A high omega 3 fatty acid diet alters fatty acid composition of heart, liver, kidney, adipose tissue and skeletal muscle in swine.

The fatty acid profiles and total lipid contents of two skeletal muscles, adipose tissue, heart, liver and kidney of swine fed a diet rich in omega 3 (n-3) fatty acids (i.e., 5% fish oil) was investigated. These values were compared to those determined for animals which were fed an equal caloric diet low in n-3 fatty acids (i.e., 5% coconut oil). All supplementations were given over a 13-week period. The lipids were extracted with chloroform-methanol, trans-esterified and the relative fatty acid methyl-esters concentrations were determined using capillary gas chromatography. The fish oil diet significantly enhanced the relative amounts of n-3 fatty acids (i.e., eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) in all tissues examined. In the heart, liver and kidney, the increases in n-3 fatty acids were compensated by decreases primarily in arachidonic acid, but in the other tissues the contents of lauric and myristic acids were also reduced. In general, the n-3 fatty acid contents were 40-165% higher in the animals fed the fish oil. Supplementation of n-3 fatty acids in swine induced a significant incorporation of these fatty acids throughout the body, however the extent of this incorporation differed between tissues perhaps due to tissue-specific metabolic pathways.