Abstract
Objectives: We conducted a pilot study to estimate the biological variability and effects of a prior meal on the omega-3 fatty acid (FA) content of 3 blood FA pools. Design and methods: We measured FA levels in red blood cells (RBCs), plasma and plasma phospholipids (PL) obtained from 20 healthy volunteers tested weekly over 6 weeks. Results: The within-subject coefficients of variation were 4.1% ± 1.9%, 15.9% ± 6.4%, and 14.5% ± 8.4%, respectively (RBC vs. others, p < 0.001). RBC omega-3 FA content had the lowest biological variability and was not altered in the fed state. Conclusions: From the perspective of variability and of the sample types tested, RBCs may be the preferred sample type for assessing omega-3 FA status.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 338-340 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Clinical Biochemistry |
Volume | 43 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 2010 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Biomarker
- Docosahexaenoic acid
- Eicosapentaenoic acid
- Erythrocytes
- Plasma
- Plasma phospholipids
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Biochemistry