Author(s)

Akikazu Takada^1*, Fumiko Shimizu², Shinji Koba³

¹International Projects on Food and Health (NPO), Tokyo, Japan.
²Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Showa Women’s University, Tokyo, Japan.
³Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

Background: Trans fatty acids are considered to impair health and some ω fatty acids are protective against atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus. Trans fatty acids are said to be formed by the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils. Some amounts are produced in digestive organs of ruminants and present in dairy products or meat. It is important how much these intaken fatty acids influence their plasma levels. Methods: Plasma levels of fatty acids including transforms of healthy old men are measured by gas chromatography and correlations between various foods intakes and plasma levels of trans fatty acids, and ω fatty acids are examined. Results: Intake of fish resulted in increase in plasma levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) but intake of meat such as beef, cow and chicken meat did not increase plasma levels of arachidonic acid (AA). Intakes of oils increased plasma levels of dihomo-g-linolenic acid significantly and AA to some extent. Conclusion: Plasma levels of EPA and DHA increased upon intakes of fish in Japanese old men. Oil intake but not meat intake increased DGLA significantly. These results may explain low incidence of cardiovascular diseases in Japanese people compared with American people whose plasma levels of DHA and EPA are lower.

Fatty Acid, Trans Fatty Acid, Palmitoelaidic Acid, Elaidic Acid, Linoelaidic Acid, Saturated Fatty Acid, Unsaturated Fatty Acid, Ω Fatty Acid, DGLA (Dihomo-G-Linolenic Acid), DHA (Docosahexanoic Acid), EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid), AA (Arachidonic Acid)

Takada, A. , Shimizu, F. and Koba, S. (2019) Correlation of Various Foods Intakes and Plasma Levels of Omega Fatty Acids in Healthy Japanese Old Men. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 10, 578-587. doi: 10.4236/fns.2019.106042.