Treatment with omega-3 fatty acid ethyl-ester alters fatty acid composition of lipoproteins in overweight or obese adults with insulin resistance

IntroductionThe effects of dietary fatty acid supplementation on lipoprotein fatty acid composition have rarely been described.Patients and methodsSixty-one overweight and obese adults with dyslipidemia and insulin resistance were randomized to placebo, 2 g/day extended-release nicotinic acid (ERN), 4 g/day prescription omega-3 fatty acid ethyl ester (P-OM3), or combination therapy for 16 weeks. Lipoprotein fatty acid composition was analyzed by gas chromatography pre- and post-treatment.ResultsTreatment with P-OM3 or combination, but not ERN, increased proportions of eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and docosapentaenoic acid, and reduced those for arachidonic acid in all lipoprotein fractions, with greatest impact in the high-density lipoprotein fraction. P-OM3-induced changes in eicosapentaenoic acid within low-density lipoproteins and very low-density lipoproteins were associated with beneficial effects on mean arterial pressure and pulse pressure.ConclusionsP-OM3 supplementation, with or without ERN, was associated with differentially altered lipoprotein fatty acid composition and improved blood pressure parameters.