Endogenous Conversion of Alpha Linolenic Acid Clinical Trial
Official title:
Influence of the Background Diet on Metabolism of Land-based n-3 PUFA From Linseed Oil - Focus: Conversion of Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA; KoALA Study)
KoALA study - assessment of the influence of the background diet on the metabolism and the
bioavailability of plant n-3 PUFA from linseed oil.
In particular, the study design focusses on the impact of variations in the background diet
as confounding factor (e.g. variations in concurrently intake of linoleic acid (n-6)).
Further, the influence of a regular intake of milk fat, in particular from free-grazing
ruminants, on n-3 PUFA metabolism will be investigated.
The KoALA study focuses on the impact of variations in the background diet as a confounding
factor. The intake of linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 n-6) has been suggested to diminish the
metabolism of α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3 n-3) to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5 n-3) and
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3).
In this context, the proposed study will be conducted to evaluate the influence of the
background diet, in particular the impact of the simultaneous intake of LA on the conversion
of ALA into their long-chain (LC) metabolites, the incorporation of n-3 LC-PUFA in human
tissues and their metabolism into eicosanoids and docosanoids. Further, the influence of a
regular intake of milk fat, in particular from free-grazing ruminants, on n-3 PUFA metabolism
will be investigated, because short- and middle-chain fatty acids as well as the
branched-chain fatty acids in milk fat may influence the conversion of ALA into n-3 LC-PUFA
(hypothesis).
Thus, validated nutrition concepts for increasing n-3 LC-PUFA status from plant sources will
be developed to ensure an adequate intake of n-3 PUFA according to the guidelines of
nutritional societies and as a contribution to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
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