infancy. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of erythrocyte fatty acid compositions with FADS1 gene polymorphism in Japanese mothers and infants. The subjects were 383 mothers who participated in an adjunct birth cohort study of the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS). In maternal FADS1 SNP genotypes, the precursor fatty acids composition of the Δ5 desaturase in the maternal blood showed significant differences in levels among the groups, and showed increasing values in the order of TT < TC < CC genotype groups. On the other hand, many product fatty acids levels were significantly reduced in the order of TT > TC > CC genotype groups, and DHA levels were significantly lower in the CC genotype group relative to the other groups. Likewise, the relationship between fetal genotype group and fatty acid composition in cord blood was very similar to the maternal relationship. These results indicate the maternal and fetal blood fatty acid compositions are strongly influenced by the FADS1 genotypes. With respect to the cord blood DHA composition, the levels in the fetal CC genotype group showed a trend toward lower values in the maternal CC genotype group pair (p = 0.066) compared to the maternal TC genotype group pair. However, in the fetal TT and TC genotype groups (p = 0.131, p = 0.729, respectively), the maternal genotype did not have a significant effect. The DHA composition was more influenced by the maternal genotype in the fetal CC genotype group than in the fetal TT and TC genotype groups. It was shown that DHA transport via the placenta from the mother might be promoted in the fetal CC genotype compared to the other fetal genotype groups. In conclusion, differences in the FADS1 SNP genotypes of pregnant women and their children may greatly affect the supply of LC-PUFAs. Further studies on the involvement of the FADS1 polymorphisms and the fetal LC-PUFA levels in the fetal growth and development are warranted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reiko Nita
- Faculty of Nutrition, Kagawa Nutrition University, 3-9-21 Chiyoda, Sakado, Saitama 350-0288, Japan.
| | - Terue Kawabata
- Faculty of Nutrition, Kagawa Nutrition University, 3-9-21 Chiyoda, Sakado, Saitama 350-0288, Japan
| | - Yasuo Kagawa
- Faculty of Nutrition, Kagawa Nutrition University, 3-9-21 Chiyoda, Sakado, Saitama 350-0288, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Nakayama
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8562, Japan
| | - Yoshiko Yanagisawa
- Division of Human Genetics, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Sadahiko Iwamoto
- Division of Human Genetics, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Fumiko Kimura
- Faculty of Comprehensive Human Sciences, Shokei Gakuin University, 4-10-1 Yurigaoka, Natori, Miyagi 981-1295, Japan; Food and Health Science Research Unit, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aza-Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8572, Japan
| | - Teruo Miyazawa
- Food and Health Science Research Unit, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aza-Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8572, Japan; Food and Biotechnology Innovation Project, New Industry Creation Hatchery Center (NICHe), Tohoku University, 6-6-10 Aza-Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Nozomi Tatsuta
- Department of Development and Environmental Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Takahiro Arima
- Department of Informative Genetics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Nobuo Yaegashi
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Kunihiko Nakai
- Department of Development and Environmental Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| |
Collapse
|