Supplementation with saury oil, a fish oil high in omega-11 monounsaturated fatty acids, improves plasma lipids in healthy subjects

• Published in: Journal of clinical lipidology Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 53 - 65.e2
• Main Authors: Yang, Zhi-Hong, Amar, Marcelo, Sorokin, Alexander V., Troendle, James, Courville, Amber B., Sampson, Maureen, Playford, Martin P., Yang, Shanna, Stagliano, Michael, Ling, Clarence, Donkor, Kwame, Shamburek, Robert D., Mehta, Nehal N., Remaley, Alan T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.01.2020
• Subjects: Adult; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Dietary Supplements - adverse effects; Double-Blind Method; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated - administration & dosage; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - administration & dosage; Female; Fish Oils - administration & dosage; HDL; Healthy Volunteers; Humans; LDL; Lipids - blood; Lipoprotein subfractions; Long-chain monounsaturated fatty acid; Male; Middle Aged; Olive Oil - administration & dosage; Omega-3 fatty acids; Saury oil; Triglycerides; Triglycerides - blood; HDL; LDL; Lipoprotein subfractions; Triglycerides; Saury oil; Long-chain monounsaturated fatty acid; Omega-3 fatty acids
• ISSN: 1933-2874; 1876-4789
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jacl.2019.10.013

Fish oil enriched in omega-11 long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids (LCMUFAs; C20:1 and C22:1 isomers combined) have shown lipid-lowering and atheroprotective effects in animal models. To perform a first-in-human trial of LCMUFA-rich saury fish oil supplementation to test its safety and possible effect on plasma lipids. A double-blind, randomized, crossover clinical trial was carried out in 30 healthy normolipidemic adults (BMI <25 kg/m2; mean TG, 84 mg/dL). Treatment periods of 8 weeks were separated by an 8-week washout period. Subjects were randomized to receive either 12 g of saury oil (3.5 g of LCMUFA and 3.4 g of omega-3 FAs) or identical capsules with control oil (a mixture of sardine and olive oil; 4.9 g of shorter-chain MUFA oleate and 3 g of omega-3 FAs). Saury oil supplementation was safe and resulted in LDL particle counts 12% lower than control oil (P < .001). Saury oil also had a minor effect on increasing HDL particle size (9.8 nm vs 9.7 nm; P < .05) based on a linear mixed effect model. In contrast, control oil, but not saury oil, increased LDL-C by 7.5% compared with baseline (P < .05). Saury oil had similar effects compared with control oil on lowering plasma TG levels, VLDL, and TG-rich lipoprotein particle counts (by ∼16%, 25%, and 35%, respectively; P < .05), and increasing HDL-C and cholesterol efflux capacity (by ∼6% and 8%, respectively; P < .05) compared with baseline. Saury oil supplementation is well tolerated and has beneficial effects on several cardiovascular parameters, such as LDL particle counts, HDL particle size, and plasma TG levels. •Many fish oils contain omega-11-rich long-chain MUFA (C20:1/C22:1) besides omega-3.•LCMUFA showed benefits on cardiovascular health and lipid profile in animal studies.•This is a first-in-human randomized, controlled, double-blind, crossover trial.•Saury fish oil supplementation enriched in LCMUFA and omega-3 was well tolerated.•Saury oil improved LDL and HDL particle profiles (vs control), besides lowered TG.