Camelina sativa oil and fatty fish are rich in polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, but their health benefits seem to differ.
In a new study, researchers found that camelina sativa oil reduces the formation of fatty acid derivatives that may be harmful to cardiovascular health.
Camelina sativa oil also seems to protect against oxidative stress.
Fatty fish, on the other hand, increases the circulatory concentration of fatty acid derivatives that alleviate inflammation.
The research was conducted by a team from the University of Eastern Finland and elsewhere.
The team examined the associations of fatty and low-fat fish, and camelina sativa oil, with lipid metabolism and low-grade inflammation.
The 12-week study involved 79 men and women between 43 and 72 years of age who had impaired fasting glucose.
The participants were divided into four groups. One group replaced fats in their daily diet with camelina sativa oil and reduced their intake of fish to one serving a week.
Two of the groups ate fish four times a week: two servings of fatty fish, such as salmon or vendace, and two servings of low-fat fish, such as saithe or pike. The fourth group was a control group.
The team found a high intake of omega-3 fatty acids from camelina sativa oil and fatty fish reduced the circulatory proportions of arachidonic acid, which is a long-chain omega-6 fatty acid.
Those using camelina sativa oil also had lower concentrations of mediators derived from arachidonic acid, which may be harmful to cardiovascular health.
Moreover, the intake of fatty fish increased the circulatory concentration of fatty acid derivatives that alleviate inflammation.
The findings show that camelina sativa oil and fatty fish had a major effect on lipid metabolism.
They suggest that dietary fats can be used to target metabolic problems that are linked to heart diseases and type 2 diabetes.
In addition to its other beneficial effects, camelina sativa oil was also observed to reduce the circulatory concentration of markers that are indicative of oxidative stress.
Low-fat fish, however, did not have an effect on the metabolic pathways studied.
The lead author of the study is Topi Meuronen from the University of Eastern Finland.
The study is published in Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids.
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