Tomasz Sledzinski

Background: Plant-based dietary patterns are a source of different amounts and proportions of fatty acids (FAs) from those in traditional diets. Information about the full FAs profile provided by plant-based diets is widely lacking. The aim of this study was to present the exact serum profiles of FAs among people on a plant-based diet compared with omnivorous subjects. Methods: FAs compositions and inflammation statuses (based on serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels) were studied in serum samples obtained from 102 female volunteers (divided into four groups: vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians, and omnivores). The quality of the volunteers’ diets was assessed based on seven-day dietary records. Results: Both vegans and vegetarians had lower total n-3 PUFAs, EPA, and DHA serum levels than omnivores. Decreased levels of these FAs presumably did not cause inflammation in vegetarians and vegans, as vegetarians had similar serum levels of CRP compared to omnivores, and vegans had even lower levels. Conclusion: The analysis of serum FAs and CRP levels in vegetarians and vegans suggests that factors other than diet alone influence inflammation and overall health status. Further research on long-term plant-based diet users is needed to better understand this issue, and supplementation with EPA and DHA is worth considering in vegans and vegetarians.

Fatty acid metabolism, including β-oxidation (βOX), plays an important role in human physiology and pathology. βOX is an essential process in the energy metabolism of most human cells. Moreover, βOX is also the source of acetyl-CoA, the substrate for (a) ketone bodies synthesis, (b) cholesterol synthesis, (c) phase II detoxication, (d) protein acetylation, and (d) the synthesis of many other compounds, including N-acetylglutamate—an important regulator of urea synthesis. This review describes the current knowledge on the importance of the mitochondrial and peroxisomal βOX in various organs, including the liver, heart, kidney, lung, gastrointestinal tract, peripheral white blood cells, and other cells. In addition, the diseases associated with a disturbance of fatty acid oxidation (FAO) in the liver, heart, kidney, lung, alimentary tract, and other organs or cells are presented. Special attention was paid to abnormalities of FAO in cancer cells and the diseases caused by mutations in gene-encoding enzymes involved in FAO. Finally, issues related to α- and ω- fatty acid oxidation are discussed.