The genetic background has an impact on the metabolism of essential fatty acids in the human body

A recent study by the University of Eastern Finland showed that genetic background influences
the metabolism of linolenic acid and linoleic acid, essential polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Supplementing the diet with camelina oil rich in -linolenic acid or sunflower oil rich in linoleic acid changes the concentration of metabolites of these fatty acids in the body; However, these changes depend on the FADS1 genotype
of the study participants.
Studies were conducted
in carriers of two different FADS1 genotypes.

Topi Meuronen, a researcher at the University of Eastern Finland and first author, said: "In the genotype studied, the plasma concentration of eicosapentaenoic acid produced by linolenic acid increased by only one
.
"

Diet and genes have been found to have an effect
on the concentration of different fatty acids in the body.
The FADS1 gene regulates the metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and the FADS1 genotype has previously been associated with
disorders of sugar and lipid metabolism and the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Linoleic acid and linolenic acid are essential fatty acids that the body cannot produce, i.
e.
must be obtained
from food.
Linoleic acid is the most common dietary fatty acid
in the omega-6 family.
On the other hand, -linolenic acid belongs to the omega-3 fatty acid family
.
Vegetable oils, seeds, and nuts contain different concentrations of these two substances
.
Among vegetable oils, sunflower oil is particularly rich
in linoleic acid.
On the other hand, flaxseed oil and flaxseed oil are rich in -linolenic acid
.

High intake and high plasma concentrations of linoleic acid have been linked to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but the relationship with linolenic acid is unclear
.
As metabolites of linoleic acid and linolenic acid, the body produces important lipid mediators, but some of them also promote inflammation
.

In the new study, the researchers explored whether rs174550 point mutations in the FADS1 gene alter α the effects of linolenic and linoleic acid on fatty acid composition in plasma, as well as the concentration
of lipid mediators from polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Carriers of two different FADS1 genotypes were recruited from men participating in the Male Metabolic Syndrome Study (METSIM
).
They add 30-50 ml of flax oil or sunflower oil to their diet every day for 8 weeks
.

"Our study design, which recruits study subjects based on their genetic background, has proven effective
in investigating the interactions between diet and genes.
"

For example, the human body can produce eicosapentaenoic acid from -linolenic acid and arachidonic acid from linoleic acid
.
These long-chain fatty acids and the lipid mediators they produce are involved in many functions of the body, such as inflammatory response and vascular function
.

Studies have shown that the FADS1 genotype plays an important role
in the efficiency with which essential fatty acids are converted to arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid.
The FADS1 genotype also affects the concentration
of its metabolites.

In the genotypes studied, the use of camelina oil rich in -linolenic acid increased the concentration
of eicosapentaenoic acid and its derived lipid mediator in only one genotype.
In contrast, the use of linoleic-rich sunflower oil did not increase the concentration
of arachidonic acid or its derived lipid mediator in carriers of both genotypes.

"The changes we observed in plasma eicosapentaenoic acid concentrations are the same as in our previous study, where people ate fatty fish
containing eicosapentaenoic acid.
However, an interesting observation is that when camelina oil was used, this change only occurred in one genotype that was studied," Meuronen said
.

According to the researchers, the findings give reason to consider whether it is possible to come up with increasingly individualized guidelines
for the intake of linolenic and linoleic acid.
However, further research
is needed.

The study was conducted in collaboration with the Karolinska Institutet and the results were published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research
.

Journal Reference:

1. Topi Meuronen, Maria A.
   Lankinen, Johan Kolmert, Vanessa de Mello Laaksonen, Taisa Sallinen, Jyrki Å gren, Kirsi A.
   Virtanen, Markku Laakso, Craig E.
   Wheelock, Jussi Pihlajamä ki, Ursula Schwab.
   The FADS1 rs174550 Genotype Modifies the n‐3 and n‐6 PUFA and Lipid Mediator Responses to a High Alpha‐Linolenic Acid and High Linoleic Acid Diets.
   Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 2022; 2200351 DOI: 10.
   1002/mnfr.
   202200351