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Effects of dietary α-linolenic acid on the conversion and oxidation of13C-α-linolenic acid

  • Published:
Lipids

Abstract

The effects of a diet rich in α-linolenic acid vs. one rich in oleic acid on the oxidation of uniformly labeled13C-α-linolenic acid and its conversion into longer-chain polyunsaturates (LCP) were investigatedin vivo in healthy human subjects. Volunteers received a diet rich in oleic acid (n=5) or a diet rich in α-linolenic acid (n=7; 8.3 g/d) for 6 wk before and during the study. After 6 wk, subjects were given 45 mg of13C-α-linolenic acid dissolved in olive oil. Blood samples were collected att=0, 5, 11, 24, 96, and 336 h. Breath was sampled and CO2 production was measured each hour for the first 12 h. The mean (±SEM) maximal absolute amount of13C-eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in plasma total lipids was 0.04 ±0.01 mg in the α-linolenic acid group, which was significantly lower (P=0.01) than the amount of 0.12±0.03 mg13C-EPA in the oleic acid group. Amounts of13C-docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and13C-docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) tended to be lower as well. The mean proportion of labeled α-linolenic acid (ALA) recovered as13CO2 in breath after 12 h was 20.4% in the ALA and 15.7% in the oleic acid group, which was not significantly different (P=0.12). The cumulative recovery of13C from13C-ALA in breath during the first 12 h was negatively correlated with the maximal amounts of plasma13C-EPA (r=−0.58,P=0.047) and13C-DPA (r=−0.63,P=0.027), but not of13C-DHA (r=−0.49,P=0.108). In conclusion, conversion of13C-ALA into its LCP may be decreased on diets rich in ALA, while oxidation of13C-ALA is negatively correlated with its conversion into LCP. In a few pilot samples, low13C enrichments of n−3 LCP were observed in a diet rich in EPA/DHA as compared to oleic acid.

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Abbreviations

ALA:

α-linolenic acid

DHA:

docosahexaenoic acid

DPA:

docosapentaenoic acid

EPA:

eicosapentaenoic acid

FAME:

fatty acid methyl esters

GC-C-IRMS:

gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometer

GC-FID:

gas chromatography-flame-ionization detector

LCP:

long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Human Biology, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Susanne H. F. Vermunt, Ronald P. Mensink, Marianne M. G. Simonis & Gerard Hornstra

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  1. Susanne H. F. Vermunt
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  2. Ronald P. Mensink
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  3. Marianne M. G. Simonis
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  4. Gerard Hornstra
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Correspondence to Ronald P. Mensink.

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Vermunt, S.H.F., Mensink, R.P., Simonis, M.M.G. et al. Effects of dietary α-linolenic acid on the conversion and oxidation of13C-α-linolenic acid. Lipids 35, 137–142 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02664762

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02664762

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