Fishing for Solutions: How Pre-Conceptional Fish Oil Supplementation in Obese Fathers Reduces Risk of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Offspring Mice.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether fish oil supplementation in obese male mice before conception could improve the metabolic health of their offspring, particularly in reducing markers of fatty liver disease.
Results Summary
Paternal fish oil supplementation significantly reduced fatty acid synthesis and improved glucose metabolism in male offspring, while increasing fatty acid oxidation. Female offspring showed less pronounced effects.
Population
Male mice fed a high-fat diet, with offspring analyzed at 8 weeks of age.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
10 weeks
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
fish oil (FO) supplementation | decrease | markers of obesity | - | - | has beneficial effects in reducing | #1 |
paternal high fat (HF) diet | increase | markers of inflammation | male offspring | - | had higher levels of | #2 |
paternal high fat (HF) diet | increase | markers of fatty acid synthesis | male offspring | - | had higher levels of | #3 |
paternal FO supplementation | decrease | fatty acid synthesis | male offspring | - | significantly reduced | #4 |
paternal FO supplementation | decrease | glucose metabolism | male offspring | - | significantly reduced | #5 |
paternal FO supplementation | increase | fatty acid oxidation | male offspring | - | increasing | #6 |
paternal FO supplementation | no change | fatty acid synthesis, glucose metabolism, and fatty acid oxidation | female offspring | - | had a less pronounced effect | #7 |
paternal FO supplementation | decrease | MAFLD | male offspring | - | attenuates the development of | #8 |
paternal diet | no change | offspring body weight | offspring | - | was not significantly impacted | #9 |
Metabolic dysfunction associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a chronic condition with hepatic fat accumulation. The intergenerational effect of obesity has predominantly focused on mothers, with limited studies on paternal obesity. Nutritional intervention with fish oil (FO) has beneficial effects in reducing markers of obesity. We hypothesized that supplementing obese fathers with FO before conception could enhance the metabolic health of their offspring liver. Male mice were assigned to low-fat (LF), high fat (HF), or HF supplemented with FO for 10 weeks. Subsequently, these males were mated with females on a chow diet. Offspring were sacrificed at 8 weeks, and liver tissues were analyzed for gene expression and histology. Offspring body weight was not significantly impacted by paternal diet. However, male offspring of HF fathers had higher levels of markers of inflammation and fatty acid synthesis compared to offspring of LF fed fathers. Paternal FO supplementation significantly reduced fatty acid synthesis and glucose metabolism, while increasing fatty acid oxidation in male offspring, with a less pronounced effect in female offspring. These findings suggest that FO supplementation in obese fathers prior to conception attenuates the development of MAFLD in male offspring. This data underscores the significance of paternal nutritional intervention in promoting offspring health.