Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Genes Interact to Influence Cardiometabolic Health.

The typical Western diet is now recognized to have insufficient amounts of omega-3 fatty acids (in particular EPA and DHA). These fatty acids have several known health benefits, including improvements in heart health, metabolic syndrome, and inflammation. These benefits occur because omega-3 fatty acids can regulate a myriad of cellular functions. In order to increase the levels of these omega-3 fatty acids in the body, individuals must either consume more marine products or take an omega-3 rich dietary supplement, such as fish oil. While fish oil supplements are commonly consumed by people, it is now recognized that not everyone responds to these supplements in the same manner. Therefore this study aims to improve our understanding of why people respond differently to the same dietary supplement. The goals of this research will be accomplished using a number of approaches:

1. The investigators will examine how fish oil supplementation leads to an enrichment of EPA and DHA in various cells throughout the body (erythrocytes, adipose tissue, etc).
2. The investigators will determine the dynamic changes in EPA and DHA incorporation into different cell-types during distinct phases of our dietary intervention study (e.g. during supplementation and subsequent wash out periods).
3. The investigators will study how fish oil supplements influence various blood markers of cardiometabolic health (e.g. triglycerides, cholesterol, glucose, C-reactive protein, etc) and whether this is modulated by an individual's genotype.