Table 1.
Estimated Average Dose–Response Relationship Between DHA + EPA Consumption (g/d) and Lipid Reduction (mg/dL) ‡
| Lipid | Participants | N* | 1.0 g/d | 2.0 g/d | 3.0 g/d | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MD | (95% CI) | MD | (95% CI) | MD | (95% CI) | |||
| Triglyceride | All | 86 | −19.21 | (−32.01 to 6.41) | −42.61 | (−53.41 to 31.80) | −68.90 | (−98.40 to 39.40) |
| LDL‐C | All | 80 | 2.91 | (0.34 to 5.47) | 3.48 | (1.09 to 5.86) | 2.43 | (−0.36 to 5.22) |
| HDL‐C | All | 87 | 1.36 | (0.47 to 2.25) | 1.69 | (0.78 to 2.61) | 1.32 | (−0.97 to 3.60) |
| Non‐HDL‐C | All | 22 | −1.18 | (−6.24 to 3.89) | −4.13 | (−9.20 to 0.95) | −8.31 | (−11.78 to 4.83) |
| Hyperlipidemia status | ||||||||
| Triglyceride | Yes | 49 | −23.05 | (−43.59 to 2.51) | −49.89 | (−63.28 to 36.49) | −80.58 | (−150.43 to 10.74) |
| No | 11 | −17.24 | (−31.01 to 3.48) | −27.36 | (−45.82 to 8.89) | −32.58 | (−50.72 to 14.43) | |
| LDL‐C | Yes | 48 | 2.82 | (−1.25 to 6.90) | 4.17 | (0.09 to 8.24) | 4.01 | (0.50 to 7.51) |
| No | 10 | 7.79 | (1.83 to 13.75) | 7.64 | (1.15 to 14.14) | 2.48 | (−6.33 to 11.29) | |
| HDL‐C | Yes | 51 | 1.96 | (0.59 to 3.34) | 2.38 | (0.62 to 4.13) | 1.15 | (0.05 to 2.26) |
| No | 10 | 3.43 | (1.22 to 5.63) | 2.92 | (−0.84 to 6.69) | −0.30 | (−10.56 to 9.96) | |
| Non‐HDL‐C† | Yes | 21 | −0.89 | (−6.37 to 4.58) | −3.74 | (−9.57 to 2.09) | −8.24 | (−11.80 to 4.68) |
| Participants with hyperlipidemia taking lipid‐lowering medication | ||||||||
| Triglyceride | Yes | 22 | 1.93 | (−15.04 to 18.90) | −27.96 | (−44.08 to 11.84) | −98.23 | (−201.25 to 4.79) |
| No | 17 | −18.97 | (−46.12 to 8.19) | −52.75 | (−71.38 to 34.12) | −100.71 | (−160.80 to 40.61) | |
| LDL‐C | Yes | 24 | 1.21 | (−1.49 to 3.92) | 1.06 | (−2.79 to 4.91) | −0.83 | (−3.84 to 2.17) |
| No | 15 | −0.41 | (−3.77 to 2.95) | 3.02 | (−0.07 to 6.12) | 10.13 | (5.57 to 14.70) | |
| HDL‐C | Yes | 24 | −0.56 | (−2.92 to 1.79) | 0.64 | (−1.41 to 2.69) | 4.09 | (−9.20 to 17.38) |
| No | 17 | 4.15 | (0.63 to 7.66) | 4.98 | (0.64 to 9.32) | 2.65 | (0.01 to 5.28) | |
| Non‐HDL‐C | Yes | 13 | 1.44 | (−7.38 to 10.27) | −1.90 | (−11.46 to 7.67) | −9.59 | (−13.90 to 5.27) |
| No | 3 | −1.87 | (−7.72 to 3.98) | −3.52 | (−11.49 to 4.46) | −4.88 | (−10.31 to 0.55) | |
| Baseline mean body mass index | ||||||||
| Triglyceride | ≥25 kg/m2 | 53 | −25.54 | (−42.03 to 9.04) | −46.86 | (−58.64 to 35.08) | −65.27 | (−91.38 to 39.17) |
| <25 kg/m2 | 22 | −5.76 | (−24.62 to 13.10) | −9.23 | (−23.58 to 5.12) | −11.47 | (−82.65 to 59.72) | |
| LDL‐C | ≥25 kg/m2 | 52 | 4.15 | (0.41 to 7.89) | 5.00 | (1.74 to 8.27) | 3.56 | (0.34 to 6.79) |
| <25 kg/m2 | 20 | 1.00 | (−2.62 to 4.62) | −1.42 | (−3.50 to 0.67) | −5.83 | (−13.76 to 2.10) | |
| HDL‐C | ≥25 kg/m2 | 55 | 1.56 | (0.76 to 2.36) | 1.78 | (0.82 to 2.75) | 1.08 | (0.15 to 2.01) |
| <25 kg/m2 | 21 | 1.76 | (−5.20 to 8.73) | 4.69 | (−1.47 to 10.85) | 8.20 | (−12.01 to 28.41) | |
| Non‐HDL‐C† | ≥25 kg/m2 | 18 | 1.19 | (−5.32 to 7.69) | −1.78 | (−8.32 to 4.76) | −7.61 | (−11.31 to 3.90) |
DHA indicates docosahexaenoic acid; EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid; HDL‐C, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL‐C, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol; MD, mean difference; and non‐HDL‐C, non‐high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol.
*
Numbers may not sum to group totals due to missing data or unspecified subgroups in the trials.
†
Due to the unavailability of data, only 1 subgroup estimate was performed in the absence or presence of hyperlipidemia, overweight/obesity (≥25 kg/m2), and preexisting coronary heart disease.
‡
The complete dose–response outcomes are presented in Table S4.