Effect of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Supplementation on Body Composition and Circulating Levels of Follistatin-Like 1 in Males With Coronary Artery Disease: A Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial

Follistatin-like 1 (FSTL1) levels as potential early biomarker of cardiovascular disease in a Mexican population

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death globally. In recent years, follistatin-like protein 1 (FSTL1) has been proposed as an emerging potential clinical biomarker of CVD, since its concentration is upregulated in heart failure. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association of FSTL1 levels and classic biomarkers with the risk of CVD in Mexican population. A case-control study was carried out in patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD), arterial hypertension, but not CVD (cardiovascular risk factor-CRF), and healthy controls (control group) from the Mexican Institute of Social Security. Lipid profile, homocysteine (Hcys), serum amyloid A (SAA), FSTL1 concentration, PON1 concentration and activities [Arylesterase (ARE), and Lactonase (LAC)] were evaluated. High levels of FSTL1 were found in the CRF group and a positive association of FSTL1 (OR = 4.55; 95% CI 1.29-16.04, p = 0.02) with the presence of arterial hypertension, as well as Hcys (OR, 3.09; 95% CI 1.23-7.76, p = 0.02) and SAA (OR, 1.03; 95% CI 1.01-1.05, p < 0.01) with the presence of CVD. LAC activity (OR, 0.26; 95% CI 0.07-0.94, p = 0.04) and PON1 concentration (OR, 0.17; 95% CI 0.05-0.62, p = 0.01) were associated with a decrease in OR belonging to the group with CVD. Our results suggest that FSTL1 may be a useful biomarker for monitoring cardiovascular risk in clinical settings. However, longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate how FSTL1 could influence the association of PON1 activity and Hcys with CVD.

The Sick Adipose Tissue: New Insights Into Defective Signaling and Crosstalk With the Myocardium

Adipose tissue (AT) biology is linked to cardiovascular health since obesity is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and positively correlated with excessive visceral fat accumulation. AT signaling to myocardial cells through soluble factors known as adipokines, cardiokines, branched-chain amino acids and small molecules like microRNAs, undoubtedly influence myocardial cells and AT function via the endocrine-paracrine mechanisms of action. Unfortunately, abnormal total and visceral adiposity can alter this harmonious signaling network, resulting in tissue hypoxia and monocyte/macrophage adipose infiltration occurring alongside expanded intra-abdominal and epicardial fat depots seen in the human obese phenotype. These processes promote an abnormal adipocyte proteomic reprogramming, whereby these cells become a source of abnormal signals, affecting vascular and myocardial tissues, leading to meta-inflammation, atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, heart hypertrophy, heart failure and myocardial infarction. This review first discusses the pathophysiology and consequences of adipose tissue expansion, particularly their association with meta-inflammation and microbiota dysbiosis. We also explore the precise mechanisms involved in metabolic reprogramming in AT that represent plausible causative factors for CVD. Finally, we clarify how lifestyle changes could promote improvement in myocardiocyte function in the context of changes in AT proteomics and a better gut microbiome profile to develop effective, non-pharmacologic approaches to CVD.

Supplementation with omega-3 and lean body mass in the general population: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Results from narrative reviews showed potential from omega-3 supplementation on lean body mass. In older adults, a previous meta-analysis showed significant results from omega-3 on lean body mass. This review aimed to investigate randomized clinical trials that evaluated the effects of omega-3 supplementation, compared to placebo, on lean body mass in humans.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in Pubmed, LILACS, SciELO, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, SPORTDiscus, and Cochrane Library. The authors assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane tool. Randomized clinical trials that evaluated the effects of omega-3 supplementation compared to placebo on lean body mass were included.

RESULTS

In total, 11 studies were included, from which two found significant effects on lean body mass. In the meta-analysis, none of the results were significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Omega-3 supplementation had no significant effect on lean body mass compared to placebo.

Effects of omega-3 supplementation on body weight and body fat mass: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Omega-3 is a supplement that promotes several health benefits. The evidence on omega-3 in weight loss or body fat mass is inconclusive. This study aimed to review the literature on studies that evaluated the effect of omega-3 supplementation and changes in weight and/or body fat mass in humans.

METHODS

A systematic review, following the recommendations of PRISMA, in the databases Pubmed, Lilacs, and Scielo. Only experimental studies in humans that evaluated the effects of supplementation with omega-3 on weight loss and/or body fat mass were included.

RESULTS

In total, 20 studies were selected, of which 11 found no effect, and the other nine find some benefits. Two studies found a reduction in individuals' body fat, and a third found these results in women and a fourth only in men. In children and adolescents, one study found a difference in weight loss between groups. Four studies reported decreased body weight in women, and in men, only one found this result.

CONCLUSION

To date, there is no consistency in the literature that omega-3 has benefits in weight loss or body fat mass in humans. Due to the studies' heterogeneity and inconsistency in the results, further studies on the subject are necessary.

Effect of omega-3 fatty acids supplementation on adipokines: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Although a large body of literature reported the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids (omega-3 FAs) consumption on adipokines levels, but recent findings from clinical trials are not univocal. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of omega-3 FAs supplements on adipokines.

METHODS

We searched Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane Library from inception to August 2020 without any particular language limitations. Outcomes were summarized as standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) estimated from Hedge's g and random effects modeling.

RESULTS

Fifty-two trials involving 4,568 participants were included. Omega-3 FAs intake was associated with a significant increase in plasma adiponectin levels (n = 43; 3,434 participants; SMD: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.37; p = 0.01; I²= 80.14%). This meta-analysis indicates that supplementing participants with omega-3 fatty acids more than 2000 mg daily and more than 10 weeks resulted in a significant and more favorable improvement in plasma adiponectin levels. However, omega-3 FAs intake had no significant effect on leptin levels (SMD: -0.02, 95% CI: -0.20, 0.17, I²= 54.13%).

CONCLUSION

The evidence supports a beneficial effect of omega-3 FAs intake on serum adiponectin levels but does not appear to impact on leptin concentrations. Larger well-designed RCTs are still required to evaluate the effect of omega-3 FAs on leptin in specific diseases.

A Three-Month Consumption of Eggs Enriched with ω-3, ω-5 and ω-7 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Significantly Decreases the Waist Circumference of Subjects at Risk of Developing Metabolic Syndrome: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), rumenic acid (RmA), and punicic acid (PunA) are claimed to influence several physiological functions including insulin sensitivity, lipid metabolism and inflammatory processes. In this double-blind randomized controlled trial, we investigated the combined effect of ALA, DHA, RmA and PunA on subjects at risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Twenty-four women and men were randomly assigned to two groups. Each day, they consumed two eggs enriched with oleic acid (control group) or enriched with ALA, DHA, RmA, and PunA (test group) for 3 months. The waist circumference decreased significantly (−3.17 cm; p < 0.001) in the test group. There were no major changes in plasma insulin and blood glucose in the two groups. The dietary treatments had no significant effect on endothelial function as measured by peripheral arterial tonometry, although erythrocyte nitrosylated hemoglobin concentrations tended to decrease. The high consumption of eggs induced significant elevations in plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL)- and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (p < 0.001), which did not result in any change in the LDL/HDL ratio in both groups. These results indicate that consumption of eggs enriched with ALA, DHA, RmA and PunA resulted in favorable changes in abdominal obesity without affecting other factors of the metabolic syndrome.

Adipokines, Myokines, and Cardiokines: The Role of Nutritional Interventions

It is now established that adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and heart are endocrine organs and secrete in normal and in pathological conditions several molecules, called, respectively, adipokines, myokines, and cardiokines. These secretory proteins constitute a closed network that plays a crucial role in obesity and above all in cardiac diseases associated with obesity. In particular, the interaction between adipokines, myokines, and cardiokines is mainly involved in inflammatory and oxidative damage characterized obesity condition. Identifying new therapeutic agents or treatment having a positive action on the expression of these molecules could have a key positive effect on the management of obesity and its cardiac complications. Results from recent studies indicate that several nutritional interventions, including nutraceutical supplements, could represent new therapeutic agents on the adipo-myo-cardiokines network. This review focuses the biological action on the main adipokines, myokines and cardiokines involved in obesity and cardiovascular diseases and describe the principal nutraceutical approaches able to regulate leptin, adiponectin, apelin, irisin, natriuretic peptides, and follistatin-like 1 expression.