> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.foodconsumer.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# DHA but not ALA lowers blood pressure
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/dha_but_not_ala_lowers_blood_pressure_0617140633/
- Published: 2014-06-17T07:32:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:29:23.000Z
- Description: Mice on a high-fat diet given DHA for 12 weeks had systolic pressure 40 mmHg and diastolic pressure 15 mmHg lower than controls, while plant-derived ALA changed neither. DHA also cut several inflammatory cytokines and left less atheroma in the distal vessels.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Supplements, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

Tuesday June 17, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- All sorts of evidence suggest that taking omega-3 fatty acids supplements can lower blood pressure. A new study confirms that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), but not plant-derived alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) lowers blood pressure.

Early population-based studies show that plant-derived alpha linolenic acid (ALA) can relieve hypertension or high blood pressure.

In the current study, mice were fed high fat diet supplemented with nothing or DHA or ALA in a dose of 100 mg per kg body weight per day for 12 weeks to see how they affect high blood pressure and atherosclerotic plaque development.

Supplementation with DHA or ALA did not affect body weight in all three groups. But DHA supplementation lowered systolic blood pressure by 40 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 15 mmHg, compared with the control. ALA supplementation did not change blood pressure.

DHA supplementation was also found to increase the ratio of high density lipoprotein cholesterol to total cholesterol, which is desired, while it did not significantly change low density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol concentrations.

DHA also significantly reduced plasma cytokines MCP-1, IL-8 and RANTES while ALA did not change plasma cytokines and lipid profiles.

Additionally, mice fed DHA supplements showed significantly less atheroma in the distal vessels compared with those mice on high fat diet alone or ALA-supplemented high fat diet.

DHA did not change plasma IL-la and IL-1ß levels, but did significantly reduce IL-1ß and IL-1a proteins in the aortic sinuses.

Also it was observed that Mac-3 and TLR4 positive areas of atherosclerotic plaque were reduced in the aortic roots of DHA supplemented mice, compared to the control group.

The study "suggests that DHA modulates blood pressure by reducing inflammation in vessel walls through IL-1 linked and HDL-C dependent mechanism." (David Liu, PHD)

Alfaidi M, Chamberlain J, Francis S. 212 Docosahexaenoic Acid but not Alpha-linolenic Acid Ameliorates High Fat Diet Induced Atherosclerosis and Hypertension in APOE-/- MICE Via IL-1 Mechanism. Heart. 2014 Jun;100 Suppl 3:A116-7\. doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2014-306118.212.