Association between Preoperative Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Oxidative Stress Immediately after Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Pilot Study

Quadriceps muscle atrophy following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can be caused by tourniquet-induced ischemia–reperfusion (IR) injury, which is often accompanied by oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs), such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects against IR injury, whereas n-6 LCPUFAs, particularly arachidonic acid (AA), exhibit pro-inflammatory effects and promote IR injury. This study aimed to examine whether preoperative serum EPA + DHA levels and the (EPA + DHA)/AA ratio are associated with oxidative stress immediately after TKA. Fourteen eligible patients with knee osteoarthritis scheduled for unilateral TKA participated in this study. The levels of serum EPA, DHA, and AA were measured immediately before surgery. Derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) were used as biomarkers for oxidative stress. The preoperative serum EPA + DHA levels and the (EPA + DHA)/AA ratio were found to be significantly negatively correlated with the serum d-ROM levels at 96 h after surgery, and the rate of increase in serum d-ROM levels between baseline and 96 h postoperatively. This study suggested the preoperative serum EPA + DHA levels and the (EPA + DHA)/AA ratio can be negatively associated with oxidative stress immediately after TKA.     

Activation of Free Fatty Acid Receptor 4 Affects Intestinal Inflammation and Improves Colon Permeability in Mice

Diet is considered an important trigger in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), as feeding habits can affect intestinal permeability and clearance of bacterial antigens, consequently influencing the immune system. Free fatty acid receptors (FFARs), expressed on the intestinal epithelial cells, belong to the family of luminal-facing receptors that are responsive to nutrients. The objective of this study was to characterize the anti-inflammatory activity and the effect on intestinal barrier function of synthetic FFAR agonists in mouse models of colitis. Therapeutic activity of GW9508 (FFAR1 agonist), 4-CMTB (FFAR2 agonist), {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"AR420626","term_id":"40175736"}}AR420626 (FFAR3 agonist), and GSK137647 (FFAR4 agonist) was investigated in two models of semi-chronic colitis: induced by trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS), mimicking Crohn’s disease, as well as induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), which recapitulates ulcerative colitis in humans. Moreover, we assessed the influence of FFARs agonists on epithelial ion transport and measured the ion flow stimulated by forskolin and veratridine. Administration of FFAR4 agonist GSK137647 attenuated both TNBS-induced and DSS-induced colitis in mice, as indicated by macroscopic parameters and myeloperoxidase activity. The action of FFAR4 agonist GSK137647 was significantly blocked by pretreatment with selective FFAR4 antagonist AH7614. Moreover, FFAR1 and FFAR4 agonists reversed the increase in the colon permeability caused by inflammation. FFAR4 restored the tight junction genes expression in mouse colon. This is the first evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activity of selective FFAR agonists, showing that pharmacological intervention targeting FFAR4, which is a sensor of medium and long chain fatty acids, attenuates intestinal inflammation.     

Intestinal Microbiota-Derived Short Chain Fatty Acids in Host Health and Disease

Intestinal microbiota has its role as an important component of human physiology. It produces metabolites that module key functions to establish a symbiotic crosstalk with their host. Among them, short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), produced by intestinal bacteria during the fermentation of partially and non-digestible polysaccharides, play key roles in regulating colon physiology and changing intestinal environment. Recent research has found that SCFAs not only influence the signal transduction pathway in the gut, but they also reach tissues and organs outside of the gut, through their circulation in the blood. Growing evidence highlights the importance of SCFAs level in influencing health maintenance and disease development. SCFAs are probably involved in the management of host health in a complicated (positive or negative) way. Here, we review the current understanding of SCFAs effects on host physiology and discuss the potential prevention and therapeutics of SCFAs in a variety of disorders. It provides a systematic theoretical basis for the study of mechanisms and precise intake level of SCFAs to promote human health.     

The Effects of Fatty Acids on Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a severe relapsing inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The association between fatty acids (FAs) and IBD is controversial and it remains unclear whether there is a causal relationship between them. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was province/state for affiliations from the same country performed to clarify the causality. Eligible single nucleotide polymorphisms were selected as instrumental variables from six Genome-wide association studies, involving 114,999 individuals in UK Biobank. The summary-level data on IBD, including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), were obtained from the International Inflammatory Bowel Disease Genetics Consortium with 20,883 and 27,432 individuals involved. The primary inverse variance weighted (IVW) method as well as other supplementary analysis ones were adopted to evaluate the causal relationship between diverse FAs and IBD. The tests for heterogeneity and pleiotropy, and Leave-one-out analysis were adopted to verify the stability of the results. Omega-3 FA was found to have a causal effect on UC instead of CD. For each Standard Deviation increase in Omega-3 FA genetic levels, the risk of ulcerative colitis was found to be reduced by 39.9% by the IVW method (p = 1.766 × 10⁻⁴), by 57.8% by the MR Egger (p = 1.11 × 10⁻²), by 51.5% by the Weighted median estimator (p = 7.706 × 10⁻⁴), by 39% by the Maximum likelihood estimation (p = 3.262 × 10⁻⁴), and by 54.5% by the penalized weighted median estimator (p = 1.628 × 10⁻⁴). No causal relationship was found between other FAs (including total FA, saturated FA, polyunsaturated FA, monounsaturated FA and omega-6 FA) and IBD. The pleiotropic test and Leave-one-out analysis both proved the validity and reliability of these MR analyses. Omega-3 FA was observed to have a protective effect against UC, providing a new perspective on the investigation of the associations between FAs and IBD.     

Association between Dietary Fatty Acid Patterns and Colorectal Cancer Risk: A Large-Scale Case-Control Study in China

Associations of dietary fatty acids with the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) remain controversial. The objective of this study was to examine whether dietary-derived fatty acid patterns were related to CRC risk among Chinese people. A total of 2806 CRC patients and 2806 frequency-matched controls were interviewed in this case-control study between July 2010 and May 2021. A food frequency questionnaire was used to gather information on dietary intake. Four fatty acid patterns were identified using factor analysis. The even-long-chain fatty acid pattern had no statistically significant association with CRC risk (adjusted Odds ratio (aOR), 1.16; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.97–1.39; p_trend = 0.129). However, significant inverse associations were found between the medium-chain and long-chain saturated fatty acid (SFA) pattern (aOR, 0.34; 95%CI, 0.27–0.42), the highly unsaturated fatty acid pattern (aOR, 0.73; 95%CI, 0.60–0.88), the odd-chain fatty acid pattern (aOR, 0.69; 95%CI, 0.57–0.83), and CRC risk. The interaction between fatty acid patterns and sex was observed, and the association between the highly unsaturated fatty acid pattern and CRC risk differed by subsite. In conclusion, increasing the intakes of foods rich in medium-chain SFAs, highly unsaturated fatty acids, and odd-chain fatty acids may be related to a lower risk of CRC.     

Effect of Dietary Fatty Acids on MicroRNA Expression Related to Metabolic Disorders and Inflammation in Human and Animal Trials

Dietary fatty acids (DFAs) play key roles in different metabolic processes in humans and other mammals. DFAs have been considered beneficial for health, particularly polyunsaturated (PUFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). Additionally, microRNAs (miRNAs) exert their function on DFA metabolism by modulating gene expression, and have drawn great attention for their potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. This review explicitly examined the effects of DFAs on miRNA expression associated with metabolic diseases, such as obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and cardiovascular disease (CVD), as well as inflammation, published in the last ten years. DFAs have been shown to induce and repress miRNA expression associated with metabolic disease and inflammation in different cell types and organisms, both in vivo and in vitro, depending on varying combinations of DFAs, doses, and the duration of treatment. However, studies are limited and heterogeneous in methodology. Additionally, recent studies demonstrated that high fat ketogenic diets, many enriched with saturated fats, do not increase serum saturated fat content in humans, and are not associated with increased inflammation. Thus, these findings shed light on the complexity of novel treatment and DFA interventions for metabolic disease and to maintain health. Further studies are needed to advance molecular therapeutic approaches, including miRNA-based strategies in human health and disease.     

Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD), Diabetes,and Cardiovascular Disease: Associations with Fructose Metabolism and Gut Microbiota

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an increasingly common condition associated with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Since systemic metabolic dysfunction underlies NAFLD, the current nomenclature has been revised, and the term metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has been proposed. The new definition emphasizes the bidirectional relationships and increases awareness in looking for fatty liver disease among patients with T2DM and CVD or its risk factors, as well as looking for these diseases among patients with NAFLD. The most recommended treatment method of NAFLD is lifestyle changes, including dietary fructose limitation, although other treatment methods of NAFLD have recently emerged and are being studied. Given the focus on the liver–gut axis targeting, bacteria may also be a future aim of NAFLD treatment given the microbiome signatures discriminating healthy individuals from those with NAFLD. In this review article, we will provide an overview of the associations of fructose consumption, gut microbiota, diabetes, and CVD in patients with NAFLD.     

A Systematic Review of High-Oleic Vegetable Oil Substitutions for Other Fats and Oils on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors: Implications for Novel High-Oleic Soybean Oils

High–oleic acid soybean oil (H-OSBO) is a trait-enhanced vegetable oil containing >70% oleic acid. Developed as an alternative for trans-FA (TFA)-containing vegetable oils, H-OSBO is predicted to replace large amounts of soybean oil in the US diet. However, there is little evidence concerning the effects of H-OSBO on coronary heart disease (CHD)⁶ risk factors and CHD risk. We examined and quantified the effects of substituting high-oleic acid (HO) oils for fats and oils rich in saturated FAs (SFAs), TFAs, or n–6 (ω-6) polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) on blood lipids in controlled clinical trials. Searches of online databases through June 2014 were used to select studies that defined subject characteristics; described control and intervention diets; substituted HO oils compositionally similar to H-OSBO (i.e., ≥70% oleic acid) for equivalent amounts of oils high in SFAs, TFAs, or n–6 PUFAs for ≥3 wk; and reported changes in blood lipids. Studies that replaced saturated fats or oils with HO oils showed significant reductions in total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B (apoB) (P < 0.05; mean percentage of change: −8.0%, −10.9%, −7.9%, respectively), whereas most showed no changes in HDL cholesterol, triglycerides (TGs), the ratio of TC to HDL cholesterol (TC:HDL cholesterol), and apolipoprotein A-1 (apoA-1). Replacing TFA-containing oil sources with HO oils showed significant reductions in TC, LDL cholesterol, apoB, TGs, TC:HDL cholesterol and increased HDL cholesterol and apoA-1 (mean percentage of change: −5.7%, −9.2%, −7.3%, −11.7%, −12.1%, 5.6%, 3.7%, respectively; P < 0.05). In most studies that replaced oils high in n–6 PUFAs with equivalent amounts of HO oils, TC, LDL cholesterol, TGs, HDL cholesterol, apoA-1, and TC:HDL cholesterol did not change. These findings suggest that replacing fats and oils high in SFAs or TFAs with either H-OSBO or oils high in n–6 PUFAs would have favorable and comparable effects on plasma lipid risk factors and overall CHD risk.     

Celiac Disease and the Thyroid: Highlighting the Roles of Vitamin D and Iron

Celiac disease (CD) and autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD) like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) and Graves’ disease (GD) frequently coexist, entailing numerous potential impacts on diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Possible correlations might exist through gut microbiota, regulating the immune system and inflammatory responses, promoting autoimmune diseases, as well as shared cytokines in pathogenesis pathways, cross-reacting antibodies or malabsorption of micronutrients that are essential for the thyroid like iron or vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is a common finding in patients with AITD, but might protect from autoimmunity by wielding immunoregulatory and tolerogenic impacts. Additionally, vitamin D is assumed to be involved in the onset and progression of CD, presumably plays a substantial protective role for intestinal mucosa and affects the thyroid via its immunomodulatory effects. Iron is an essential micronutrient for the thyroid gland needed for effective iodine utilization by the iron-dependent enzyme thyroid iodine peroxidase (TPO). Despite being crucial for thyroid hormone synthesis, iron deficiency (ID) is a common finding in patients with hypothyroidism like HT and is frequently found in patients with CD. A literature research was conducted to examine the interplay between CD, AITD, vitamin D and iron deficiency. This narrative review highlights the relevant correlation of the two disease entities CD and AITD, their reciprocal impact and possible therapeutic options that should be further explored by future studies.     

Zinc Affects Cholesterol Oxidation Products and Fatty Acids Composition in Rats’ Serum

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effect of the nanosized or microsized zinc (Zn) particles on fatty acid profile, enzyme activity and the level of cholesterol, squalene and oxysterols in rats with breast cancer. Rats (female, n = 24) were divided into the following groups: control, and two test groups, whose diets were enriched with either Zn microparticles (342 nm) or Zn nanoparticles (99 nm). All rats were treated twice with the carcinogenic agent; 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene. In rats whose diet was enriched with zinc (especially in the form of nanoparticles), the number and sizes of tumors were lower. Diet supplementation also significantly reduced the cholesterol (p = 0.027) and COPs (cholesterol oxidation products) levels (p = 0.011) in rats serum. Enriching the diet with Zn microparticles decreased the Δ6-desaturase activity (p < 0.001). Zn influences fatty acids’ profile in rats’ serum as well as inhibiting desaturating enzymes. A reduced amount of pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid derivatives may be the expected effect.     

Correlations between Fatty Acid Profile and Body Fat Distribution in Postmenopausal Women—A Cross Sectional Study

The aim of the study was to assess the fatty acid profile of the whole blood of postmenopausal women, taking into account anthropometric parameters. The study involved 156 healthy women with an average age of 60 (SD = 6.3 years) years who were living in the West Pomerania Province (Poland). An original questionnaire was presented to all patients, conducting anthropometric measurements of them: weight, height, waist and hip circumference, body mass index (BMI), waist–hip ratio (WHR) and body adipose index (BAI), as well as an assessment of the fatty acid profile by employing gas chromatography. It has been observed that in menopausal women, the concentration of C16:1 increases with respect to their BMI (r = 0.205 p = 0.01). Similar correlations were noted with regard to body weight (C16:1 r = 0.177 p = 0.029). It was also shown that the concentration of C18trans11 (r = −0.166 p = 0.039), 18:2n6 (r = −0.165 p = 0.04) and n6/n9 (r = −0.194 p = 0.015) were negatively correlated with respect to their WHR, while the levels C16:1 (r = 0.22 p = 0.006), C18:1n9 (r = 0.22 p = 0.007), C24:1 (r = 0.251 p = 0.002), MUFA (r = 0.227 p = 0.046) and n9 (r = 0.224 p = 0.005) were correlated positively with respect to their BAI. The fatty acid profile of the whole blood of postmenopausal women is modulated to a poor extent by anthropometric variables. Therefore, more prospective research is warranted.     

Associations of Dietary ω-3, ω-6 Fatty Acids Consumption with Sleep Disorders and Sleep Duration among Adults

The relationship between ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids consumption and sleep disorders or duration are controversial. Therefore, we used the data of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2016 in this cross-sectional study to explore their relationships. ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids consumption was assessed using two 24 h dietary recall interviews. Sleep disorders and sleep duration were based on self-reported data. Logistic regression models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used. Compared with tertile one, the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of sleep disorders for the second tertile of ω-6 fatty acid intake and the highest tertile of ω-6:ω-3 ratio were 1.30 (1.04–1.62) and 1.36 (1.08–1.70), respectively. Inverse U-shaped and linear dose–response relationships were observed between dietary ω-6 fatty acid intake and ω-6:ω-3 ratio and sleep disorders, respectively. In addition, ω-3 fatty acid consumption was adversely related to sleep disorders in men and the OR (95% CI) was 0.68 (0.49–0.95). Compared with normal sleep duration, ω-3 fatty acid consumption was negatively related to very short, short, and long sleep duration risk. The relative risk ratios (RRRs) were 0.53 (0.35–0.81), 0.79 (0.67–0.93), and 0.81 (068–0.98), respectively. The RRR of very short sleep for ω-6 fatty acid consumption was 0.57 (0.45–0.73). Our study indicates that ω-6 fatty acid consumption and the ω-6:ω-3 ratio are positively associated with the risk of sleep disorders, while the negative association between ω-3 fatty acids and sleep disorders may exist only in men. Furthermore, ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acid consumption are negatively related to the risk of non-normal sleep duration.     

Association of Dietary Intakes and Genetically Determined Serum Concentrations of Mono and Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acids on Chronic Kidney Disease: Insights from Dietary Analysis and Mendelian Randomization

Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake is generally associated with better renal function, while the association of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) remains unconfirmed. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was used to obtain unconfounded estimates of the causal association of dietary intake and genetically determined serum PUFA and MUFA levels with measures of renal function. Data from participants of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) from 2005 to 2010 were used. Data from the largest genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on MUFAs, PUFAs, eGFR, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) were analysed for the entire sample. A total of 16,025 participants were included. eGFR improved across increasing quartiles of total PUFA intake from 86.3 ± 0.5 (Q1) to 96.2 ± 0.5 mL/min/1.73 m² (Q4), (p < 0.001). Conversely, there was no association between MUFA intake and measures of renal function (all p > 0.21). In multivariable models, the top quartile of PUFA intake had a 21% lower risk for CKD, but there was no significant association between CKD risk and MUFA intake. Genetically determined serum MUFA (heptadecenoate (17:1), myristoleic acid (14:1), and palmitoleic acid (16:1)) and PUFA (α-linolenic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid) concentrations had no significant association with eGFR and CKD risk. Additionally, no association was found in the analyses stratified by diabetes status. Higher dietary PUFA intake is associated with lower risk of CKD, while there was no association with serum levels of MUFAs or PUFAs. Additional studies including clinical trials are warranted.     

Diosgenin Ameliorated Type II Diabetes-Associated Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease through Inhibiting De Novo Lipogenesis and Improving Fatty Acid Oxidation and Mitochondrial Function in Rats

Diosgenin (DIO) is a dietary and phytochemical steroidal saponin representing multiple activities. The present study investigated the protective effect of DIO on type II diabetes-associated nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (D-NAFLD). The rat model was established by high-fat diet and streptozotocin injection and then administered DIO for 8 weeks. The results showed that DIO reduced insulin resistance index, improved dyslipidemia, and relieved pancreatic damage. DIO decreased hepatic injury markers, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). H&E staining showed that DIO relieved hepatic lipid deposition. Mechanistically, DIO inhibited hepatic de novo lipogenesis (DNL) and increased fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) through regulation of the AMPK-ACC/SREBP1 pathway. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was inhibited by DIO through regulation of PERK and IRE1 arms, which may then inhibit DNL. DIO also decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and enhanced the antioxidant capacity via an increase in Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), and Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities. The mitochondria are the site for FAO, and ROS can damage mitochondrial function. DIO relieved mitochondrial fission and fusion disorder by inhibiting DRP1 and increasing MFN1/MFN2 expressions. Mitochondrial apoptosis was then inhibited by DIO. In conclusion, the present study suggests that DIO protects against D-NAFLD by inhibiting DNL and improving FAO and mitochondrial function.     

Effect of Free Fatty Acids on Bilirubin–Albumin Binding Affinity and Unbound Bilirubin in Premature Infants

Background: The author has previously shown that intravenous lipid intake may be associated with an increase in unbound bilirubin in infants ≤28 weeks gestational age. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether this increase in unbound bilirubin is mediated by free fatty acids and to examine the secondary effect of free fatty acids on bilirubin–albumin binding affinity. Methods: A prospective study was conducted to include 26 infants ≤32 weeks gestational age with indirect hyperbilirubinemia and receiving intravenous lipids during the first 10 postnatal days. Blood samples were collected for unbound bilirubin, binding affinity, and free fatty acid measurement at varying intravenous lipid intakes (1–3 g/kg/d). Regression analyses were performed to evaluate the roles of free fatty acids and binding affinity as mediators. Results: Intravenous lipid intake was significantly associated with an increase in free fatty acids and unbound bilirubin in infants ≤28 weeks but not >28 weeks gestational age. In infants ≤28 weeks gestational age, each unit increase in free fatty acids was significantly associated with a decrease in binding affinity, which was significantly associated with an increase in unbound bilirubin. Conclusions: In infants ≤28 weeks gestational age, intravenous lipid intake may be associated with an increase in unbound bilirubin, and this is mediated by an increase in free fatty acids and a secondary decrease in binding affinity. In infants >28 weeks gestational age, higher intravenous lipid intake may be used because it is unassociated with increases in free fatty acids and unbound bilirubin.     

An Investigation into the Association between DNA Damage and Dietary Fatty Acid in Men with Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is a growing problem in New Zealand and worldwide, as populations adopt a Western style dietary pattern. In particular, dietary fat is believed to be associated with oxidative stress, which in turn may be associated with cancer risk and development. In addition, DNA damage is associated with the risk of various cancers, and is regarded as an ideal biomarker for the assessment of the influence of foods on cancer. In the study presented here, 20 men with prostate cancer adhered to a modified Mediterranean style diet for three months. Dietary records, blood fatty acid levels, prostate specific antigen, C-reactive protein and DNA damage were assessed pre- and post-intervention. DNA damage was inversely correlated with dietary adherence (p = 0.013) and whole blood monounsaturated fatty acids (p = 0.009) and oleic acid (p = 0.020). DNA damage was positively correlated with the intake of dairy products (p = 0.043), red meat (p = 0.007) and whole blood omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (p = 0.015). Both the source and type of dietary fat changed significantly over the course of the dietary intervention. Levels of DNA damage were correlated with various dietary fat sources and types of dietary fat.     

A Lard and Soybean Oil Mixture Alleviates Low-Fat–High-Carbohydrate Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Mice

Dietary habit is highly related to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Low-fat–high-carbohydrate (LFHC) diets could induce lean NAFLD in Asians. Previously, we found that a lard and soybean oil mixture reduced fat accumulation with a medium-fat diet; therefore, in this study, we evaluated the effect of a lard and soybean oil mixture (LFHC diet) on NAFLD and its underlying mechanisms. Mice in groups were fed with lard, soybean oil, or a lard and soybean oil mixture—an LFHC diet—separately. Our results showed that mixed oil significantly inhibited serum triglyceride, liver triglyceride, serum free fatty acids (FFAs), and liver FFAs compared with soybean oil or lard, and we found fewer inflammatory cells in mice fed with mixed oil. RNA-seq results indicate that mixed oil reduced FFAs transportation into the liver via decreasing liver fatty acid-binding protein 2 expression, inhibited oxidative phosphorylation via tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 6 downregulation, and alleviated inflammation via downregulating inflammatory cytokine. The liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry results showed that the mixed oil promoted bile acid conjugated with taurine and glycine, thus activating G-protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1 for improved lipids metabolism. In conclusion, the lard and soybean oil mixture alleviated NAFLD.     

Trans Fatty Acids in Human Milk in Latvia: Association with Dietary Habits during the Lactation Period

The human milk fatty acid, including trans fatty acid, composition is predominantly affected by the maternal diet. The aim of this research was to determine the trans fatty acid level in human milk among lactating women in Latvia, and to evaluate how maternal dietary habits affect the trans fatty acid composition of human milk. In total, 70 lactating women participated in this cross-sectional study. A 72-hour food diary and food frequency questionnaire were used to evaluate maternal dietary habits. Different trans fatty acids in human milk samples were determined using gas chromatography (Agilent 6890N, Agilent Technologies Incorporated, the United States). Overall, the dietary intake of trans fatty acids among the participants was 0.54 ± 0.79 g per day. The total trans fatty acid level in the human milk samples was 2.30% ± 0.60%. The composition of trans fatty acids found in human milk was associated with maternal dietary habits. Higher elaidic acid, vaccenic acid and total trans fatty acid levels in human milk were found among participants with a higher milk and dairy product intake. Meat and meat product intake were associated with a higher vaccenic acid and total trans fatty acid levels in human milk. A moderate association was also established between maternal trans fatty acid intake and the total trans fatty acid level in human milk. The obtained correlations indicate that maternal dietary habits during lactation can impact the composition of trans fatty acids found in human milk.     

Association between Adherence to the Healthy Food Pyramid and Breast Milk Fatty Acids in the First Month of Lactation

In lactating women, breast milk (BM) fatty acids may come from the diet or stored adipose tissue. Our objective was to evaluate the influence of the adherence to the healthy food pyramid (HFP), the dietary pattern in the Mediterranean region, and the maternal body composition on the BM fatty acids pattern. Fifty breastfeeding women answered a socioeconomic survey and the adherence to the HFP questionnaire (AP-Q). In addition, they provided a BM sample at 7 ± 1, 14 ± 1, and 28 ± 1 days postpartum. The body’s composition was analyzed at days 7 and 28 by bioimpedance. The BM fatty acids were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy. We found a negative association between the consumption of olive oil and the BM palmitic acid levels (β = −3.19 ± 1.40; p = 0.030), and the intake of cereals and legumes was positively associated with the BM saturated fatty acids (β = 11.48 ± 3.87; p = 0.005). The intake of proteins and vegetables was positively associated with the omega-3 fatty acids and negatively with the omega-6:omega-3 ratio in BM. A negative association between the maternal age (β = −0.43 ± 0.11; p = 0.001) and the α-linolenic acid (ALA) levels was observed, being overall AP-Q positively associated with the ALA levels (β = 0.39 ± 0.15; p = 0.016). Physical activity reduced both the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in BM. Diet had a larger influence than the maternal body’s composition on BM fatty acids during the first month of lactation, demonstrating a better adherence to the HFP and positively impacting on the omega-3 content in BM, a fact that is modulated by one’s maternal age.