Oral Bioavailability of Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Carotenoids from the Microalgae <i>Phaeodactylum tricornutum</i> in Healthy Young Adults
Lena Stiefvatter | Katja Lehnert | Konstantin Frick | Alexander Montoya-Arroyo | Jan Frank | Walter Vetter | Ulrike Schmid-Staiger | Stephan C. Bischoff
The microalgae <i>Phaeodactylum tricornutum</i> (PT) contains valuable nutrients such as proteins, polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids (<i>n</i>-3 PUFA), particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and some docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), carotenoids such as fucoxanthin (FX), and beta-glucans, which may confer health benefits. In a randomized intervention trial involving 22 healthy individuals, we administered for two weeks in a crossover manner the whole biomass of PT (5.3 g/day), or fish oil (FO) containing equal amounts of EPA and DHA (together 300 mg/day). In an additional experiment, sea fish at 185 g/week resulting in a similar EPA and DHA intake was administered in nine individuals. We determined the bioavailability of fatty acids and carotenoids and assessed safety parameters. The intake of PT resulted in a similar increase in the <i>n</i>-3 PUFA and EPA content and a decrease in the PUFA <i>n</i>-6:<i>n</i>-3 ratio in plasma. PT intake caused an uptake of FX that is metabolized to fucoxanthinol (FXOH) and amarouciaxanthin A (AxA). No relevant adverse effects occurred following PT consumption. The study shows that PT is a safe and effective source of EPA and FX—and likely other nutrients—and therefore should be considered as a future sustainable food item.
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