Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common consequence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) with the least severe form of NAFLD being hepatic steatosis, which is the accumulation of intrahepatic fat. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n3 PUFAs) are fatty acids in our diets commonly found in marine animals (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) and certain plants (α-linoleic acid [ALA]). Although past studies have examined the consumption of marine sources or plant sources on hepatic steatosis and MetS parameters, individual n3 PUFA have yet to be compared to each other. Thus fa/fa Zucker rats were provided n3 PUFA diets containing ALA, EPA or DHA for 8 weeks relative to a linoleic acid (LA)-rich n6 PUFA diet provided to fa/fa and lean Zucker rats. Comparisons were to baseline fa/fa Zucker rats. It was shown that DHA prevented the progression of hepatic steatosis and was associated with improvements in insulin resistance.

No description available.

Kännedom om Omega-3 började med att man upptäckte att omega-3 har en effekt på kardiovaskulära sjukdomar, sedan dess har man börjat utforska allt fler områden där omega-3 har visat sig ha en positiv effekt. Syftet med den här uppsatsen är att undersöka huruvida Omega-3 har en effekt på demens och den vanligaste demenssjukdomen Alzheimer. Demens orsakas bland annat av en omfattande celldöd i hjärnan och uttrycker sig genom att minnet och kognitionen blir gradvis försämrat eftersom det episodiska minnet är försämrat hos dementa. Alzheimer i sin tur har visat sig ha låga nivåer av DHA i hippocampus. Studier har visat att ett intag av fisk och Omega-3 kan förebygga en uppkomst av demens och Alzheimer och förbättra den kognitiva försämringen som sker vid demenssjukdom. Slutresultaten är motsägelsefulla. De flesta studier visar att Omega-3 påverkar och förbättrar kognitionen hos Demens och Alzheimer patienter och kan verka förebyggande och även som behandling. Emellertid finns det de studier som visar på att Omega-3 inte har visat någon signifikant effekt, eller enbart har en förebyggande effekt och endast ifall demenssjukdomen inte är starkt genetiskt betingad.

Introduction: One potential new therapy for epilepsy involves the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and more specifically docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).   Methods: The anticonvulsant properties of the n-3 PUFAs were assessed in a series of different experiments. Subjects received chronic dietary supplementation, sub-chronic and acute injections of either fish oil (chronic) or DHA (sub-chronic, acute). Animals were tested in the electrical afterdischarge thresholds (ADTs) model in the amygdale and the maximal pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) model.   Results: Chronic, sub-chronic, and acute administrations of n-3 PUFAs were anticonvulsant in both the electrical stimulation and maximal PTZ models. In chronic experiments, amygala ADTs increased following 3 months of fish oil administration. Fourteen days of DHA i.p. injections increased latencies to maximal PTZ seizures. Acute injection of DHA s.c. and i.v. increased unesterified serum DHA and seizure latency. Conclusions: The present research suggests that n-3 PUFAs, and more specifically DHA, have anticonvulsant effects in vivo.

Introduction: One potential new therapy for epilepsy involves the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and more specifically docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).   Methods: The anticonvulsant properties of the n-3 PUFAs were assessed in a series of different experiments. Subjects received chronic dietary supplementation, sub-chronic and acute injections of either fish oil (chronic) or DHA (sub-chronic, acute). Animals were tested in the electrical afterdischarge thresholds (ADTs) model in the amygdale and the maximal pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) model.   Results: Chronic, sub-chronic, and acute administrations of n-3 PUFAs were anticonvulsant in both the electrical stimulation and maximal PTZ models. In chronic experiments, amygala ADTs increased following 3 months of fish oil administration. Fourteen days of DHA i.p. injections increased latencies to maximal PTZ seizures. Acute injection of DHA s.c. and i.v. increased unesterified serum DHA and seizure latency. Conclusions: The present research suggests that n-3 PUFAs, and more specifically DHA, have anticonvulsant effects in vivo.

Young and ovariectomized animals eating diets rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) exhibit enhanced bone formation and decrease bone loss, respectively. Eicosapentaenoic acid, an n-3 PUFA found in fish oil, competes with arachidonic acid, an n-6 PUFA, for the cyclooxygenase enzyme, modulating prostaglandin E2, a mediator of bone mechanotransduction. Whether this diet affects bone gains during exercise is not well defined. We hypothesized rats consuming a high n-3 PUFA diet would gain more bone mass with increased bone formation compared to the rats consuming a high n-6 PUFA diet in response to exercise. Virgin Sprague-Dawley rats (5-mo-old, n=18) were assigned to one of two groups: diet rich in corn oil with a n-6:n-3 dietary ratio of 23:1 (O6) or a diet rich in fish oil with an n-6:n-3 dietary ratio of 2:1 (O3). After acclimation, rats completed 9 sessions on alternate days of stimulated muscle contractions at 75% peak isometric strength. Structural and densitometric properties of proximal tibia were measured using in vivo peripheral quantitative CT. Bone formation rate was quantified on the periosteal the surface by standard bone histomorphometry after intraperitoneal injections of calcein. There was a significant main effect due to diet on total volumetric bone mineral density. The diet rich in n-3 PUFAs also allowed for increases in cancellous volumetric bone mineral density at the proximal tibia independent from exercise, as high as 28%. However, proximal tibia metaphysis bone size and shape was not modified due to changes in diet. The training protocol resulted in a robust increase in bone formation, mass, and area at the midshaft tibia. Mineral apposition rate and bone formation rate were significantly greater in the O3 group compared to the O6 group with exercise at the midshaft tibia, ~36% and ~38% respectively. However, the greater bone formation seen in the O3 groups did not translate over to significantly greater bone mass and size as noted by the pQCT results at the same bone site, because there were no detectable differences between groups. In summary, our data demonstrate that a diet high in n-3 PUFAs independently increases bone density at the proximal tibia. In addition, there was enhanced BFR due to a diet high in n-3 PUFAs with exercise, but those increases did not translate over to increased cortical bone mass or size. These data provide evidence that fish oil consumption with and without simulated resistance training exercise can be beneficial to bone outcomes.

Graduation date: 1991

The aim of this thesis was to examine the role of diet in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Patients were examined in: i) a postal questionnaire survey of dietary habits and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms; ii) a study on biomarkers of diet and disease activity; iii) a comparison of cardiovascular risk factors with the general population using data from the Västerbotten Intervention Programme (VIP), and; iv) a 21-week omega-3 fatty acid supplementation study regarding the effects on disease activity. The postal survey (111 respondents) revealed no correlation between dietary habits and disease activity measured by the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI). However, GI problems, and in particular GI pain, were prevalent in patients with AS irrespective of NSAID usage.Gastrointestinal pain was predicted by higher BASDAI and a higher consumption of vegetables. Overall, 30 (27%) of the patients experienced an aggravation of gastric symptoms when consuming certain foods. In the study of biomarkers (n=66) no correlation was found between diet and disease activity as assessed by BASDAI. There were, however, positive correlations between BASDAI and the content of arachidonic acid (AA) in plasma phospholipids (rs=0.39, p<0.01) and the estimated activity of the enzyme delta-5-desaturase (rs=0.37, p<0.01). This may reflect a process involved in the inflammation associated with AS that requires further investigation. Comparing data from the VIP for patients (n=89) and controls showed no significant differences regarding diet, physical activity or smoking. Nonetheless, more pronounced correlations between blood lipids and diet were identified among patients than in controls. Furthermore, the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides were lower in patients compared with controls. Lastly, in the supplementation study, a high-dose of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (4.55 grams/day) was found to lower disease activity, as measured by BASDAI, whereas low-dose treatment (1.95 grams/day) caused no change. In conclusion, within a group of Swedish AS patients we found no correlation between ordinary dietary habits and disease activity. Diet in western populations of patients with AS may, however, be of importance for gastric symptoms and for cardiovascular risk factors. The finding of a lowered disease activity in patients on high-dose supplementation with long-chain omega-3 fatty acids indicates that a radical dietary shift may influence disease activity. The findings of a positive correlation between disease activity and plasma AA, and the decreased levels of blood lipids imply the need for further studies into fatty acid metabolism in AS.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Physiology, 2002. / "September 2002" Bibliography: leaves 207-230.

Thesis (MD.) - University of Glasgow, 2007. / MD thesis submitted to the Faculty of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, July 2007. Includes bibliographical references. Print version also available.