Tissue n − 3 and n − 6 fatty acids and risk for coronary heart disease events
MarilynMann
events
Atherosclerosis, Vol. 193, Issue 1, July 2007, 1-10.
William S. Harrisa,1, W. Carlos Postonb and C. Keith Haddockb
aSanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls,
SD, United States
bUniversity of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Department of
Basic Medical Sciences, Kansas City, MO, United States
Abstract
Background
Tissue proportions of long chain n − 6 [especially arachidonic acid
(AA)] and n − 3 fatty acids [FA; eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) acids], or some ratio of these may be
markers of risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). The purpose of this
paper is to evaluate the published associations between risk for CHD
events and tissue n − 3 and n − 6 FA composition.
Methods
Case–control or prospective cohort data sets examining the risk for
CHD endpoints as a function of tissue FA composition were identified.
Effect sizes were computed for case versus control comparisons using
standard meta-analytic methods.
Results
Twenty-five studies were included, 18 examining the FA composition of
phospholipid-rich and 7 of triglyceride-rich samples. DHA, with or
without EPA, was significantly lower in cases than controls in all
studies combined, in those with fatal endpoints, in those with
prospective designs, and in both tissue types. The only setting where
increased AA was associated with case status was in adipose tissue.
The AA/EPA ratio in phospholipid-rich samples did not distinguish
cases from controls. Lower linoleic acid content was associated with
increased risk for non-fatal events.
Conclusions
The long-chain n − 3 FA, especially DHA, were consistently and
significantly reduced in patients experiencing CHD events. These
findings add further support to the view that long-chain n − 3 FA are
cardioprotective.
Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 605 357 1522; fax: +1 605 357 1409.
1 Scientific advisor to Monsanto, Reliant Pharmaceuticals, and
OmegaMetrix, LLC.
* * *
I was curious why Monsanto, Reliant Pharmaceuticals and OmegaMetrix,
LLC were interested in this issue. I found out the following:
Monsanto
This is part of a Monsanto press release:
Monsanto, The Solae Company Combine Omega-3 Technology To Target
Rapidly Growing Opportunity
Companies Collaborate to Accelerate Delivery of Consumer Benefits
ST. LOUIS, March 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Monsanto and The Solae
Company today announced an agreement to develop and market Omega-3
products for a rapidly growing market that industry experts predict
could grow to as much as $7 billion by 2011. The agreement combines
each company's unique strengths to deliver innovation to consumers.
The collaboration brings together research that Monsanto and The Solae
Company, together with its majority owner, DuPont, have been
conducting independently on soybeans containing high levels of
Omega-3s, as well as Solae's work on stabilizing oil for food
applications. The companies are committed to collaborating in the
development of Omega-3 products, which will be marketed through Solae.
"There is a need to develop new solutions for delivering Omega-3 fatty
acids in a wider variety of consumer products," said Tony Arnold,
president and chief executive officer of The Solae Company. "Our goal
is to accelerate the creation of a convenient, affordable and
sustainable source of Omega-3 ingredients."
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to human health but cannot be
manufactured by the body. Consumer demand for these nutrients is
growing as research continues to show diets rich in Omega-3s play an
important role in maintaining health, including heart health.
The actual consumption of Omega-3s by humans is much lower than the
recommendations of health associations all over the world. In the
United States, consumption of long-chain Omega-3s is only one-fifth of
American Heart Association recommendations.
Market researchers have projected sales of Omega-3-infused foods will
grow at a 60 percent compounded annual rate from 2002 to 2011,
prompting concerns that demand could soon outstrip supply and threaten
fish stocks. This collaboration seeks to cultivate a new, more
sustainable source of Omega-3 products that can be used as ingredients
in many different food applications.
"Soybeans represent a renewable, land-based source of Omega-3s," said
Jerry Steiner, executive vice president of Monsanto. "We believe this
collaboration will allow us to bring to market a variety of
sustainable Omega- 3 ingredients that will nutritionally enhance foods
that consumers already enjoy. We're excited about the possibilities."
Reliant Pharmaceuticals
Reliant makes a prescription omega-3 product called Omacor. Here is a
discussion from their website:
"No other omega-3 product is like OMACOR®.
Every other omega-3 product is a dietary supplement, which means it is
not FDA approved for the treatment of any specific disease or medical
condition, like very high triglycerides (≥500 mg/dL). OMACOR is the
first and only prescription omega-3 medication that, along with diet,
has been clinically proven to dramatically reduce very high
triglycerides (TGs) (≥500 mg/dL) in adult patients.
By prescribing OMACOR, your doctor is giving you the only highly
concentrated and purified prescription omega-3 medication.
OMACOR has a unique blend of EPA and DHA - the naturally derived,
active medicinal components found in omega-3s. The EPA and DHA is what
makes OMACOR so effective in lowering very high triglycerides (≥500 mg/
dL) in adults."
I have no information on whether Omacor is actually any better than
the fish oil supplements you can buy over-the-counter.
OmegaMetrix, LLC
This is from the OmegaMetrix website:
"About OmegaMetrix
OmegaMetrix, LLC was established in 2003 to provide customers with
scientifically based health risk indicators in an affordable and
timely manner.
Drawing on the research of its founder and Scientific Advisor, William
Harris, Ph.D., the company developed the Omega-3 Index to provide
people with a way to measure levels of certain omega-3 fatty acids
(EPA and DHA) in red blood cells, which is also a reflection of their
presence in most body tissue. In 2006, OmegaMetrix expanded it's
testing options to include trans fat and other fatty acid values.
OmegaMetrix is owned, in part, by Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City
and the Saint Luke's Hospital Foundation. A portion of all proceeds
is used to benefit medical education and research."
"The OMX-3 test was developed by William S. Harris, Ph.D., one of the
leading researchers in the field of omega-3's and cardiovascular
disease. Among his many publications, Dr. Harris was co-author of the
AHA's scientific statement "Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Omega-3 Fatty
Acids and Cardiovascular Disease" published in 2002 in Circulation."
"The Omega-3 Index Versus Other Cardiac Markers
Using data from the Physicians’ Health Study, Albert et al. have
published the relative risk for sudden cardiac death across quartiles
of several risk factors, including LDL cholesterol, homocysteine, C-
reactive protein (CRP), and triglycerides. (See chart below.)
[chart is at http://www.omegametrix.com/clinicians_cardiac_markers.html]
Only two risk factors demonstrated statistically significant trends:
CRP and the Omega-3 Index. Of these, the latter had the steeper
gradient in risk reaching 90% reduction at the highest quartile.
Moreover, whereas the relative risk reductions for the Omega-3 Index
were adjusted for several potential confounders, those for CRP were
only adjusted for age and smoking status. Thus, the Omega-3 Index may
be a more informative risk factor than CRP."
I also found the following news article:
Company tests market for checking omega-3 levels
Kansas City Business Journal - April 1, 2005 by Lola Butcher Staff
Writer
Seeing science on their side, some Kansas City investors are betting
that a new test to measure fatty acids in blood may be more useful --
and eventually more common -- than today's obsession with cholesterol
levels.
OmegaMetrix LLC has raised $500,000 from local investors, with the
goal of doubling that amount in the next few months, said Dr. Ben
McCallister, director of cardiovascular research at the Mid America
Heart Institute at Saint Luke's Hospital and president of OmegaMetrix.
Early investors include Saint Luke's Health System and Saint Luke's
Hospital Foundation.
McCallister said the company's creation reflects the influence of the
Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute Inc., which promotes life
sciences research that may have commercial potential.
William Harris, a Mid America Heart Institute researcher who has
studied the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on heart health for 25
years, was giving an academic presentation in 2002 when one of his
colleagues suggested he patent his latest idea. He formed OmegaMetrix
the next year, and the company now is marketing a test that measures
omega-3 levels to consumers who pay $95 out of their pockets.
The next step, McCallister said, is convincing insurers and the
federal government that the test is worthy of reimbursement. Although
wide acceptance probably will take years, Ron Bremer, who manages
OmegaMetrix through his company, Formation Strategies, forecast that
some insurers will start covering the test within two years. Indeed,
the business plan projects revenue of $5 million in 2007.
"We do expect fast growth," Bremer said.
Harris and others already have sold the American Heart Association on
the value of omega-3. In 2002, the association made its first
endorsement of a supplement: Heart disease patients should take a fish-
oil capsule every day.
The problem is that people process omega-3 differently, so there has
been no way for a person to know whether he or she was getting
enough.
That's where OmegaMetrix comes in.
Using a measuring system Harris developed (if your Omega-3 Index is
less than 4, you're a heart attack waiting to happen), the company
sells a test conducted by finger prick at home or blood draw at a
laboratory that allows a person to monitor his or her omega-3 level.
Harris said omega-3 levels will supplant cholesterol levels as the
preferred way to evaluate a person's risk of heart attack.
"I would think it will take eight to 10 years before everyone is doing
it," he said."
* * *
It may be that n-3 fatty acids have some value, but I am wondering why
anyone needs this test. Why not just modify your diet?
I wonder if this company, which Harris undoubtedly has a major stake
in, is making any money yet.
Marilyn
William Wagner
MarilynMann <ma...@comcast.net> wrote:
> Solae
http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?id=74827-monsanto-solae-o
mega-soy-gm
"Solae and Monsanto are not specifying the kind of omega-3 that will be
contained in their ingredients, since the technology is not limited to
just one kind and combinations are possible.
However a spokesperson did confirm that there is the possibility for
longer chain fatty acids such as DHA and EPA. The decision over the
types will be customer-driven.
"Soy beans represent a renewable, land-based source of omega-3s," said
Jerry Steiner, EVP of Monsanto.
While the majority of the ingredients will be the product of a
genetically modified (GM) seed, some will not. Moreover, since soy bean
oil does not actually have any genes in it, there is some debate about
whether soy oil from a GM plant would necessarily be considered GM in
its own right.
"This collaboration is fairly specific to soy beans, but not necessarily
specific to that," said the Solae spokesperson.
The companies are not disclosing the business details of the
arrangement, but in terms of workability Solae, whose core competencies
are in stabilisation and working with food customers, will take the
marketing lead. Monsanto's expertise lies more on the seed and biotech
side. "
--
S Jersey USA Zone 5 Shade
http://www.ocutech.com/ High tech Vison aid
This article is posted under fair use rules in accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, and is strictly for the educational
and informative purposes. This material is distributed without profit.
MarilynMann
Psychiatry Research
Volume 152, Issue 1, 30 July 2007, Pages 1-10
Serum ω-3 fatty acids are associated with variation in mood,
personality and behavior in hypercholesterolemic community volunteers
Sarah M. Conklina, , , Jennifer I. Harrisb, Stephen B. Manuckc,
Jeffrey K. Yaod, Joseph R. Hibbelne and Matthew F. Muldoonf
aCardiovascular Behavioral Medicine Postdoctoral Training Program,
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA,
United States
bDepartment of Psychiatry, Brown University, Providence, RI, United
States
cDepartment of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA,
United States
dVA Pittsburgh Healthcare System and Departments of Psychiatry and
Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA,
United States
eNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD,
United States
fSchool of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, United
States
Abstract
Low dietary intake of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids has been linked
to several features of psychiatric symptomatology, including
depression, disorders of impulse control, and hostility. Preliminary
intervention trials of ω-3 fatty acid supplementation for clinical
depression and other disorders have reported benefit. However, few
studies have investigated the relationships between these fatty acids
and normative variability in mood, behavior and personality.
Participants were 105 hypercholesterolemic, but otherwise healthy, non-
smoking adults. Fasting serum α-linolenic (α-LNA), eicosapentaenoic
(EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were assayed with gas
chromatography. Participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory
(BDI), the NEO Five Factor Personality Inventory (NEO-FFI) and the
Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS). In multivariate analyses, higher
levels of the long chain ω-3 PUFAs, EPA and DHA, were associated with
significantly reduced odds of scoring ≥ 10 on the BDI. Similarly, DHA
and EPA covaried inversely with NEO-Neuroticism scores, whereas DHA
was positively associated with NEO-Agreeableness. On the BIS, DHA was
inversely related to cognitive impulsivity and α-LNA was inversely
related to motor and total impulsivity. These findings suggest that
ω-3 fatty acid status is associated with variability in affect
regulation, personality and impulse control.
FA); Depression; Impulsivity; Personality
Corresponding author. University of Pittsburgh, Department of
Psychiatry, 506 Old Engineering Hall, 4012 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh,
PA 15260, United States. Tel.: +1 412 624 8828; fax: +1 412 624 9108.
Marilyn