Differences between polyunsaturated fatty acid status of non-institutionalised elderly women and younger controls : a bioconversion defect can be suspected

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 53; no. 8; pp. 591 - 596
• Main Authors: BABIN, F, ABDERRAZIK, M, FAVIER, F, CRISTOL, J. P, LEGER, C. L, PAPOZ, L, DESCOMPS, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Nature Publishing 01.08.1999; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Bioconversion; Biological and medical sciences; Biosynthesis; Cholesterol; Column chromatography; Comparative studies; Defects; Design defects; Diet; Dietary intake; Erythrocytes; Erythrocytes - metabolism; Esters; Fatty acid composition; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids, Essential - blood; Fatty Acids, Essential - metabolism; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated - blood; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated - metabolism; Feeding Behavior; Female; Humans; Institutionalization; Linoleic acid; Lipids; Lipids - blood; Liquid chromatography; Logistic Models; Meat; Medical disorders; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Middle Aged; Nutrition Assessment; Older people; Other nutritional diseases (malnutrition, nutritional and vitamin deficiencies...); Phospholipids; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; Triglycerides; Women; Human; Nutrition; Biotransformation; Nutrition disorder; Polyunsaturated fatty acid; Lipids; Female; Metabolism; Nutritional deficiency; Nutritional status; Comparative study
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600792
• ISSN: 0954-3007

To evaluate the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) status in non-institutionalised elderly women and to detect a possible essential fatty acid bioconversion defect. The fatty acid composition of total plasma lipids, plasma triglycerides (TG), cholesterol esters (CE), phospholipids (PL), and erythrocytes was determined by capillary column gas-liquid chromatography in a sample of 200 non-institutionalised healthy elderly women over 75 years of age. The data were compared with those of a control group of 50 young female volunteers aged 20-48 y. In elderly women, the n-6 series precursor, linoleic acid (18:2 n-6), was lower in TG and CE (P = 0.029 and 0.014, respectively). In CE, this fatty acid was highly correlated with vegetable and vegetal fat intakes (P < 0.0001), suggesting a lower dietary supply than in controls. Higher percentages of 16:1 n-7 were found in all the plasma lipid fractions in elderly women, especially in CE (P < 0.0001). The ratios 20:4 n-6/20:3 n-6 and 22:6 n-3/20:5 n-3 were significantly lower in PL from elderly women (P < 0.005 and P < 0.002, respectively), raising the question of the efficiency of the terminal steps of 20:4 n-6 and 22:6 n-3 biosynthesis. Dietary investigations in elderly women indicated that a high dietary protein intake via meat probably contributed to the supply of 20:4 n-6 and thus maintained the status of this fatty acid, despite the suspected altered biosynthesis. The PUFA status in the elderly women group could be more fragile and dependent on exogenous supply of long-chain PUFAs than previously suspected.