Fatty acid composition of serum phosphatidylcholine in healthy subjects consuming varying amounts of fish.

Fatty acid composition of serum phosphatidylcholine was studied in subjects living in the same area and selected for high consumption of fat fish, high consumption of lean fish, moderate or no consumption of fish. The proportion of eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5) in serum phosphatidylcholine was fourfold higher, and that of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6) twofold higher among high consumers of fish compared to non-consumers, and these proportions were also higher in fat fish consumers than in high consumers of lean fish, and in moderate consumers compared to non-consumers. In the whole group the intake of fat fish was correlated to the proportions of 20:5, 22:6 and total n-3 fatty acids in serum phosphatidylcholine. The estimated intake of total n-3 fatty acids from fish was highly correlated to the proportions of these fatty acids in serum phosphatidylcholine (r = 0.87). Plasma triglyceride concentration was lower among high fat fish consumers than in other groups, but no differences between groups were observed for concentration of cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol. It is concluded that subjects who consume high amounts of fat fish in their normal diet attain approximately the same proportions of n-3 fatty acids in serum phosphatidylcholine as reported for subjects taking fish oil supplements, and that fatty acid composition of serum lipids can be used as a marker of intake of fat fish.