Reducing Metabolic Syndrome Risk (Dangerous Synergy: Addressing metabolic syndrome naturally)

Research on the health benefits of omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) is popping up all over. Omega-3s, in addition to other health advances, have been shown to decrease the risk of CVD and other obesity-related diseases. One review published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition said: “Omega 3- phosphatidylcholine from salmon roe prevented the development of obesity-related diseases through the suppression of lipogenic gene expressions and the enhancement of lypolytic gene expressions in the liver of obese rats.”⁶ A Canadian, semi-randomized, single-blind, four-period, crossover study found an olive oil (OO)-based diet with fish-oil fatty acid esters of plant sterols (FO-PS) may reduce CVD risk.⁷ Twenty-one moderately overweight, healthy hypercholesterolemic subjects were fed an OO–based diet, including four experimental isoenergetic diets of four weeks each and four-week intervening washout periods. Diets contained 30 percent of energy as fat, of which 70 percent was from extra-virgin OO, and differed only in the supplement oil: OO, fish oil, FO-PS (as CardiaBeat™, from Enzymotec LTD) or sunflower oil esters of plant sterols (SU-PS). Both fish oil and FO-PS provided 5.4 g/d total eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). FO-PS, SU-PS and OO provided the equivalent of 1.7, 1.7, and 0.02 g/d free plant sterols, respectively. Fish oil and FO-PS resulted in fasting and postprandial plasma triacylglycerol concentrations that were markedly lower than those observed with OO and SU-PS (P=0.0001), but to a different extent. LDL cholesterol was significantly lower after supplementation with FO-PS and SU-PS than at the end of the control OO diet (P=0.0031 and 0.0407, respectively). HDL cholesterol was not affected. FO-PS and SU-PS resulted in a lower ratio of total to HDL cholesterol and lower apolipoprotein (apo) B concentrations than did OO and fish oil. The ratio of apoB to apoA was significantly lower after SU-PS consumption than after consumption of OO (P=0.0126) and fish oil (P=0.0292). FO-PS and SU-PS resulted in similar ratios of apoB to apoA. HDL2 and the ratio of HDL2 to HDL3 were significantly higher at the end of the FO-PS treatment than at the end of the OO (P=0.0006), fish oil (P=0.0036), and SU-PS (P=0.0016) treatments.

Another study published in the Journal of Cardiometabolic Syndrome noted, “Long-chain omega-3 FAs, from fish and sea mammals, were associated with lower blood pressure, serum triglycerides and two-hour glucose, and higher HDL cholesterol, fasting insulin and homeostasis model assessment. Saturated fat consumption was associated with higher triglyceride levels and blood pressure. Trans fatty acid consumption was associated with higher blood pressure. Consumption of long-chain omega-3 FAs from marine sources may improve certain metabolic syndrome components, and thus may reduce risk for cardiovascular disease.”⁸