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Exploring Sustainable Alternatives to Marine Oils With Echium and Ahiflower Oils
Sponsor: University of Sao Paulo
Summary
This randomized, single-blind, crossover clinical trial aims to evaluate Echium oil and Ahiflower® oil as sustainable, plant-based alternatives to marine oils for omega-3 supplementation. Although fish oil is the primary dietary source of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), its use as a dietary supplementation presents several drawbacks, including high cost, potential contamination, limited global supply, and sustainability concerns. Echium and Ahiflower oils are naturally rich in stearidonic acid (SDA), a metabolic intermediate that bypasses the rate-limiting Δ6-desaturase step in the omega-3 pathway, potentially enhancing the conversion to EPA. Fifteen participants will undergo three 8-week intervention phases-Echium oil (15 g/day), Ahiflower oil (15 g/day), or EPA capsules (2.34 g/day)-separated by four-week washout periods. Blood samples will be collected before and after each phase to measure fatty acid profiles in plasma, plasma fractions, and erythrocytes using GC-MS. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters will also be assessed. The study seeks to determine whether SDA-rich plant oils can effectively increase EPA levels in humans and potentially reduce the reliance on marine oils for cardiovascular health benefits.
Official title: Exploring Sustainable Alternatives to Marine Oils: A Clinical Trial on the Efficacy of Echium and Ahiflower Oils for Omega-3 Supplementation.
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - 30 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
15
Start Date
2025-05-26
Completion Date
2026-12-31
Last Updated
2025-12-17
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Interventions
Echium oil
Participants consume 15 g/day of Echium oil, incorporated into meals, during one 8-week phase.
Ahiflower oil
Participants consume 15 g/day of Ahiflower® oil, incorporated into meals, during one 8-week phase.
EPA capsules
Participants consume three EPA capsules daily (totaling 2.34 g/day), taken with meals, during one 8-week phase.
Locations (1)
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo (USP)
São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil