Effect of OMEGA 3 Fatty Acids on Lactation Period

A Comparative Investigation of the Effects of OMEGA 3 Fatty Acids on Lactation

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

recommend that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months from birth. The composition of breast

milk is dynamic and may vary according to the content of maternal nutrition. Maternal nutrition, on the other

hand, determines the quality of breast milk necessary for the adequate growth and health of infants. For this

reason, the content of the maternal diet is important during the lactation period, which is the critical stage that

can affect the development of infants.

Omega 3 fatty acids are essential unsaturated fatty acids that are not synthesized by the human body and must be obtained through diet. The polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) most abundant in the diet are short-chain omega 3 alpha linolenic acid (ALA) and omega 6 linoleic acid (LA), which are mostly found in vegetable oils. ALA is a plant-derived omega 3 fatty acid found in flaxseed, walnut, canola and soybean oils. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are found in marine sources such as seafood and fish oils. Today, the use of Omega 3 fatty acid supplements is increasing during the lactation period. However, consumption of omega 3 fatty acid sources during pregnancy or lactation is thought to be an important factor in preventing cancer risk. In our study, the investigators aimed to compare the maternal diet and the consumption of fish oil, flaxseed oil and walnut oil supplements during the lactation period, to compare the amount of prolactin and DHA in the milk composition and to compare the protective effects against breast cancer with cancer stem cell markers. For this study, 32 healthy Wistar pregnant rats, weighing 200-250 g, 8-10 weeks pregnant and not included in any experiments, will be used. Supplementary oils will be administered by oral gavage, considering the 0.5 g/kg body weight of the pregnant rats according to the groups they are assigned to, during the entire standard lactation period (day 21), considering the day of birth of the pregnant rats as the 0th day of lactation. Mother rats will be sacrificed under anesthesia at the end of the 21st day of lactation, mammary tissues will be taken into appropriate solutions and histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations will be performed. In addition, cardiac blood will be drawn and blood and tissue biochemical analyzes will be performed.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Lactation Induced
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: fish oil; Dietary supplement: linseed oil; Dietary supplement: walnut oil

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 32

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Mani̇sa
    • Yunusemre, Mani̇sa, Turkey
      • Manisa Celal Bayar University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

pregnant rats unpregnant female rats

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• healthy rats

Exclusion Criteria:

• patient rats
• rats that cannot be gavaged

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

5

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Group 1: control group (n:7)
Group 2: fish oil group (n:7)	Dietary supplement: fish oil; fish oil
Group 3: linseed oil group (n:7)	Dietary supplement: linseed oil; linseed oil
Group 4: walnut oil group (n:7)	Dietary supplement: walnut oil; walnut oil
Group 5: sham group (non-lactating rats) (n:4)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Analysis of the Effects of OMEGA 3 Fatty Acids on Lactation	A Comparative Investigation of the maternal diet and the consumption of fish oil, flaxseed oil and walnut oil supplements during the lactation period. A Comparative Investigation of amount of prolactin and DHA in the milk composition and to compare the protective effects against breast cancer with cancer stem cell markers.	Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Celal Bayar University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 15, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 17, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): August 31, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 1, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 26, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): November 1, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): November 1, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 26, 2023
• Last Verified: December 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: breast cancer; lactation; fish oil; omega 3 fatty acid; flaxseed oil; walnut oil
• Other Study ID Numbers: MCBU_lactation

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No