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Essential fatty acid metabolism in south Indians
1Department of Medicine, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Punjagutta, Hyderabad, India.
Insights
Indians exhibit higher rates of coronary artery disease, hypertension, and diabetes, potentially linked to lower essential fatty acids (EFAs) and altered EFA metabolism. This may contribute to insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia observed in this population.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Science
- Cardiovascular Health
- Metabolic Disorders
Background:
- Coronary artery disease (CAD), hypertension, and diabetes mellitus are more prevalent in Indian populations compared to Western populations.
- The underlying reasons for these disparities are not fully understood.
- Hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, and altered essential fatty acid (EFA) metabolism are potential contributing factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate plasma essential fatty acid (EFA) levels in normal Indians.
- To explore the relationship between EFA metabolism and the high incidence of CAD, hypertension, and diabetes in Indians.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of plasma phospholipid fatty acid composition in normal Indian subjects.
- Comparison of EFA levels with data from Canadian and Minnesota (USA) normal populations.
Main Results:
- Normal Indians demonstrated significantly lower plasma concentrations of arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid compared to Western populations.
- These findings indicate altered EFA metabolism in Indians.
Conclusions:
- Low plasma levels of key EFAs and altered EFA metabolism may partially explain the high prevalence of CAD, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, and hyperinsulinemia in Indians.
- Insulin's role in activating EFA metabolism suggests a potential mechanism linking these conditions.
Abstract:
Coronary artery disease (CAD), hypertension and diabetes mellitus are more common in Indians compared to their incidence in the Western population. The exact reason for this is not known. One of the risk factors for the development of and complications due to CAD, hypertension and diabetes mellitus could be hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance and low plasma levels of arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, metabolites of dietary essential fatty acids (EFAs), cis-linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids. Fatty acid analysis of the plasma phospholipid (PL) fraction of normal Indians showed that they have low concentrations of arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in comparison to those seen in Canadian and Minnesota (USA) normals. Since insulin can activate EFA metabolism, this alteration in the EFA metabolism may, at least, in part explain the high incidence of CAD, hypertension and diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia that are common in Indians.