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Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation Appears to Attenuate Particulate Air Pollution-induced Cardiac Effects and Lipid Changes in Healthy Middle-aged Adults.
Citation:
TONG, H., A. RAPPOLD, D. DIAZ SANCHEZ, S. Steck, J. Bernsten, W. CASCIO, R. B. DEVLIN, AND J. M. SAMET. Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation Appears to Attenuate Particulate Air Pollution-induced Cardiac Effects and Lipid Changes in Healthy Middle-aged Adults. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Research Triangle Park, NC, 120(7):952-7, (2012).
Impact/Purpose:
To evaluate in a randomized controlled clinical trial the efficacy of fish oil supplements in attenuating the adverse cardiac effects of exposure to concentrated ambient fine and ultrafine particulate matter (CAP).
Description:
Context: Air pollution exposure has been associated with adverse cardiovascular effects. A recent epidemiologic study reported that omega-3 fatty acid (fish oil) supplementation blunted the cardiac responses to air pollution exposure. Objective: To evaluate in a randomized controlled clinical trial the efficacy of fish oil supplements in attenuating the adverse cardiac effects of exposure to concentrated ambient fine and ultrafine particulate matter (CAP). Design, Setting, and Participants: Twenty-nine healthy middle-aged subjects (mean age 58±1 yr) were supplemented in a randomized, double-blinded manner with 3g/day of either fish oil or olive oil for 4 weeks prior to sequential chamber exposure to filtered air and concentrated ambient fine and ultrafine particulate matter (mean mass concentration 278±19 ug/m3) for 2 hrs. Main Outcome Measures: Cardiac responses were assessed by comparing time-and frequency domain changes in heart rate variability (HRV) and electrocardiographic repolarization changes measured before, immediately after, and 20 hrs after exposure. Changes in plasma lipids and markers of inflammation were also evaluated at these time points. Results: Fish oil supplementation attenuated CAP-induced reductions in high-frequency/lowfrequency ratio (HF/LF ratio), as well as elevations in nLF HRV, prolongation of QT and QTc that were observed in subjects who had taken olive oil. In subjects supplemented with olive oil, very low-density lipoprotein and triglyceride concentrations increased significantly immediately after exposure to CAP, but not in subjects supplemented with fish oil. Conclusions: A two hr exposure to CAP induced acute cardiac and lipids changes that were ameliorated by fish oil supplementation in healthy middle-aged adults. Our findings suggest that omega-3 fatty acid supplements offer protection against the adverse cardiac and lipid effects associated with air pollution exposure.
