Fish oil N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids selectively affect plasma cytokines and decrease illness in Thai schoolchildren: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention trial
Fish oil N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids selectively affect plasma cytokines and decrease illness in Thai schoolchildren: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention trial
Objective To determine whether very long–chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) affect illness and selected plasma cytokines in schoolchildren.
Study design Thai schoolchildren aged 9 to 12 years consumed milk containing placebo (soybean) oil (n = 86) or fish oil
(n = 94) on 5 days per week for 6 months; the latter provided 200 mg eicosapentaenoic acid plus 1 g docosahexaenoic acid
daily. Episodes and duration of illness were recorded, and plasma interleukin (IL)-2 receptor, IL-6, IL-10, and transforming
growth factor (TGF)-beta1 concentrations and the fatty acid profile of plasma phosphatidylcholine determined.
Results After intervention, very long–chain n-3 PUFAs were higher in plasma phosphatidylcholine in the fish oil group than
in the placebo group (P < .001). The fish oil group showed fewer episodes (P = .014) and shorter duration (P = .024) of illness
(mainly upper respiratory tract) than the placebo group. Plasma IL-2 receptor, IL-10, and IL-6 were not affected by either
treatment. Plasma TGF-beta1 increased in both groups, but the increase was smaller in the fish oil group, and at the end of
supplementation TGF-beta1 concentration was lower in the fish oil group (P < .001).
Conclusions Very long– chain n-3 PUFAs reduce illness, mainly infections, in healthy Thai schoolchildren.
Abbreviations: DHA, Docosahexaenoic acid; DPA, Docosapentaenoic acid; ELISA, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; EPA, Eicosapentaenoic acid; IL, Interleukin; PC, Phosphatidylcholine; PUFA, Polyunsaturated fatty acid; sIL-2R, Soluble interleukin-2 receptor; TGF, Transforming growth factor; TNF, Tumor necrosis factor; UHT, Ultra-high temperature
391-395
Thienprasert, Alice
b9eacaeb-eae1-4568-918e-963f0ab691ac
Samuhaseneetoo, Suched
b4a4c10e-88d1-4eed-888a-c6d1306f3619
Popplestone, Kathryn
db112d67-4f69-4489-8b3a-6d03a0ecae47
West, Annette L.
e8dacc1a-5fdc-4a4f-92d8-608f2ea2994c
Miles, Elizabeth A.
20332899-ecdb-4214-95bc-922dde36d416
Calder, Philip C.
1797e54f-378e-4dcb-80a4-3e30018f07a6
March 2009
Thienprasert, Alice
b9eacaeb-eae1-4568-918e-963f0ab691ac
Samuhaseneetoo, Suched
b4a4c10e-88d1-4eed-888a-c6d1306f3619
Popplestone, Kathryn
db112d67-4f69-4489-8b3a-6d03a0ecae47
West, Annette L.
e8dacc1a-5fdc-4a4f-92d8-608f2ea2994c
Miles, Elizabeth A.
20332899-ecdb-4214-95bc-922dde36d416
Calder, Philip C.
1797e54f-378e-4dcb-80a4-3e30018f07a6
Thienprasert, Alice, Samuhaseneetoo, Suched, Popplestone, Kathryn, West, Annette L., Miles, Elizabeth A. and Calder, Philip C.
(2009)
Fish oil N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids selectively affect plasma cytokines and decrease illness in Thai schoolchildren: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention trial.
Journal of Pediatrics, 154 (3), .
(doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2008.09.014).
Abstract
Objective To determine whether very long–chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) affect illness and selected plasma cytokines in schoolchildren.
Study design Thai schoolchildren aged 9 to 12 years consumed milk containing placebo (soybean) oil (n = 86) or fish oil
(n = 94) on 5 days per week for 6 months; the latter provided 200 mg eicosapentaenoic acid plus 1 g docosahexaenoic acid
daily. Episodes and duration of illness were recorded, and plasma interleukin (IL)-2 receptor, IL-6, IL-10, and transforming
growth factor (TGF)-beta1 concentrations and the fatty acid profile of plasma phosphatidylcholine determined.
Results After intervention, very long–chain n-3 PUFAs were higher in plasma phosphatidylcholine in the fish oil group than
in the placebo group (P < .001). The fish oil group showed fewer episodes (P = .014) and shorter duration (P = .024) of illness
(mainly upper respiratory tract) than the placebo group. Plasma IL-2 receptor, IL-10, and IL-6 were not affected by either
treatment. Plasma TGF-beta1 increased in both groups, but the increase was smaller in the fish oil group, and at the end of
supplementation TGF-beta1 concentration was lower in the fish oil group (P < .001).
Conclusions Very long– chain n-3 PUFAs reduce illness, mainly infections, in healthy Thai schoolchildren.
Abbreviations: DHA, Docosahexaenoic acid; DPA, Docosapentaenoic acid; ELISA, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; EPA, Eicosapentaenoic acid; IL, Interleukin; PC, Phosphatidylcholine; PUFA, Polyunsaturated fatty acid; sIL-2R, Soluble interleukin-2 receptor; TGF, Transforming growth factor; TNF, Tumor necrosis factor; UHT, Ultra-high temperature
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Submitted date: May 2008
Published date: March 2009
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 72429
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/72429
ISSN: 0022-3476
PURE UUID: 8f841e80-5bfb-4b7e-9663-e77a4ffa4f4e
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Date deposited: 15 Feb 2010
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:38
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Contributors
Author:
Alice Thienprasert
Author:
Suched Samuhaseneetoo
Author:
Kathryn Popplestone
Author:
Annette L. West
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