Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids
Volume 83, Issue 3 , Pages 137-141, September 2010

Bioavailability of marine n-3 fatty acid formulations☆

  • J. Dyerberg

      Affiliations

    • Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to: Lille Fredensvej 6A, DK 2920, Charlottenlund, Denmark. Tel.: +4539636688; fax: +4539636689.
    • ,
  • P. Madsen

      Affiliations

    • Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Center for Cardiovascular Research Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
    • ,
  • J.M. Møller

      Affiliations

    • Department of Gastroenterology, Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
    • ,
  • I. Aardestrup

      Affiliations

    • Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Center for Cardiovascular Research Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
    • ,
  • E.B. Schmidt

      Affiliations

    • Department of Cardiology, Center for Cardiovascular Research Aalborg Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark

Received 3 March 2010; received in revised form 28 June 2010; accepted 29 June 2010. published online 21 July 2010.

Abstract 

The use of marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) as supplements has prompted the development of concentrated formulations to overcome compliance problems. The present study compares three concentrated preparations — ethyl esters, free fatty acids and re-esterified triglycerides — with placebo oil in a double-blinded design, and with fish body oil and cod liver oil in single-blinded arms. Seventy-two volunteers were given approximately 3.3g of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) daily for 2 weeks. Increases in absolute amounts of EPA and DHA in fasting serum triglycerides, cholesterol esters and phospholipids were examined. Bioavailability of EPA+DHA from re-esterified triglycerides was superior (124%) compared with natural fish oil, whereas the bioavailability from ethyl esters was inferior (73%). Free fatty acid bioavailability (91%) did not differ significantly from natural triglycerides. The stereochemistry of fatty acid in acylglycerols did not influence the bioavailability of EPA and DHA.

Keywords: Bioavailability, n-3 Fatty acids, Ethyl esters, Re-esterified triglycerides, Free fatty acids, Fish oil, Stereoisomery

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☆ The main results have been previously published in the proceedings of a workshop at the 29th yearly meeting of The European Society for Clinical Investigation: n-3 Fatty acids: prevention and treatment in vascular disease. S.D. Kristensen, E.B. Schmidt, R. de Caterina, S. Endres (Eds). Springer Verlag, London, 1995

PII: S0952-3278(10)00117-1

doi:10.1016/j.plefa.2010.06.007

Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids
Volume 83, Issue 3 , Pages 137-141, September 2010

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