Table 2

Fatty acids from the isolated plasma phospholipids described as means ± SD and median.*

Plasma FA

Baseline

Week 4

Week 8

n-6

18:2 (LA)

22.61 ± 1.39

17.81 ± 2.85

21.88 ± 4.89

median

21.95

17.49

21.08

20:3 (DGLA)

3.12 ± 0.44

1.86 ± 0.82

2.15 ± 0.64

median

3.09

2.25

2.05

20:4 (AA)

9.52 ± 0.70

8.92 ± 0.83

8.69 ± 1.30

median

9.34

8.92

8.37

n-3

18:3 (LNA)

0.13 ± 0.07

0.13 ± 0.07

0.13 ± 0.06

median

0.13

0.1

0.12

20:5 (EPA)

0.49 ± 0.12

5.89 ± 4.27^a

4.64 ± 3.65^a

median

0.46

6.13

4.72

22:6 (DHA)

2.30 ± 0.88

5.68 ± 1.28^a

5.61 ± 2.14^a

median

2.07

6.11

6.19

Totals and ratios

Saturated

44.29 ± 0.99

43.94 ± 1.26

42.19 ± 1.05

median

44.2

44.04

42.53

Monounsaturated

15.43 ± 1.38

13.64 ± 1.18

12.31 ± 2.12

median

15.7

13.51

11.93

Polyunsaturated

40.27 ± 1.03

42.41 ± 1.43

45.51 ± 1.26

median

40.21

42.02

45.38

total n-6

36.37 ± 0.99

29.07 ± 4.31^a

33.42 ± 5.67

median

36.57

29.54

31.59

total n-3

3.90 ± 0.87

13.35 ± 5.27^a

12.09 ± 6.17^a

median

3.66

12.74

13.38

n-6: n-3 ratio

9.74 ± 2.14

2.79 ± 1.88^a

3.93 ± 2.73^a

median

9.61

2.39

2.36

AA:EPA ratio

20.78 ± 5.26

4.19 ± 5.45^a

5.95 ± 7.35^a

median

20.14

1.46

1.69

AA:EPA ratio (n = 7)^#

20.73 ± 5.26

2.53 ± 3.49^a

2.52 ± 2.91

median

19.58

1.34

1.39

* Values are mean ± SD and medians (n = 9). ^a p < 0.01 using Wilcoxon signed rank test to compare to baseline. LA, linoleic acid; DGLA, dihomogammalinolenic acid; AA, arachidonic acid; LNA, linolenic acid; EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid; DHA, docosahexaenoic acid.

Sorgi et al. Nutrition Journal 2007 6:16   doi:10.1186/1475-2891-6-16