07.01.10
Nutraceutical: Fish oil
Indication: Blood pressure
Source: Journal of Pediatrics, May 15, 2010: [Epub ahead of print].
Research: Researchers divided a group of 80 boys who were slightly overweight into two groups—one that took 1.5 grams of fish oil daily and another that took a placebo for a period of 16 weeks. The goal of the study was to determine whether fish oil affects cardiovascular risk factors during the adolescent growth spurt. The oils were included in bread.
Results: After the intervention, the red blood cell (RBC) content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were 1.2% +/- 0.5% and 6.7% +/- 1.6%, respectively, in the those receiving fish oil (FO group), compared with 0.6% +/- 0.3% and 4.1% +/- 0.9% in the control group. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 3.8 +/- 1.4 mm Hg lower and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was 2.6 +/- 1.1 mm Hg lower in the FO group compared with the control group. Plasma triacylglycerol (TAG) concentration and insulin sensitivity were unaffected by either of the treatments. Plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and non-HDL cholesterol increased by 5% and 7%, respectively, in the FO group, and by 2% and 0% in the control group. The changes in RBC EPA content were inversely correlated with the changes in SBP and DBP and directly correlated with the increases in HDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol concentrations. No association was seen between RBC EPA and plasma TAG concentration or insulin sensitivity. These data led researchers to conclude that fish oil improves blood pressure in normotensive and normolipidemic slightly overweight adolescent boys.