Table 3.
Erythrocyte membrane fatty acid composition and activity of enzymes involved in fatty acid metabolism in recruited male subjects, divided depending on hormone abuse
| BBINS (n = 15) |
BBGH (n = 12) |
BBAAS (n = 13) |
BBNU (n = 52) |
CTRL (n = 45) |
One-way ANOVA | Effect Size* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SATURATED FAs | |||||||
| Myristic 14:00 | 0.31 ± 0.03 | 0.30 ± 0.03 | 0.28 ± 0.02 | 0.33 ± 0.01 | 0.35 ± 0.02 | 0.06 | -0.2 (-0.8–0.3) |
| Palmitic 16:00 | 23.18 ± 0.55c,d | 23.18 ± 0.62c,d | 21.49 ± 0.40a,b | 20.79 ± 0.15a,b,e | 22.15 ± 0.42d | < 0.001 | 0.7 (0.18–1.3) |
| Stearic 18:00 | 16.33 ± 0.50d,e | 16.15 ± 0.40c,d,e | 17.31 ± 0.35b,e | 18.01 ± 0.12a,b,e | 19.31 ± 0.23a,b,c,d | < 0.001 | -1.2 (-1.7 - -0.6) |
| SUM | 39.79 ± 0.41 e | 39.60 ± 0.38e | 39.05 ± 0.50e | 39.13 ± 0.15e | 41.82 ± 0.61a,b,c,d | 0.001 | -0.1 (-0.7–0.4) |
| MONOUNSATURATED FAs | |||||||
| Palmitoleic 16:1n-7 | 0.33 ± 0.06c,d,e | 0.25 ± 0.05 | 0.19 ± 0.03a | 0.21 ± 0.01a | 0.23 ± 0.01a | 0.01 | 1.0 (0.45–1.5) |
| Oleic 18:1n-9 | 13.90 ± 0.43 | 13.56 ± 0.42 | 12.95 ± 0.23 | 13.23 ± 0.16 | 13.68 ± 0.26 | 0.26 | - |
| Eicosaenoic 20:1n-9 | 0.28 ± 0.02b,c,d,e | 0.23 ± 0.02a | 0.22 ± 0.02a | 0.24 ± 0.01a | 0.23 ± 0.01a | 0.02 | 0.5 (0.001–1.0) |
| SUM** | 15.77 ± 0.46 | 15.42 ± 0.49 | 14.62 ± 0.28 | 14.81 ± 0.16 | 15.37 ± 0.29 | 0.12 | - |
| n-3 POLYUNSATURATED FAs | |||||||
| α-Linolenic 18:3n-3 | 0.13 ± 0.01e | 0.11 ± 0.03e | 0.11 ± 0.02e | 0.12 ± 0.01e | 0.30 ± 0.03a,b,c,d | < 0.001 | -0.5 (-1.0–0.08) |
| Eicosapentaenoic 20:5n-3 | 1.80 ± 0.38b,c,d,e | 1.28 ± 0.29a,c,d,e | 0.62 ± 0.16a,b | 0.72 ± 0.04a,b,e | 0.45 ± 0.03a,b,d | < 0.001 | 1.692 (1.1–2.2) |
| Docosapentaenoic 22:5n-3 | 2.69 ± 0.18c,e | 2.62 ± 0.17e | 2.31 ± 0.13a,d | 2.72 ± 0.04c,e | 2.30 ± 0.07a,b,d | < 0.001 | 0.3 (-0.2–0.9) |
| Docosahexaenoic 22:6n-3 | 5.30 ± 0.38e | 5.03 ± 0.41 | 4.70 ± 0.43d | 5.52 ± 0.16c,e | 4.28 ± 0.20a,d | < 0.001 | 0.3 (-0.3–0.8) |
| SUM | 9.85 ± 0.80c,e | 9.03 ± 0.79e | 7.71 ± 0.62a,d | 9.07 ± 0.21c,e | 7.18 ± 0.27a,b,d | < 0.001 | 0.7 (0.2–1.3) |
| ω-3 index | 7.10 ± 0.67c,e | 6.31 ± 0.66e | 5.32 ± 0.55a | 6.24 ± 0.19e | 4.71 ± 0.22a,b,d | < 0.001 | 0.9 (0.27–1.36) |
| n-6 POLYUNSATURATED FAs | |||||||
| Linoleic 18:2n-6 | 12.71 ± 0.59b,d | 14.09 ± 0.83a,d,e | 13.01 ± 0.66d,e | 11.64 ± 0.20a,b,c | 11.77 ± 0.19b,c | < 0.001 | 0.3 (-0.2–0.9) |
| Eicosadienoic 20:2n-6 | 0.65 ± 0.23 | 0.43 ± 0.12 | 0.68 ± 0.23 | 0.50 ± 0.07 | 0.40 ± 0.03 | 0.34 | - |
| Dihomo-γ-linolenic 20:3n-6 | 1.53 ± 0.15d | 1.67 ± 0.17d | 1.69 ± 0.14d | 2.00 ± 0.08a,b,c,e | 1.73 ± 0.06d | 0.01 | -0.5 (-1.1 - -0.03) |
| Arachidonic 20:4n-6 | 15.44 ± 0.57c,d | 15.74 ± 0.46c,d | 17.68 ± 0.32a,b | 17.70 ± 0.26a,b | 16.79 ± 0.45 | < 0.01 | -0.7 (-1.3 - -0.2) |
| Adrenic 22:4n-6 | 2.88 ± 0.26c,d,e | 2.98 ± 0.32c,d,e | 3.73 ± 0.23a,b | 3.79 ± 0.09a,b | 3.98 ± 0.15a,b | < 0.001 | -1.0 (-1.5 - -0.4) |
| Docosapentaenoic 22:5n-6 | 0.39 ± 0.04c,d,e | 0.44 ± 0.05c,d,e | 0.61 ± 0.06a,b,e | 0.67 ± 0.03a,b | 0.74 ± 0.03a,b,c | < 0.001 | -1.2 (-1.7 - -0.6) |
| SUM | 33.64 ± 0.86c,d | 35.38 ± 0.99 | 37.42 ± 0.67a | 36.31 ± 0.31a | 35.39 ± 0.67 | 0.03 | -0.9 (-1.4 - -0.4) |
| ENZYME ACTIVITIES | |||||||
| Δ9 desaturase (16:1/16:0) | 0.014 ± 0.002b,c,d,e | 0.011 ± 0.002a | 0.009 ± 0.001a | 0.010 ± 0.001a | 0.010 ± 0.000a | 0.03 | 0.9 (0.3–1.4) |
| Δ5 desaturase (20:4n6/20:3n6) | 11.66 ± 1.4 | 10.44 ± 1.1 | 11.46 ± 1.1 | 9.57 ± 0.4 | 10.2 ± 0.5 | 0.26 | - |
| Elongase (18:0/16:0) | 0.72 ± 0.04c,d,e | 0.71 ± 0.04c,d,e | 0.81 ± 0.02a,b,d,e | 0.87 ± 0.01a,b,c | 0.88 ± 0.01a,b,c | < 0.001 | - |
Values are expressed as mean (%) ± SEM. BBINS, bodybuilders abusing insulin alone (n = 1) or in association with anabolic androgenic steroids (n = 3) or with anabolic androgenic steroids and growth hormone (n = 11); BBGH, bodybuilders abusing growth hormone alone (n = 1) or in association with anabolic androgenic steroids (n = 11); BBAAS, bodybuilders abusing only anabolic androgenic steroids; BBNU, bodybuilders not using hormones; CTRL, non-bodybuilders
Statistical analysis was performed by using One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc analysis. a, significant difference from BBINS (P < 0.05). b, significant difference from BBGH (P < 0.05). c, significant difference from BBAAS (P < 0.05). d, significant difference from BBNU (P < 0.05). e, significant difference from CTRL (P < 0.05)
*Effect size is calculated to quantify differences between BBINS group versus all the other groups. If post-hoc analysis showed a difference between BBINS and more than one group, both pooled average and standard deviation of these groups were considered to assess effect size. < 0.2 low probability; 0.2–0.8 medium probability; > 0.8 strong probability. Effect size is expressed as point estimate and confidence intervals (95%)
**The monounsaturated sum had been calculated including elaidic acid content (not reported in table)
Δ9 desaturase activity was estimated as as palmitoleic-to-palmitic acid ratio. Δ5 desaturase activity was estimated as arachidonic-to-dihomo-γ-linolenic ratio acid ratio. Elongase activity was estimated as stearic-to-palmitic ratio