Journal Article

Fish Oil Supplements Lower Serum Lipids and Glucose in Correlation with a Reduction in Plasma Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 and Prostaglandin E2 in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Associated with Hyperlipidemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Mi, Man-Tian, Chen, Shi-Hui, Chen, Jun-Li, Zeng, Xiang-Long, Shu, Fu-Rong, Ran, Li, Zhang, Qian-Yong, Wu, Ying, Zhou, Yong, Kang, Chao, Zhao, Xiao-Lan, Qin, Yu

2015

Overview

Fish oil has been used effectively in the treatment of cardiovascular disease via triglyceride reduction and inflammation modulation. This study aimed to assess the effects of fish oil on patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) associated with hyperlipidemia. Eighty participants with NAFLD associated with hyperlipidemia were randomly assigned to consume fish oil (n=40, 4 g/d) or corn oil capsules (n=40, 4 g/d) for 3 months in a double-blind, randomized clinical trial. Blood levels of lipids, glucose and insulin, liver enzymes, kidney parameters and cytokines at baseline and the end of the study were measured. Seventy people finished the trial. Plasma concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid significantly increased in the fish oil group after intervention. After adjustment for age, gender and BMI, fish oil significantly decreased fasting serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglyceride, apolipoprotein B and glucose (by (mean±SD) 0.49±0.43 mmol/L, 0.58±0.89 mmol/L, 0.28±0.33 g/L and 0.76±0.56 mmol/L, respectively, P<0.05), as well as alanine aminotransferase and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase levels (by (median (interquartile)) 9.0(0.5, 21.5) and 7.0(2.2, 20.0) IU/L, respectively, P<0.05), significantly increased serum adiponectin levels (by 1.29±0.62 μg/mL, P<0.001), and reduced serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α, leukotrienes B4, fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), cytokeratin 18 fragment M30 and prostaglandin E2 (by 1.70±1.18 pg/mL, 0.59±0.28 ng/mL, 121±31 pg/mL, 83±60 IU/L and 10.9±2.3 pg/mL, respectively, P<0.001). Corn oil had no effect except for increasing serum creatinine concentrations by 7.7±8.9 μmol/L (P=0.008). The effects of fish oil on lipids, glucose and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase were positively correlated with the reductions of serum FGF21 and prostaglandin E2 concentrations after adjustment for age, gender and BMI (r = 0.275 to 0.360 and 0.261 to 0.375, respectively, P<0.05). In conclusion, our findings suggest that fish oil can benefit metabolic abnormalities associated with NAFLD treatment. ChiCTR-TRC-12002380.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Abnormalities / Acids / Adiponectin / Adult / Alanine / Alanine transaminase / Apolipoprotein B / Blood Glucose - drug effects / Blood levels / Body mass / Cardiovascular diseases / Cholesterol / Clinical trials / Corn / Corn oil / Creatinine / Cytokeratin / Cytokines / Dietary Supplements / Dinoprostone - metabolism / Docosahexaenoic acid / Docosahexaenoic Acids - metabolism / Double-Blind Method / Eicosapentaenoic acid / Eicosapentaenoic Acid - metabolism / Fatty liver / Female / Fibroblast growth factors / Fibroblast Growth Factors - metabolism / Fish / Fish oils / Fish Oils - therapeutic use / Glucose / Glucose - metabolism / Humans / Hyperlipidemia / Hyperlipidemias - blood / Hyperlipidemias - metabolism / Inflammation / Insulin / Insulin - blood / Keratin / Kidney Function Tests - methods / Kidneys / Leukotrienes / Lipids / Lipids - blood / Liver / Liver diseases / Liver Function Tests - methods / Male / Medical treatment / Middle Aged / Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - blood / Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - drug therapy / Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - metabolism / Oils & fats / Omega 3 fatty acids / Preventive medicine / Prostaglandin E2 / Prostaglandins E / Reduction / Systematic review / Unsaturated fatty acids / Zea mays / γ-Glutamyltransferase