Plasma Essential Fatty Acids

A Biomarker for Anti-Inflammatory Fish Oil Therapy

Essential Fatty Acid Molecule

In the MVL test, essential fatty acids are extracted from plasma, and the phospolipid fraction is isolated by thin-layer chromatography. Phospholipid fatty acids are transesterified to their methyl esters and separated by gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection. The detailed final report gives the percentages of the major plasma saturated, monosaturated, omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

A wide range of chronic medical conditions are now known to respond to therapy with fish oils containing omega-3 fatty acids. Recent studies describe the use of fish oils in cardiovascular disease (1), bipolar disorder (2), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (3), and rheumatoid arthritis.

The leading paper in a recent issue of the journal Drugs, by Cleland et. al., describes the use of high-dose fish oil, along with reduced consumption of pro-inflammatory omega-6 fats, as part of a comprehensive treatment program for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (4). They found that when the plasma phospholipid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) fraction reaches 3.2%, inflammatory cytokine production is largely suppressed.

In a follow-up study they describe the use of the plasma phospholipid EPA fraction as a biomarker for high-dose fish oil therapy (5).

High-dose fish oil therapy should include administration of antioxidants including Vitamins C and E, because of the potential for antioxidant depletion and increased lipid peroxidation(6).

References:

1 http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3006624
2 Stoll AL, Locke CA, Marangell LB, Stevens WE, Omega-3 fatty acids and bipolar disorder: a review. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 1999 May-Jun;60(5-6):329-37.
3 Richardso AJ, Puri BK, A randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of supplementation with highly unsaturated fatty acids on ADHD-related symptoms in children with specific learning difficulties. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2002 Feb; 26(2);233-9. PMID: 11817499 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
4 Cleland L, James M, Proudman S, The role of fish oils in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.Drugs. 2003;63(9):845-53.
5 Cleland LG, Proudman SM, Hall C, Stamp LK, McWilliams L, Wylie N, Neumann M, Gibson RA, James MJ. A biomarker of n-3 compliance in patients taking fish oil for rheumatoid arthritis. Lipids. 2003 Apr;38(4):419-24.
6 Lord RS, Bradley JA. Polyunsaturated fatty acid-induced antioxidant insufficiency. Integrative Medicine 1:2002-3; 38-44.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION