Relation between stable isotope ratios in human red blood cells and hair: implications for using the nitrogen isotope ratio of hair as a biomarker of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid123
The nitrogen isotope ratio (expressed as δ15N) of red blood cells (RBCs) is highly correlated with the RBC long-chain ω−3 (n–3) fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in Yup’ik Eskimos. Because δ15N can also be measured in hair samples, it could provide a noninvasive, retrospective biomarker for EPA and DHA intakes.
Objectives
We investigated the agreement between δ15N in hair and RBCs and then evaluated the relations between hair δ15N and RBC EPA and DHA. We also assessed the agreement in carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) between hair and RBCs, because δ13C has been proposed as a dietary biomarker in other populations.
Design
We assessed relations between hair and RBC δ15N and δ13C in a community-based sample of 144 Yup’ik Eskimos and examined the correlations between δ15N and RBC EPA and DHA in a subset of these participants (n = 44).
Results
We showed a 1:1 relation with good agreement between hair and RBC δ15N (r = 0.91) and δ13C (r = 0.87). Hair isotope ratios were greater than RBC ratios by 1.5‰ for δ15N and by 2.3‰ for δ13C. There were strong correlations between hair δ15N and RBC EPA and DHA (r = 0.83 and 0.84, respectively).
Conclusions
These results support the use of hair δ15N values as a biomarker of EPA and DHA intakes. Because hair collection is noninvasive and the samples require no special processing, studies of EPA and DHA intakes in large populations could use biomarkers rather than self-reports to assess these fatty acids.
From the Center for Alaska Native Health Research, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK (SHN, BBB, JSM, and DMO), and the Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA (ARK and IBK).
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