Eicosapentaenoic Acid decreases postprandial beta-hydroxybutyrate and free fatty acid responses in healthy young and elderly

Glucose (sugar) is the principal energy substrate for the brain. However, during aging, its uptake is impaired. The main alternative fuel to glucose is ketones. The goals of this study were to evaluate whether or not the elderly were capable of producing ketones as young adults and if fish oil intake increases blood ketones.

Ten young (18-25 y old) and 10 healthy elderly (#70 y old) subjects participated in two identical testing days, one before and one 6 weeks after taking fish oil. On both of the two days, fasting participants were provided breakfast in the morning. Through blood sampling, ketone concentration was followed for 6 hours.

This study showed that in the elderly participants, ketones are produced similarly to those in young adults. However, ketones were not increased after fish oil intake. Therefore, if ketones are clinically relevant for being a brain alternative energy substrate to glucose, then other strategies to increase ketones have to be developed for the elderly.

This research project was the first clinical project that Ms. Plourde conducted as a postdoctoral fellow. Through this research, she learned how to organize and conduct clinical research projects which will be a key asset in her career as an independent researcher.

Melanie is a postdoctoral fellow at Université Laval, Québec, working on genetic variations and inflammation. Next year, she will be moving into an academic position at the Center on Aging Research at the Université de Sherbrooke and will be developing a research program on nutrition, cognitive decline and genetics.