Enrichment of n-3 containing ether phospholipids in plasma after 30 days of krill oil compared with fish oil supplementation

AbstractThere are conflicting findings over the bioavailability of long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n‐3 PUFA) from krill oil (KO) compared with fish oil (FO) in short‐ and long‐term studies. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of KO versus FO on the enrichment of molecular species of plasma phospholipids in young women following a 30‐day consumption of the n‐3 oils. Eleven healthy women aged 18–45 years consumed seven capsules of KO per day (containing a total of 1.27 g n‐3 PUFA) or five capsules of FO per day (total of 1.44 g n‐3 PUFA) for 30 days in a randomized crossover study, separated by at least a 30‐day washout period. Fasting blood samples were collected at day zero (baseline), day 15 and day 30 and analyzed by HPLC‐MS/MS for molecular species of phospholipids. Supplementation increased n‐3 PUFA in main phospholipids classes in both groups. After 30 days of supplementation, 35 out of 70 molecular species containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPAn‐3) had a significantly greater concentration in KO group compared with the FO treated group. The majority (89%) of the differentiated molecular species were choline and ethanolamine ether‐phospholipids. These data reveal that analysis of plasma phospholipids following 30 days of consumption of KO (a marine oil rich in phospholipids, including ether phospholipids) resulted in an enrichment of n‐3 PUFA in molecular species of ether‐phospholipids compared with FO (a triacylglycerol‐rich marine oil).