• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.88-95
• /
• 1998

Kong chain $\omega$3 & $\omega$6 fatty acids and taurine have been suggested to have structural and /or functional roles in the brain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in the percentage of fatty acids and taurine concentration in human milk obtained from Korean mothers(n=37) as lactation proceeds from birth to 5wks postpartum , and to determine the correlation between taurine concentration and fatty acid composition in breast milk. Level of fatty acids and taurine in breast milk were measured by GLC and HPLC, respectively. The percentages of medium -chain saturated fatty acids(10 : 0, 12 : 0 & 14: 0) were increased significantly , while percentages of long-chain saturated fatty acids(22 :0 & 24 : 0), and most of the long chain $\omega$6 and $\omega$3 fatty acids(20 : 3$\omega$6 , 20 :4$\omega$6, 22 :4$\omega$6 , 22 :5$\omega$6, 22 :5$\omega$3 & 22 : 6$\omega$3) were decreased significantly in mature milk (5 wks postpartum ) as compared to the colostrum. Taurine concentrations in colostrum and mature milk from Korean mothers were 549 $\pm$58 and 233 $\pm$41nmol/ml , respectively. Taurine concentrations in human milk was negatively correlated with the percentages of medium -chain saturated fatty acids ( 10 : 0 &12 : 0), and positively correlated with the percentages of long-chain saturated fatty acids( 16 :0, 20 : 0, 22 : 0& 24 : 0) and long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids( 20 : 1, 22 : 1 & 24 ; 1). Taurine concentration in human milk was positively correlated with elongation indices of both $\omega$6 and $\omega$3 fatty acids, and negatively correlated with the desaturation index of $\omega$6 fatty acids. These close relationships between fatty acids compositions and taurine level in human milk are worth pursing further investigation, especially with regard to their common roles in retina and brain development.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.29 no.8
• /
• pp.849-860
• /
• 1996

The supply of different fatty acids during the development period has significant effects. This study examined the effects of dietary $\omega$3 and $\omega$6 fatty acid compositions on phospholipids (PLs) of RBC and rat brain subcellular fractions (synaptosome, microsome, mitochondria), and on learning ability of the 2nd generation rat. Rats were fed experimental diets 3-4 wks prior to the conception. Early in the lactation period, the feeding mothers were exchanged. Diets consisted of 10% fat(by weight), which was either safflower oil('S') poor in $\omega$3 fatty acids or computer-searched mixed oil('M') with P/M/S ratio, 1/1.4/1 and $\omega$6/$\omega$3 ratio, 6.1/1. The 'S' and 'M' rats were subdivided further into SS, SM, MS & MM rats according to their lactation stauts. At 3 (weaning) & 9 wks of age, the percentage of total $\omega$3 fatty acids to their lactation status. At 3 (weaning) & 9 wks of age, the percentage of total $\omega$3 fatty acids and the ratios of $\omega$3/$\omega$6 fatty acids in PLs of RBC and brain subcellular fractions in SM and MM groups fed milk from the mixed oil-fed mothers for 2 wks tended to be higher than those in SS and MS groups respectively. In contrast, the concentrations of $\omega$6 fatty acids, especially 22:5$\omega$6 in all fractions, were significantly lower in the SM & MM groups compared to those of the SS & MS groups respectively. In contrast, the concentration of $\omega$6 fatty acids, especially 22:5$\omega$6 in all fractions, were significantly lower in the SM & MM groups compared to those of the SS & MS groups, The values for the DHA$\omega$3/22:5$\omega$6 ratios after the lactation period were markedly higher in the groups (SM & MM) which were reared by mixed oil(MO) fed mothers. In carring out Y-water maze at 9th wk of age, the SM(4.2$\pm$0.5) & MM (5.3$\pm$0.5) groups made significantly less errors compared to the SS(6.2$\pm$0.6, p<0.05 compared with SM) & MM (7.2$\pm$0.5, p<0.05 compared with MM) groups which were lactated by the safflower oilfed mothers. Therefore, by feeding a balanced fatty acid diet from the lactation period up to 9 wks of age as compared with the groups fed $\omega$3 fatty acid-deficient diet regardless of mother's diet given before parturition. The levels of DHA(synaptosome) and 22:5$\omega$3 (mitochondria) were positively correlated not only with these values in RBC but also with visual discriminating ability. The levels of DHA and 22:5$\omega$3 in RBC can, therfore, reflect visual discriminatng ability in the rat.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.226-238
• /
• 2013

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are essential fatty acids because humans cannot synthesize them de novo and must obtain them in their diet. Fish and fish oil are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Significant evidence of the beneficial role of dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids in blood flow has been reported and putative mechanisms for improvement of blood flow include anti-thrombotic effects, lowered blood pressure, improved endothelial function, and anti-atherogenic effects. Edible oils containing omega-3 fatty acids were registered as functional ingredients in the Korea Health Functional Food Code. Although omega-3 fatty acids have been evaluated by the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) based on scientific evidence, periodic re-evaluation may be needed because emerging data related to omega-3 fatty acids have accumulated. Therefore, in this study, we re-evaluated scientific evidence for the effect of omega-3 fatty acids as a functional ingredient in health functional food on improvement of blood flow. A comprehensive literature search was conducted for collection of relevant human studies using the Medline and Cochrane, KISS, and IBIDS databases for the years 1955-2012. Search keywords were used by combination of terms related to omega-3 fatty acids and blood flow. The search was limited to human studies published in Korean, English, and Japanese. Using the KFDA's evidence based evaluation system for scientific evaluation of health claims, 112 human studies were identified and reviewed in order to evaluate the strength of the evidence supporting a relation between omega-3 fatty acids and blood flow. Among 112 studies, significant effects on improvement of blood flow were reported in 84 studies and the daily intake amount was ranged from 0.1 to 15 g. According to this methodology of systematic review, we concluded that there was possible evidence to support a relation between omega-3 fatty acid intake and blood flow. However, because inconsistent results have recently been reported, future studies should be monitored.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.468-478
• /
• 2021

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to analyze the association between dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake and depression in postmenopausal women using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) VI. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The KNHANES is a cross-sectional nationwide health and nutrition survey. Dietary data, including omega-3 fatty acids, were assessed using the 24-h recall method. Depression was evaluated using a survey questionnaire. The association between dietary omega-3 fatty acids and depression was evaluated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Depression, according to the dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake, was expressed as the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of 4,150 postmenopausal women were included in the analysis. RESULTS: In the fully-adjusted model, the group with the highest dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake significantly showed lower prevalence of depression than the group with the lowest intake (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.33-0.83); a significant linear trend was detected (P for trend = 0.04). According to the dose-response analysis using cubic restricted spline regression, this association was linear and monotonic (P for non-linearity = 0.32). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake in postmenopausal women was inversely proportional to depression in a dose-response manner. Large cohort studies are needed to verify the causality between omega-3 fatty acids and depression in Korean postmenopausal women.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.28 no.10
• /
• pp.995-1003
• /
• 1995

This study was conducted to asses the $\omega$-3 fatty acid intake levels and to evaluate the relationship between the levels of $\omega$-3 fatty acids in plasma and erythrocyte membrane and the dietary intake of these fatty acids over the period of two months in 56 young Korean females. Dietary survey was conducted to obtain 7-day weiged records and six 24-hour recalls. Fasting blood sample was collected from each subject after the dietary survey period. Mean daily intakes of energy, fat, and cholesterol were 1,569㎉, 41.8g, and 217mg, respectively. Fat suppled 24% of total energy intake. Mean daily intake levels of eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA), docosahexaenoic acid(DHA), and total $\omega$-3 fatty acids were 0.04g, 0.06g, and 0.48g, respectively. Plasma cholesterol levels of most of the subjects were within normal range, and there was no significant correlation between plasma cholesterol levels and intake levels of any specific fatty acid. Levels of EPA, DHA, EPA+DHA in plasma and erythrocyte membrane, but not the levels of $\alpha$-linolenic acid(LNA), were significantly correlated with dietary in take of respective fatty acids. Such a correlation, however, was not observed in a previous study where dietary intake was assessed for 3 days. The results of this study show that dietary intakes of $\omega$-3 fatty acids are low in the subject and that about two-month period is required to assess dietary intake levels of $\omega$-3 fatty acids with a reasonable accuracy.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.36 no.10
• /
• pp.1036-1041
• /
• 2003

Ecological studies have indicated that the essential fatty acids in maternal and umbilical cord blood samples are associated with gestational length and birth weight. The objectives of this study were to examine serum fatty acid concentration, particularly $\omega$3 fatty acids, in maternal and umbilical cord blood and to investigate the relationship of serum fatty acid levels in the blood of the mother and of the umbilical cord. Subjects consisted of 30 full-term and 30 pre-term mothers and neonates of both groups. Serum levels of fatty acids were measured by gas chromatography. The concentration of total saturated fatty acids in pre-term pregnant women was significantly higher than that of the full-term group (p<0.05), however, the maternal level of $\omega$3 fatty acids in the pre-term group was significantly lower than that of the full-term pregnant women (p<0.05), Moreover, the concentrations of $\alpha$-linolenic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid in full-term pregnant women were significantly higher than those of the pre-term group. In umbilical cord blood, the levels of total $\omega$3 fatty acid and arachidonic acid were significantly lower in the pre-term group than in the full-term group (p<0.05). Based on the coefficient of correlation between serum fatty acids in the mother and the umbilical cord, it turned out that in the full-term group, the newborn's umbilical cord serum fatty acids were not influenced by the levels of serum fatty acids in the mother. However, in the pre-term group, it seems to have positive correlations in terms of the levels of SFA, MUFA, PUFA and $\alpha$-linolenic acid. This study suggests that a lower status of $\omega$3 fatty acids in maternal and umbilical cord blood probably is a risk factor for pre-term birth.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.161-174
• /
• 1997

Omega-3 fatty acids have been major research interests in medical and nutritional science relating to life sciences since after the epidemiologic data on Green3and Eskimos reported by several researchers clearly showed fewer per capita deaths from heart diseases and a lower incidence of adult diseases. Linolenic acid(LNA) is an essential fatty acid for human beings as well as linoleic acid(LA) due to the fact that vertebrates lack an enzyme required to incorporate a double bond beyond carbon 9 in the chain. In addition the ratio of omega-6 and 3 fatty acids seems to be important in terms of alleviation of heart diseases since LA and LNA competes for the metabolic pathways of eicosanoids synthesis. High consumption of omega-3 fatty acids in seafoods may control heart diseases by reducing blood cholesterol, triglyceride, VLDL, LDL and increasing HDL and by inhibiting plaque development through the formation of antiaggregatory substances like PGI$_2$, PGI$_3$ and TXA$_3$ metabolized from LNA. Omega 3 fatty acids also play an important role in neuronal developments and visual functioning, in turn influence learning behaviors. Current dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids are limited mostly to seafoods, leafy vegetables, marine and some seed oils and the most appropriate way to provide omega-3 fatty acids is as a part of the normal dietary regimen. The efforts to enhance the intake of omega-3 fatty acids due to several beneficial effects have been made nowadays by way of food processing technology. Two different ways can be applied: one is add Purified and concentrated omega-3 fatty acids into foods and the other is to produce foods with high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids by raising animals with specially formulated feed best for the transfer of omega-3 fatty acids. Recently, items of manufactured and marketed omega-3 fatty acids fortified foodstuffs are pork, milk, cheese, egg, formula milk and ham. In domestic food market, many of them are distributed already, but problem is that nutritional informations on the amounts of omega-3 fatty acids are not presented on the labeling, which might cause distrust of consumers on those products, result in lower sales volumes. It would be very much wise if we consume natural products, result in lower sales volumes. It would be very much wise if we consume natural products high in omega-3 fatty acids to Promote health related to many types of adult diseases rather than processed foods fortified with omega-3 fatty acids.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.31 no.8
• /
• pp.1315-1323
• /
• 1998

Effect of oral taurine supplementation on plasma total and phospholidpid -fatty acid profiles and their metabolism were evaluated in healthy female adults. Among twenty five female volunteers(23.6$\pm$0.3 years old ) participated in the taruine supplementation program(6g taurine /day), twenty four subjects succesfully completed the 2 week program , and only nine subjects continued to take taurine for another 2 weeks. Levels of plasma fatty acids and taruine were measured by gas-liquid chromatobraphy and an automated amino acid analyzer based on ion exchange chromatography, respectively. Plasma taurine concentration s of the subjects were 108. 7$\pm$3.4 , 184.2$\pm$8.2 and 235.9$\pm$77.0$\mu$emol/L at 0 , 2 and 4 weeks of taurine supplementation. Fatty acid compositions and elongation and desaturation indices of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in plasma total lipids were not influenced by oral taurine supplementation. However, fatty acid compositions and their metabolism in plasma phospholipids were significantly affected by taurine supplementation in female adults. Compared to the values for 0 week, the percentage of saturated fatty acids (SFA) in plasma phospholipid was significantly lowered at 2 weeks, but elevated at 4 weeks of taurine supplementation. In contrast , the percentage of phospholipid PUFA significantly increased at 2 weeks and decreased at 4 weeks of taurine supplementation from to the values for 0 weeks. Foru weeks of oral taurine supplementation signifinatly elevated the eongation index(20 : 4$\omega$6 ⇒22 : 4 $\omega$6, p<0.01), and decreased the desaturation index (20 : 3 $\omega$6 ⇒20 : 4 $\omega$6 , p<0.01) of $\omega$6 fatty acids in plasma phospholipids. Plasma taurine concentration was positively correlated with the percentage of 14 : 0 fatty acids and the enlongation index o f$\omega$3 fatty acids(20 : 5 $\omega$3 ⇒22 : 5 $\omega$3), and thenegatively correlated with the percentage of 20 : 0 in plasma phospholipids. These results indicate that oral taurine supplementation for 4 weeks signidicantly elelvated the percentage of SFA, and lowered the percentage of PUFA in plasma phospholipids with no influence on plasm total fatty aicd composition in healthy female adults.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.563-573
• /
• 1994

This study was conducted to compare the lipid content and fatty acid composition of the Korean breast milk produced at 1, 2 and 3 months postpartum with the infant formula produced in Korea. The content of total lipids of the breast milk was low compared with the other data of Korean as well as foreign breast milk, and the content tended to reduce during the progress of lactation. The composition of fatty acids of the breast milk was characterized by low saturated fatty acids(SFA) and high $\omega$3 series of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially 20:5 and 22:6, so the P/S and $\omega$6/$\omega$3 rations were high. The formulas had more total lipids, triglycerides(TG) and phospholipids and less cholesterol(CHOL) and free fatty acids than the breast milk. The cholesterol content of the formulas was around 50% of that of the breast milk, so the CHOL/TG ratio was low. Although the formulas varied in fatty acid composition, the formulas had more SFA and $\omega$6 series of PUFA, but less monounsaturated fatty acids and $\omega$3 series of PUFA than the breast milk. This study shows that there are some differences in lipid content and fatty acid composition between breast milk and infant formula. Therefore, further studies needed to investigate the physiological effect of this difference on lipid metabolism of infants.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2021

Omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) may be beneficial for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events (CVEs), especially in patients with myocardial infarction or heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. For this purpose, one to two seafood meals per week is preferentially recommended. Omega-3 fatty acids with a high-dose EPA formula (4 g/day) may be more effective than EPA+DHA mixed supplements for the secondary prevention of CVE. Krill oil also contains omega-3 fatty acids, but at a much lower dose compared to fish oil. Supplemental vitamins and minerals have not shown the preventive effects on CVE in prospective, and randomized clinical trials, except for one Chinese study showing the stroke prevention effects of folic acid. The clinical benefit of chelation therapy in reducing CVEs is uncertain.