Table 2.
Mean values (standard deviations) of serum fatty acids for the experimental and control group at different time points and results of intragroup and intergroup differences.
| Fatty acids [normal range] | Group | Baseline | End | Intra-p-valuea | Inter-p-value [∆exp vs. ∆control]b |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle chain fatty acids | |||||
| Capric acid C10:0 [n/a] | Exp | 4.51 (2.26) | 3.2 (1.25) | 0.089 | 0.502 |
| Control | 5.09 (2.03) | 4.55 (2.36) | 0.534 | ||
| Lauric acid C12:0 [n/a] | Exp | 15.32 (18.69) | 5.6 (4.73) | 0.066 | 0.196 |
| Control | 12.65 (9.20) | 10.55 (6.29) | 0.506 | ||
| Long chain fatty acids | |||||
| Myristic acid C14:0 [< 70 mg/L] | Exp | 52.63 (39.32) | 24.95 (9.73) | 0.023* | 0.155 |
| Control | 54.89 (23.10) | 47.62 (23.71) | 0.423 | ||
| Myristoleic acid C14:1 [< 10 mg/L] | Exp | 3.81 (1.67) | 2.89 (1.03) | 0.101 | 0.862 |
| Control | 4.56 (1.71) | 3.8 (2.76) | 0.296 | ||
| Palmitic acid C16:0 [350–870 mg/L] | Exp | 794.2 (437.43) | 550.27 (104.79) | 0.062 | 0.269 |
| Control | 770.87 (250.63) | 696.33 (209.49) | 0.422 | ||
| Palmitoleic acid C16:1 [15–68 mg/L] | Exp | 61.91 (21.29) | 43.88 (21.78) | 0.003** | 0.254 |
| Control | 67.95 (19.70) | 61.24 (32.36) | 0.434 | ||
| Stearic Acid C18:0 [200–910 mg/L] | Exp | 386.07 (523.12) | 166.8 (32.10) | 0.135 | 0.354 |
| Control | 287.33 (299.69) | 220.27 (77.16) | 0.438 | ||
| Oleic acid C18:1ω9c [440–1200 mg/L] | Exp | 620.87 (122.59) | 565.07 (130.28) | 0.201 | 0.524 |
| Control | 648.73 (132.19) | 634.13(196.62) | 0.767 | ||
| Linoleic acid C18:2ω6c [750–1300 mg/L] | Exp | 988.53 (231.84) | 962.27 (344.53) | 0.730 | 0.679 |
| Control | 1017.13 (159.05) | 953.2 (166.17) | 0.227 | ||
| α-Linolenic acid C18:2ω6c [4–15 mg/L] | Exp | 28.12 (11.08) | 38.29 (23.64) | 0.053 | 0.063 |
| Control | 29.58 (15.08) | 26.97 (9.28) | 0.573 | ||
| γ-Linolenic acid C18:3ω6 [5–23 mg/L] | Exp | 14.63 (5.52) | 11.12 (3.70) | 0.018* | 0.348 |
| Control | 17.88 (6.79) | 16.72 (10.24) | 0.588 | ||
| Arachidonic acid C18:3ω6 [20–400 mg/L] | Exp | 285.2 (87.70) | 260.93 (78.07) | 0.073 | 0.992 |
| Control | 344.4 (90.34) | 319.93 (82.91) | 0.139 | ||
| Eicosapentaenoic acid C18:3ω6 [3–36 mg/L] | Exp | 31.62 (10.49) | 31.19 (17.94) | 0.932 | 0.643 |
| Control | 48.29 (19.67) | 44.37 (19.04) | 0.488 | ||
| Very long chain fatty acids | |||||
| Behenic acid C22:0 [20–45 mg/L] | Exp | 15.85 (11.48) | 10.02 (2.77) | 0.100 | 0.632 |
| Control | 14.21 (7.87) | 10.29 (2.78) | 0.091 | ||
| Erucinic acid C22:1ω9 [< 4 mg/L] | Exp | 2.59 (2.94) | 2 (0.93) | 0.404 | 0.299 |
| Control | 1.73 (0.71) | 2.37 (3.62) | 0.507 | ||
| Docosadienoinic acid C22:1ω9 [n/a] | Exp | 2.15 (0.44) | 2.37 (0.83) | 0.470 | 0.096 |
| Control | 2.24 (0.62) | 1.8 (0.67) | 0.093 | ||
| Docosapentaeic acid C22:1ω9 [< 25 mg/L] | Exp | 16.75 (3.21) | 14.87 (3.28) | 0.0828 | 0.833 |
| Control | 19.61 (5.94) | 18.11 (5.27) | 0.315 | ||
| Docosahexaeic acid C22:6ω3 [25–80 mg/L] | Exp | 89.71 (41.03) | 93.79 (32.02) | 0.536 | 0.124 |
| Control | 114.77 (34.85) | 103.87 (36.99) | 0.139 | ||
| Lignoceric acid C24:0 [10–50 mg/L] | Exp | 13.21 (5.29) | 8.80 (3.10) | 0.016* | 0.390 |
| Control | 18.86 (16.44) | 10.49 (3.58) | 0.068 | ||
| Nervonic acid C24:1ω9 [20–70 mg/L] | Exp | 18.36 (3.97) | 19.62 (1.05) | 0.314 | 0.044* |
| Control | 20.87 (5.86) | 18.39 (4.43) | 0.076 | ||
| Trans fatty acids | |||||
| Elaidic acid C18:1ω9t | Exp | 7.07 (6.17) | 4.37 (2.08) | 0.125 | 0.187 |
| Control | 5.79 (3.62) | 6.25 (4.43) | 0.79 | ||
| trans-Linoleic acid C18:2ω6t | Exp | 2.37 (0.73) | 2.3 (0.97) | 0.824 | 0.763 |
| Control | 2.08 (0.81) | 1.89 (0.61) | 0.41 | ||
| Sums and ratios | |||||
| Total fatty acids (TFA) | Exp | 3558.73 (1114.36) | 2975.33 (590.14) | 0.093 | 0.518 |
| Control | 3616.13 (733.15) | 3306.33 (781.58) | 0.262 | ||
| Saturated fatty acids (SFA) | Exp | 1298.53 (1043.43) | 776.8 (143.39) | 0.087 | 0.307 |
| Control | 1178.13 (594.36) | 1010.07 (308.66) | 0.388 | ||
| Monounsaturated fatty acids (MFA) | Exp | 715.27 (138.51) | 641.4 (141.22) | 0.114 | 0.488 |
| Control | 750.93 (149.28) | 726.8 (224.50) | 0.670 | ||
| Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) | Exp | 1535.53 (345.44) | 1550.67 (325.65) | 0.825 | 0.199 |
| Control | 1679.47 (266.40) | 1561.80 (308.86) | 0.142 | ||
| Ratio PUFA:SFA | Exp | 1.56 (0.54) | 2.00 (0.18) | 0.010* | 0.046* |
| Control | 1.58 (0.34) | 1.61 (0.27) | 0.812 | ||
| Omega 3 fatty acids (all) | Exp | 168.87 (49.93) | 181.07 (50.37) | 0.346 | 0.111 |
| Control | 215.07 (62.46) | 195.57 (56.28) | 0.204 | ||
| Omega 6 fatty acids (all) | Exp | 1366.6 (307.48) | 1369.6 (294.12) | 0.960 | 0.176 |
| Control | 1464.4 (225.39) | 1351.33 (245.64) | 0.081 | ||
| Ratio Omega 6 (all): Omega 3 (all) | Exp | 8.34 (1.61) | 7.90 (1.84) | 0.234 | 0.305 |
| Control | 7.21 (1.69) | 7.34 (1.75) | 0.760 | ||
| Omega 3-Index ([EPA + DHA]*100/TFA; serum index) | Exp | 3.66 (1.31) | 4.20 (1.22) | 0.044* | 0.111 |
| Control | 4.61 (1.36) | 4.44 (0.88) | 0.641 | ||
| Ratio AA : EPA | Exp | 9.756 (3.96) | 11.06 (5.98) | 0.420 | 0.659 |
| Control | 7.97 (3.28) | 8.39 (3.70) | 0.731 | ||
| Ratio AA : DGLA | Exp | 4.36 (1.16) | 5.18 (1.18) | 0.035* | 0.187 |
| Control | 4.80 (1.35) | 4.96 (1.25) | 0.620 | ||
The displayed values represent fatty acids with significant changes; normal range is given where available: normal ranges were provided by the executing laboratory.
*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 (all fatty acid concentrations are given in mg/L).
aPaired t-Test to compare baseline vs. week 8 within each group for each fatty acid.
bTwo sample t-Test comparing group changes ∆exp vs. ∆control for each fatty acid.