The impact of omega-3 supplementation on indices of body composition, lipoprotein and Follistatin-Like 1 circulating level in men with coronary heart disease: A randomized double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial

Background and purpose: Follistatin is a cytokine secreted from the Myocardium, which play a protective role against cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of omega-3 fatty acids as secondary preventive of cardiovascular disease on indices of body composition, lipoprotein and follistatin-like1protein (FSTL1) circulating level in patients with coronary artery disease(CAD). Materials and methods: The present study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. A total of 42 men with CAD confirmed by angiography were randomly divided into two groups: group1 received omega-3 (1,200 mg daily) and group 2 received placebo (paraffin 1,200 mg daily (for 8-weeks. Serum levels of folinostatin accompanied by anthropometric measurements and body composition were assessed by an ELISA kit at the beginning and end of the intervention. Results: After 8 weeks of intervention, serum levels of FSTL1 increased significantly in the omega-3 group (p = 0.001), But there was no significant difference in the level of FSTL1 between the two groups (p=0/560). At the end of the study, a significant decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p=0.011) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (p=0.030) concentration was detected between the two groups. However, fasting blood sugar, fasting insulin, body composition, and anthropometric parameters did not statistically change within and between the groups. Conclusion: Oral supplementation with omega-3 may improve the status of CAD patients by increasing FSTL1 and decreasing LDL-C and hs-CRP concentrations.