Maintenance of plasma triglyceride-lowering through use of low-dose fish oils in the diet

The ingestion of large doses of fish oil may be associated with a marked reduction in plasma triglyceride concentrations. The present study was a preliminary evaluation of whether a lower maintenance dose of fish oils in hyperlipidemic patients would be sufficient to sustain therapeutic effects already achieved on higher dosage over a prior period of three months or longer. For the purposes of this study, 10 or 16g/day of fish oil (LipitacR) was defined as high dosage, 6g/day as medium dosage and 3g/day as low dosage. Five subjects entered on high dosage and were subsequently evaluated on medium and then on low dosage at intervals of six weeks. Five subjects entered on medium dosage and were evaluated after six weeks on low dosage. Seven of the subjects entered with a significant degree of hypertriglyceridemia while the remainder had hypercholesterolemia. Subjects entering with background triglyceride concentrations in excess of 2mmol/l showed reduced triglyceride concentrations at all dose levels, while two subjects with entry triglycerides in excess of 10mmmol/l experienced further improvement in plasma triglycerides when comparing medium with low dosage, or high with medium dosage. Low dose fish oil appears to have potential as a form of maintenance therapy in the management of moderate degrees of hypertriglyceridemia.