Effects of 12-week supplementation of marine Omega-3 PUFA-based formulation Omega3Q10 in older adults with prehypertension and/or elevated blood cholesterol

Backgrounds

To study the effects of supplementation of a marine omega-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids (n3-PUFA) formulation (Omega3Q10) in older adults with hypertension and/or hypercholesterolemia.

Methods

A total of 97 people were enrolled to receive 12-week supplementation of either Omega3Q10 (n?=?48) or soybean oil (n?=?49). Total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and hypertension-related symptoms were determined before and after the supplementation.

Results

There were no baseline differences between the two groups. Omega3Q10 supplementation significantly reduced diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (from 81.6?±?5.3 mmHg to 79.3?±?5.2 mmHg, P?<?0.05). Blood concentrations of TC and LDL-C decreased significantly and blood HDL-C level increased significantly after 12 weeks of Omega3Q10 (5.5?±?0.7 vs. 5.3?±?0.5, P?<?0.05; 3.7?±?0.8 vs. 3.3?±?0.6, P?<?0.05; 1.2?±?0.6 vs. 1.3?±?0.5, P?<?0.05, respectively) and soybean oil supplementation (5.7?±?0.8 vs. 5.6?±?0.7, P?<?0.05; 3.6?±?0.7 vs. 3.4?±?0.8, P?<?0.05; 1.0?±?0.8 vs. 1.2?±?0.7, P?<?0.05, respectively) but no group differences were found. A significantly greater proportion of the people in the Omega3Q10 group became free from headache and palpitations & chest tightness symptoms after the 12-week supplementation compared to that of the soybean oil group (95.5% vs. 71.4%, P?<?0.01; 95.8 vs. 75.5%, P?<?0.01, respectively).

Conclusion

12-week supplementation of Fish oil-based PUFA appear to be more effective in improving DBP and hypertension-related symptoms than soybean oil in old adults with hypertension and hypercholesterolemia although both supplementation improved TC, LDL-C and HDL-C concentrations.