CARDIAC-ARRHYTHMIA IN RATS IN RESPONSE TO DIETARY N-3 FATTY-ACIDS FROM RED MEAT, FISH-OIL AND CANOLA OIL

In the first of two experiments, the incidence and duration of cardiac arrhythmia was significantly less in rats fed fish oil containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) than in rats fed sheep fat. The phospholipid of red meat contains EPA to some extent and its concentration can be raised by feeding fish oil to beef cattle, but the amount present in diets containing red meat or red meat from animals fed fish oil was apparently insufficient to reduce arrhythmia in rats. The rate of mortality was significantly less also in fish oil fed rats. In a second experiment, arrhythmia was significantly reduced again with fish oil but in this case in the presence of red meat. A similar result was obtained with canola oil fed with meat. Both the canola oil and fish oil diets significantly reduced the rate of mortality. The amount of red meat present in the diet had no significant effect.