Effects of 12 Weeks of Omega 3 Supplementation on Resting Metabolic Rate

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Fatty acids are the main components of the cell membranes. It has been demonstrated that diet can alter the characteristics and function of many membranes in the body, which has an effect on cardiovascular and metabolic health. Over the last two decades there has been a substantial rise in the research of the effects of Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on bodily function. There are two fatty acids that are of particular interest to researchers, eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). These fatty acids have unique unsaturated structures, and their incorporation into biological membranes seems to generate important and positive physiological effects. The body is unable to synthesize these fatty acids in high concentrations to elicit significant effects, so they must be obtained through diet in food or via supplementation. It has been suggested that EPA and DHA supplementation increases resting metabolic rate (RMR) in humans, in part by increasing the use of fat as a fuel during rest. There are a limited number of studies examining the effects of Omega 3 supplementation on RMR. Some have found an increase in RMR while others have found no change. These studies have some limitations, as that they have either used a small sample size, a low omega fatty acid dose and/or short supplementation periods. Due to the variable results, the investigators will improve the reliability of the RMR measurements by making measures on each subject during two consecutive days at each time point that it is measured (0, 6 and 12 weeks). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the effects of 12 weeks of omega 3 supplementation (3 g/d) on healthy young adults vs. the supplementation of a placebo. The researchers hypothesize that EPA and DHA supplementation will result in an increase in RMR and fat oxidation in some subjects and not in others. The duplicate RMR measures will determine the prevalence and magnitude of the omega 3 supplementation.

Official Title
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Effects of 12 Weeks of Omega 3 Supplementation on Resting Metabolic Rate

Conditions
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Whole Body Energy Metabolism

Intervention / Treatment
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* Dietary Supplement: Omega-3 Complete
* Dietary Supplement: Placebo Pill


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: 18 - 30 years of age. Must currently practice a consistent diet and exercise regimen, and maintain this throughout the duration of the study. Exclusion Criteria: Current or previous supplementation with omega-3's. Average fish intake greater than two times per week. Taken any medications, have any medical condition, and hospitalization or surgeries. Allergy to fish/fish oil, , (rosemary extract, ascorbyl palmitate, or natural tocopherols).

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 30 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Omega-3 Complete<br>Oral ingestion of 3000 mg (5 capsules) of Omega-3 Complete (Jamieson Laboratories Ltd., Windsor, Ontario, Canada) per day for 12 weeks. | Dietary Supplement: Omega-3 Complete<br> <br> |
| Placebo Comparator: Placebo Pill<br>Oral ingestion of 3 capsules of a placebo olive oil pill (Swanson Health Products, PO Box 2803 - Fargo, ND 58108 USA) per day for 12 weeks. | Dietary Supplement: Placebo Pill<br> <br> |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in Resting Metabolic Rate From Baseline | Percent change in resting metabolic rate | Baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in Maximum Oxygen Consumption From Baseline |  | Baseline, 12 weeks | 
| Change in Whole Body Resting Fat Oxidation From Baseline |  | Baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks | 
| Change in Whole Body Resting Carbohydrate Oxidation From Baseline |  | Baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks | 
| Variability of Resting Metabolic Rate Measurement on 2 Consecutive Days |  | Baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks | 
| Change in Fasted Blood Triglyceride Concentration From Baseline |  | Baseline, 12 weeks | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Omega-3, Resting metabolic rate, Eicosapentaenoic acid, Docosahexaenoic acid