Influence of different dietary fatty acid sources on erythrocyte lipids and plasma and liver essential fatty acids in hamsters fed ethanol.

Hamsters fed ethanol were given three different dietary sources of essential fatty acids; safflower oil, evening primrose oil (both mainly n-6 fatty acids) or linseed oil (mainly n-3 fatty acids). After 7 weeks, plasma, erythrocyte and liver lipids and fatty acids were analyzed. Plasma and liver lipids were not significantly different in the ethanol-fed hamsters compared to the controls. Erythrocyte total phospholipid was increased only in the ethanol-fed groups given n-6 but not n-3 fatty acids. Some fatty acid changes induced by ethanol were predictable, e.g. lower 20:4 n-6 in hamsters fed n-6 fatty acids, but others were not predictable, e.g. higher 22:6 n-3 in all the ethanol-fed groups. The effect of ethanol on hamster lipids and fatty acid composition appears dependent on the predominant class of dietary fatty acids.