Herring oil intake results in increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids in erythrocytes in an urban population in the Czech Republic

Introduction: The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases is relatively high in Central European countries, which may be caused by unhealthy dietary habits and cigarette smoking. The traditional Czech diet is low in seafood – a food reported to offer some reduction of risk for myocardial infarct and stroke. The European Health Authority recommends regular intake of fish or food supplements providing at least 250 mg of the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) daily. Material and methods: The present study included 100 subjects from Prague not eating fish. They were given herring fish oil capsules providing aproximately the recommended dose of EPA + DHA for 6 months. Omega-3 and other fatty acids were analysed from red blood cells (RBC) before and after study completion. Study parameters were omega-3 index, EPA + DHA, and the atherogenic index comprising saturated fatty acids divided by unsaturated fatty acids. Results: Mean omega-3 index at study entry was 5.1% (p