Seafood diets: Hypolipidemic and antiatherogenic effects of taurine and n-3 fatty acids

Background: Health aspects of seafood have primarily been linked to n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Although animal studies have suggested beneficial contributions from taurine, highly abundant in seafood, its effect in humans is obscure. This Study evaluates the combined effects of n-3 PUFA and taurine. Methods: Healthy Volunteers (n = 80) were recruited to a 7-week double-blind and parallel intervention trial. One group (n = 39) received fish pate (36 g/day) enriched in n-3 (1.1 g EPA + DHA/day)and the second (n = 4 1) an identical pate enriched both in n-3 and taurine (425 mg/day). Results: Total cholesterol (TC) (-5%. P < 0.001). low-density, lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (-8%, P < 0.001) and ApoB (-4%, P < 0.001) decreased more in the n-3 + taurine compared to the n-3 group. A significant within-group enhancement of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol was demonstrated in the n-3 + taurine group (6%. P < 0.0001). Reductions in triacylglycerol (TG) (-16%, P < 0.05 in n-3; -14%, P < 0.05 in n-3 + taurine). thromboxane B-2 (TxB(2)) (-21% P < 0.001 in n-3; -15%, P < 0.05 in n-3 + taurine), tumor necrosis factor (TNF alpha) (-24%. P < 0.001 in n-3; -12%, P<0.05 in n-3 + taurine) and monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP-1) (-12%, P < 0.05 in n-3; -6%, P < 0.0001 in n-3 + taurine) were evident in both groups. Reductions in interleukin (IL)-6 (-16%, P < 0.05) and LTB4 (-18%. P < 0.05) were only significant in the n-3 group. Conclusions: The effects, particularly on blood lipids. of combining n-3 PUFA's and taurine proved superior to those of n-3 alone. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.