Effect of Long-Term Fish Oil Supplementation on Vitamin E Status and Lipid Peroxidation in Women

The present study investigated the effect of maternal vitamin E and fatty acid supplementation on lamb antioxidant status. Forty-eight ewes were fed one of four concentrate diets supplemented with a basal (50 mg/kg) or supranutritional (500 mg/kg) level of vitamin E plus a source of either saturated fat (Megalac®; Volac Ltd, Royston, Hertfordshire, UK) or long-chain PUFA (fish oil) from 6 weeks prepartum until 4 weeks postpartum. Blood samples were taken from ewes and lambs at intervals throughout the experiment and, at parturition, muscle, brain and blood samples were obtained from twelve lambs (three per treatment). Colostrum and milk samples were obtained at 12 h and 21 d after parturition, respectively. Supranutritional vitamin E supplementation of the ewe significantly increased concentrations of vitamin E in neonatal lamb tissues although plasma concentrations were undetectable. A significant increase in lamb birth weight resulted from increasing the dietary vitamin E supply to the ewe. Furthermore, maternal plasma, colostrum and milk vitamin E concentrations were increased by vitamin E supplementation, as were lamb plasma concentrations at 14 d of age. Neonatal vitamin E status was not significantly affected by fat source although plasma vitamin E concentrations in both ewes and suckling lambs were reduced by fish oil supplementation of the ewe. Fish oil supplementation reduced vitamin E concentrations in colostrum and milk and the activity of glutathione peroxidase in suckling lambs. The data suggest that the vitamin E status of the neonatal and suckling lamb may be manipulated by vitamin E supplementation of the ewe during pregnancy and lactation.

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Exercise performance, red blood cell deformability, and lipid peroxidation: effects of fish oil and vitamin E

Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1152/jappl.1997.83.3.746 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 83 (3) ◽

pp. 746-752 ◽

Cited By ~ 69

Author(s):

G. S. Oostenbrug ◽

R. P. Mensink ◽

M. R. Hardeman ◽

T. De Vries ◽

F. Brouns ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lipid Peroxidation ◽

Vitamin E ◽

Blood Cell ◽

Fish Oil ◽

Endurance Exercise ◽

Red Blood Cell ◽

Exercise Performance ◽

Ldl Oxidation ◽

Cell Deformability ◽

Fish Oil Supplementation

Oostenbrug, G. S., R. P. Mensink, M. R. Hardeman, T. De Vries, F. Brouns, and G. Hornstra. Exercise performance, red blood cell deformability, and lipid peroxidation: effects of fish oil and vitamin E. J. Appl. Physiol. 83(3): 746–752, 1997.—Previous studies have indicated that fish oil supplementation increases red blood cell (RBC) deformability, which may improve exercise performance. Exercise alone, or in combination with an increase in fatty acid unsaturation, however, may enhance lipid peroxidation. Effects of a bicycle time trial of ∼1 h on RBC characteristics and lipid peroxidation were, therefore, studied in 24 trained cyclists. After 3 wk of fish oil supplementation (6 g/day), without or with vitamin E (300 IU/day), trial performance, RBC characteristics, and lipid peroxidation were measured again. RBC deformability appeared to decrease during endurance exercise. After correction for hemoconcentration, plasma total tocopherol concentrations decreased by 0.77 μmol/l ( P = 0.012) or 2.9% and carotenoid concentrations by 0.08 μmol/l ( P = 0.0008) or 4.5%. Endurance exercise did not affect the lag time and rate of in vitro oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), but the maximum amount of conjugated dienes formed decreased by 2.1 ± 1.0 μmol/mmol LDL cholesterol ( P= 0.042) or 1.2%. Fish oil supplementation with and without vitamin E did not affect RBC characteristics or exercise performance. Both supplements decreased the rate of LDL oxidation, and fish oil supplementation with vitamin E delayed oxidation. The amount of dienes, however, was not affected. The supplements also did not change effects of exercise. We conclude that the changes observed during endurance exercise may indicate increased oxidative stress, but further research is necessary to confirm this. Fish oil supplementation does not improve endurance performance, but it also does not cause or augment changes in antioxidant levels or LDL oxidation during exercise.

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