Effect of extra-virgin olive oil and fish-oil supplementation on plasma lipids and susceptibility of low-density lipoprotein to oxidative alteration in free-living Spanish male patients with peripheral vascular disease

The aim of this study was to analyse the in vivo effect of a diet rich in e xtra-virgin olive oil and a fish-oil supplement on plasma and lipoprotein f atty-acid composition and on LDL susceptibility to oxidative modification i n free-living Spanish male patients with peripheral vascular disease. A tot al of 12 patients were included in the experimental group which received ex tra virgin olive oil and a fish oil supplement (group OF). On the other han d, 13 patients which had refined olive oil as the main visible fat were con sidered as Control group. Plasma triglycerides decreased significantly afte r three months of dietary intervention. The LDL and plasma fatty-acid patte rn in the group OF was characterized by a significant increase in n-3 polyu nsaturated fatty acids, mainly 20:5 n-3 and 22:6 n-3. The slopes of LDL oxi dative susceptibility were similar between baseline and endpoint values in both groups. However, the uptake of oxidized LDL by macrophages was signifi cantly reduced in OF patients in comparison with the Control group. In conc lusion, the daily intake of about 40 g/d of extra-virgin olive oil in combi nation with a daily supplement of 16 g of fish oil for 3 months in patients with peripheral vascular disease leads to a plasma-lipid profile less athe rogenic than in patients having refined olive oil as the main visible food fat. The simultaneous consumption of alpha-tocopherol and natural antioxida nts provided by extra-virgin olive oil seems to have a protective effect on the LDL susceptibility to oxidative modifications in spite of a higher pro portion of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.