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Fish oil and olive oil supplements attenuate the adverse cardiovascular effects of concentrated ambient air pollution particles exposure in healthy middle-aged adult human volunteers
Citation:
TONG, H., A. G. RAPPOLD, D. DIAZ SANCHEZ, A. Hinderliter, S. E. Steck, W. CASCIO, R. B. DEVLIN, AND J. M. SAMET. Fish oil and olive oil supplements attenuate the adverse cardiovascular effects of concentrated ambient air pollution particles exposure in healthy middle-aged adult human volunteers. Presented at 2011 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, Orlando, FL, November 12 - 16, 2011.
Impact/Purpose:
This study evaluated the efficacy of supplementation with marine fish oil (FO) or olive oil (00) in protecting against cardiovascular effects induced by controlled exposure of middle-aged healthy volunteers to concentrated ambient air pollution particles (CAP).
Description:
Exposure to ambient levels of air pollution increases cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Advanced age is among the factors associated with susceptibility to the adverse effects of air pollution. Dietary fatty acid supplementation has been shown to decrease cardiovascular risk through multiple mechanisms. This study evaluated the efficacy of supplementation with marine fish oil (FO) or olive oil (00) in protecting against cardiovascular effects induced by controlled exposure of middle-aged healthy volunteers to concentrated ambient air pollution particles (CAP). Subjects (ages 50 to 72 years), were randomly assigned to receive 3 g/d of fish oil (FO, 1.2 g EPA and 0.82 g DHA, n=16), or olive oil (00, 3g/d, n=13) for 28 d. Supplementation resulted in statistically significant increases in plasma EPA levels in the FO group (6.5-fold over 00 group), and oleic acid levels in 00 group. Subjects were then exposed to CAP (mean concentration 278± 19 I-ug/m3) or filtered air for 2 hr on sequential days. Heart rate variability (HRV), plasma lipids, coagulation markers; and endothelial function measured by flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery (FMD) were assessed pre-, immediately post-, and 20 hr post-exposure. FO supplementation attenuated CAP-induced reductions in HF/LF ratio (l.47±0.11 in FO group vs. 1.28±0.08 in 00 group; p=O.Ol), elevations in nLF domain of HRV (33.0±1.8 in FO group vs. 36.5±1.6 in 00 group; p=O.Ol), and increases in plasma triglycerides (l29±15 mg/dl in FO group vs. 154±18 mg/dl in 00 group; p=0.02) and VLDL (30±4 mg/dl in FO group vs. 44±6 mg/dl in 00 group; p=O.Ol) that were observed in the olive oil group. 00 supplementation blunted CAP-induced reductions in FMD (7.6±1.0% in FO group vs. 8.6±1.0% in 00 group; p=0.02) and raised plasma tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) levels above those seen in the FO group. These findings show that short-term exposure to ambient air pollution particles results in acute cardiovascular effects in healthy middle-aged adults, and suggest that supplementation with FO is protective against changes in autonomic balance and plasma lipids, while 00 supplementation blunts adverse vascular responses of air pollution inhalation. THIS ABSTRACT OF A PROPOSED PRESENTATION DOES NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT EPA POLICY.