Sex-specific differences in essential fatty acid metabolism
Open Access
- 1 December 2011
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Elsevier BV in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Vol. 94 (6 Suppl), S1914-S1919
- https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.110.000893
Abstract
Sex hormones may influence the enzymatic synthesis of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), which may lead to sex-specific differences in LC-PUFA status. Isotope studies with U-13C α-linolenic acid (ALA) have shown a considerably higher conversion rate of ALA to n−3 (omega-3) LC-PUFAs in women than in men. A review of the literature generally suggested that there was a higher contribution of arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in blood lipids in women than in men; however, sex-specific differences were not seen in every study. The fatty acid composition of plasma phospholipids was recently reported separately for a large group of women and men (n > 3000) living in 15 regions of Europe. The contributions of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were higher, whereas those of AA and DHA were lower in men than in women; however, sex explained only ≈2% of the variability of plasma phospholipid DHA values. Results reported from a limited number of randomized controlled trials of perinatal LC-PUFA supplementation have, on occasion, shown sex-specific differences in some outcomes; however, the heterogeneity both in the interventions and outcomes measured made it difficult to draw conclusions on the direction or the extent of the effects. Data summarized in the current review highlight the importance of planning a subgroup analysis by sex in perinatal LC-PUFA supplementation trials.Keywords
This publication has 29 references indexed in Scilit:
- The 10-year follow-up of a randomised trial of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in preterm infants: effects on growth and blood pressureArchives of Disease in Childhood, 2010
- Plasma phospholipid fatty acid profiles and their association with food intakes: results from a cross-sectional study within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and NutritionThe American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2009
- Fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membrane lipids in healthy subjects from birth to young adulthoodEuropean Journal of Pediatrics, 2008
- Gender differences in then-3 fatty acid content of tissuesProceedings of the Nutrition Society, 2008
- Serumn-3 long-chain PUFA differ by sex and age in a population-based survey of New Zealand adolescents and adultsBritish Journal of Nutrition, 2007
- Raloxifene and hormone replacement therapy increase arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid levels in postmenopausal womenJournal of Endocrinology, 2004
- Randomized, double-blind trial of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation with fish oil and borage oil in preterm infantsThe Journal of Pediatrics, 2004
- Higher erythrocyte 22: 6n−3 and 22: 5n−6, and lower 22: 5n−3 suggest higher Δ-4-desaturation capacity in women of childbearing ageBritish Journal of Nutrition, 2003
- Fatty Acid Composition of Serum Lipid Fractions in Relation to Gender and Quality of Dietary FatAnnals of Medicine, 1995
- Fatty acid composition of plasma lipid classes in healthy subjects from birth to young adulthoodEuropean Journal of Pediatrics, 1994