Introduction
chronic disease
CHRONIC DISEASE
Vegetarian diets are associated to low levels of the most relevant risk factors for chronic disease compared to omnivorous [Because vegetarian diets do not include fish and fish by-products, it is of great interest to have adequate sources of n-3 long-chain PUFA, and to know their bioavailability and metabolic fate. In this regard, there are many vegetable sources of the precursor ALA: flax-seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, nuts, rapeseed, soybean and their derived oils [In the search for a plant-based alternative to fish, seaweed culture has been developed. Microalgae, which in fact are eaten by fish and consequently they acquire the n-3 fatty acids, nowadays, represent the most promising DHA source for the vegetarian population. Specifically, Several studies in humans have reported a significant increase in serum DHA after intake of algal oil supplements. Early studies on algal DHA supplementation were conducted using DHA at doses of 1.6 g/day in vegetarians and omnivorous [Therefore, in the present study, we hypothesised that a DHA-supplement from the algae Accordingly, the aims of this study were to: (1) determine the fatty acid profile of vegetarians and omnivorous (OMN), (2) establish the possible differences due to the type of vegetarian diet, either including eggs and milk products (LOV) or excluding them (VEG), and (3) study the effects of consuming a DHA-supplement of vegetable origin on fatty acid profile of LOV, VEG and OMN. To this end, a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study was carried out in healthy Spanish participants.