A diet enriched with mackerel (Scomber scombrus)-derived products improves the endothelial function in a senior population (Prevención de las Enfermedades Cardiovasculares: Estudio Santoña - PECES project)

• Published in: European journal of clinical investigation Vol. 39; no. 3; pp. 165 - 173
• Main Authors: De Berrazueta, J. R., Gómez de Berrazueta, J. M., Amado Señarís, J. A., Peña Sarabia, N., Fernández Viadero, C., García-Unzueta, M. T., Sáez de Adana, M., Sanchez Ovejero, C. J., LLorca, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-03-2009; Wiley-Blackwell
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; DHA; Docosahexaenoic Acids - administration & dosage; Docosahexaenoic Acids - pharmacology; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - administration & dosage; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - pharmacology; Endothelial function; Endothelium, Vascular - drug effects; EPA; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - administration & dosage; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - pharmacology; Female; Fish consumption; General aspects; Humans; Mackerel; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Middle Aged; Omega-3; Perciformes; PUFA; Statistics as Topic; Human; Edible fish; Endothelial cell; Nutrition; Scomber scombrus; PUFA; Polyunsaturated fatty acid; Mackerel; Endothelial function; Omega-3; Endothelium; Medicine; Project; Vertebrata; Improvement; Diet; Food intake; Pisces; EPA; Fish consumption; Population; DHA; Elderly; Derived product
• ISSN: 0014-2972; 1365-2362
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2362.2008.02072.x

ABSTRACT
Background  Regular consumption of fish reduces cardiovascular risks. Here, we investigate if the consumption of products with mackerel (Scomber scombrus) with 8·82 g of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content per 100 g of product improves parameters of endothelial function in a controlled population.
Materials and methods  Subjects maintained a 12‐week diet with products with mackerel. The population consisted of 58 senior subjects (12 withdrawals, 25 women), aged 82·08 ± 8·13 years (Group A). Twenty‐three senior subjects (13 women) on a regular diet were used as the control group (Group B).
Subjects of Group A received 57 portions throughout 12 weeks (four to five portions a week of products with a mean EPA + DHA content of 2·5 g a day). A continuous follow‐up and a final evaluation were performed to determine the level of consumption. Plasma samples were stored at –70 °C for a biochemical study. Endothelial function was analysed by reactive hyperemia with a mercury strain gauge plethysmography with measurement of blood flow in the forearm, both baseline and at the end of the 12‐week diet.
Results  Endothelium‐dependent vasodilatation significantly increased in Group A subjects (P < 0·001). No changes were found in Group B. The subgroup analyses showed that improvements were produced in Group A subjects without cardiovascular disease (P < 0·001). Nitrites/nitrates and von Willebrand factor plasma concentrations were higher in participants after the 12‐week diet.
Conclusions  The consumption of mackerel meat products improves endothelium‐dependent, flow‐mediated vasodilatation in a senior population. This finding might explain some of the cardioprotective effects of fish consumption.