Effects of Administration of Omega-3 Fatty Acids with or without Vitamin E on Body Composition in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease: A Clinical Trial

Background and The type of diets and fat consumption are amongst the major factors in determining the amount of body fat in different tissues. The current trial assessed the effects of omega-3 fatty acids with or without vitamin E on the amount of adipose tissue and lean body mass in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).
A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial was conducted in 67 male patients with CAD. The participants were divided into three groups to receive omega-3 (O), omega-3 plus vitamin E (OE) or both omega-3 and vitamin E placebos (PP) for eight weeks. Dietary intakes, anthropometric and body composition parameters were measured by BIA technique at the beginning and end of week eight. Twenty-four hour diet recalls were done at the beginning and the end of the intervention. Nutritionist IV and SPSS version 16 software were used to analyze dietary data and statistical analyses, respectively.
Combination therapy with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E could not affect the amount and percentage of adipose tissue and lean body mass (assessed by BIA) in men with CAD, even by removing the confounding factors.
According to the beneficial effects of this supplement in body composition, it seems, techniques BIA, is not a perfect tool for body composition in short-term studies.