Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) Bioavailability in Humans after Oral Intake of DHA-Containing Triacylglycerol or the Structured Phospholipid AceDoPC.

AceDoPC is a structured glycerophospholipid that targets the brain with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and is neuroprotective in the experimental ischemic stroke. AceDoPC is a stabilized form of the physiological 2-DHA-LysoPC with an acetyl group at the position; preventing the migration of DHA from the to position. In this study we aimed to know the bioavailability of C-labeled DHA after oral intake of a single dose of C-AceDoPC, in comparison with C-DHA in triglycerides (TAG), using gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS) to assess the C enrichment of DHA-containing lipids. C-DHA enrichment in plasma phospholipids was significantly higher after intake of AceDoPC compared with TAG-DHA, peaking after 24 h in both cases. In red cells, C-DHA enrichment in choline phospholipids was comparable from both sources of DHA, with a maximum after 72 h, whereas the C-DHA enrichment in ethanolamine phospholipids was higher from AceDoPC compared to TAG-DHA, and continued to increase after 144 h. Overall, our study indicates that DHA from AceDoPC is more efficient than from TAG-DHA for a sustained accumulation in red cell ethanolamine phospholipids, which has been associated with increased brain accretion.