Statin treatment alters serum n-3 and n-6 fatty acids in
hypercholesterolemic patients.
Harris JI, Hibbeln JR, Mackey RH, Muldoon MF.

Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2004 Oct;71(4):263-9.

Department of Medicine, Center for Clinical Pharmacology, School of
Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 4015 O'Hara Street, Old
Engineering Hall, Room 506, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.

Statins are highly effective cholesterol-lowering drugs but may have
broader effects on metabolism. This investigation examined effects of
simvastatin on serum levels of n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids
(PUFAs). Subjects were 106 healthy adults with hypercholesterolemia
randomly assigned to receive placebo or 40 mg simvastatin daily for 24
weeks. Serum fatty acids were analyzed by gas chromatography. Total
fatty acid concentration fell 22% in subjects receiving simvastatin
(P<.001), with similar declines across most fatty acids. However,
concentrations of arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6), eicosapentanoic acid
(EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) were unchanged.
Relative percentages of linoleic acid (LA, 18:2n-6) and
alpha-linolenic acid (LNA, 18:3n-3), decreased while AA and DHA
increased (P's < or = .007). In addition, simvastatin increased the
AA:EPA ratio from 15.5 to 18.8 (P<.01), and tended to increase the
AA:DHA ratio (P=.053). Thus, simvastatin lowered serum fatty acid
concentrations while also altering the relative percentages of
important PUFAs.

   PMID: 15310527 [PubMed - in process]

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