Pharmacokinetics and Oxidation Parameters in Volunteers Supplemented with Microencapsulated Docosahexaenoic Acid.

UNASSIGNED

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid essential for cardiovascular health, brain development, and reproductive function. Due to hydrophobicity and low DHA bioavailability, new microencapsulated DHA formulations are under development.

UNASSIGNED

This study aims to evaluate DHA pharmacokinetics (PKs) and biological oxidation parameters in volunteers ingesting a newly developed lutein-containing lycosomal formulation of DHA (LF-DHA).

UNASSIGNED

A total of 32 healthy volunteers (40-65 years old) with signs of oxidative stress (OS) and subclinical hypoxia were orally supplemented for a month with 250 mg of regular DHA (1st group) or a combination of lutein (7.0 mg) and zeaxanthin (1.4 mg) (2nd group). The third group received regular DHA (250 mg) co-ingested with lutein/zeaxanthin (7.0/1.4 mg), whereas the 4th group was given LF-DHA containing lutein/zeaxanthin (7.0/1.4 mg). PK, OS, and oxygenation parameters were analyzed.

UNASSIGNED

LF-DHA improved the PKs of DHA enhancing its serum concentrations time dependently by 34.6% and 94.1% after 2nd and 4th weeks, respectively. DHA and lutein ingested either alone or simultaneously as two separate formulations reduced the levels of OS markers. However, LF-DHA inhibited the malonicdialdehyde (MDA) and oxidized low-density lipoprotein values were better than other formulations. LF-DHA also enhanced the plasma oxygen and tissue oxygen saturation. This effect was significantly higher than in other groups.

UNASSIGNED

LF-DHA eliminates the need in high-dose DHA supplementation protocols and confers a higher DHA bioavailability, thereby improving the parameters of biological oxidation and tissue respiration in affected individuals.