Effects of Diet and Simvastatin on Fatty Acid Composition in Hypercholesterolemic Men A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective— To explore the separate and combined effects of simvastatin and a low-saturated diet rich in α-linolenic acid on serum fatty acids. Methods and Results— 120 hypercholesterolemic men were randomly allocated to a habitual diet or dietary treatment group and to receive, in random order, simvastatin 20 mg/d or placebo, each for 12 weeks, in a double-blind manner. Dietary treatment decreased proportions from total fatty acids of palmitic acid (C16:0) by 3.3% ( P P P P P P P P P P P P Conclusions— Increased formation of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and their metabolites may contribute a substantial part of the pleiotropic effects of simvastatin.