Longevity and Cause of Death in Male Wistar Rats Fed Lifelong Diets Based on Virgin Olive Oil, Sunflower Oil, or Fish Oil.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine how sunflower oil (S) affects lifespan and cause of death in male Wistar rats compared to virgin olive oil (V) and fish oil (F), and whether CoQ10 supplementation modifies these effects.
Results Summary
Sunflower oil (S) was associated with higher death probability compared to virgin olive oil (V) or fish oil (F) at certain ages. CoQ10 supplementation reduced mortality linked to S diet but had no effect when combined with V or F diets. No evidence suggested sunflower oil modulated aging rates.
Population
Male Wistar rats
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Lifelong feeding
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
virgin olive oil (V) diet | decrease | death probability | male Wistar rats | - | would reduce | #1 |
fish oil (F) diet | decrease | death probability | male Wistar rats | - | would reduce | #2 |
virgin olive oil (V) diet | decrease | death probability | male Wistar rats | - | effects would be maintained | #3 |
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) | decrease | mortality | male Wistar rats fed a sunflower oil (S) diet | - | reduced | #4 |
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) | no change | survival | male Wistar rats fed a virgin olive oil (V) diet | - | had no effect | #5 |
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) | no change | survival | male Wistar rats fed a fish oil (F) diet | - | had no effect | #6 |
low doses of CoQ10 | no change | maximum life span potential | rats fed a V or F diet | - | failed to increase | #7 |
Extending life by delaying the aging process has been proven to be the most effective way to fight multiple chronic diseases in elderly adults. Evidence suggests that longevity is inversely related to unsaturation of membrane phospholipids. This study investigated how different unsaturated dietary fats affect life span and cause of death in male Wistar rats fed diets based on virgin olive oil (V), sunflower oil (S), or fish oil (F), which were supplemented or not with Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Previous results suggest that individual longevity and survival probability at different ages may be modulated by an appropriate dietary fat treatment. Lifelong feeding with V or F diets would reduce death probability compared to feeding with S diet at certain ages, although the effects of V diet would be maintained for most of life. Furthermore, the addition of lower amounts of CoQ10 reduced mortality associated with S diet, but CoQ10 had no effect on survival when combined with virgin olive oil or fish oil. Supplementation with low doses of CoQ10 failed to increase the maximum life span potential of rats fed a V or F diet. No clear evidence showing that monounsaturated fatty acids, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, or CoQ10 exerted the observed effects by modulating the rate of aging has been found.