Table 3 Erythrocyte membrane fatty acid composition and activity of enzymes involved in fatty acid metabolism in recruited male subjects, divided depending on hormone abuse

Myristic 14:00

0.31 ± 0.03

0.30 ± 0.03

0.28 ± 0.02

0.33 ± 0.01

0.35 ± 0.02

0.06

-0.2 (-0.8–0.3)

Palmitic 16:00

23.18 ± 0.55^c,d

23.18 ± 0.62^c,d

21.49 ± 0.40^a,b

20.79 ± 0.15^a,b,e

22.15 ± 0.42^d

< 0.001

0.7 (0.18–1.3)

Stearic 18:00

16.33 ± 0.50^d,e

16.15 ± 0.40^c,d,e

17.31 ± 0.35^b,e

18.01 ± 0.12^a,b,e

19.31 ± 0.23^a,b,c,d

< 0.001

-1.2 (-1.7 - -0.6)

SUM

39.79 ± 0.41 ^e

39.60 ± 0.38^e

39.05 ± 0.50^e

39.13 ± 0.15^e

41.82 ± 0.61^a,b,c,d

0.001

-0.1 (-0.7–0.4)

MONOUNSATURATED FAs

Palmitoleic 16:1n-7

0.33 ± 0.06^c,d,e

0.25 ± 0.05

0.19 ± 0.03^a

0.21 ± 0.01^a

0.23 ± 0.01^a

0.01

1.0 (0.45–1.5)

Oleic 18:1n-9

13.90 ± 0.43

13.56 ± 0.42

12.95 ± 0.23

13.23 ± 0.16

13.68 ± 0.26

0.26

-

Eicosaenoic 20:1n-9

0.28 ± 0.02^b,c,d,e

0.23 ± 0.02^a

0.22 ± 0.02^a

0.24 ± 0.01^a

0.23 ± 0.01^a

0.02

0.5 (0.001–1.0)

SUM**

15.77 ± 0.46

15.42 ± 0.49

14.62 ± 0.28

14.81 ± 0.16

15.37 ± 0.29

0.12

-

n-3 POLYUNSATURATED FAs

α-Linolenic 18:3n-3

0.13 ± 0.01^e

0.11 ± 0.03^e

0.11 ± 0.02^e

0.12 ± 0.01^e

0.30 ± 0.03^a,b,c,d

< 0.001

-0.5 (-1.0–0.08)

Eicosapentaenoic 20:5n-3

1.80 ± 0.38^b,c,d,e

1.28 ± 0.29^a,c,d,e

0.62 ± 0.16^a,b

0.72 ± 0.04^a,b,e

0.45 ± 0.03^a,b,d

< 0.001

1.692 (1.1–2.2)

Docosapentaenoic 22:5n-3

2.69 ± 0.18^c,e

2.62 ± 0.17^e

2.31 ± 0.13^a,d

2.72 ± 0.04^c,e

2.30 ± 0.07^a,b,d

< 0.001

0.3 (-0.2–0.9)

Docosahexaenoic 22:6n-3

5.30 ± 0.38^e

5.03 ± 0.41

4.70 ± 0.43^d

5.52 ± 0.16^c,e

4.28 ± 0.20^a,d

< 0.001

0.3 (-0.3–0.8)

SUM

9.85 ± 0.80^c,e

9.03 ± 0.79^e

7.71 ± 0.62^a,d

9.07 ± 0.21^c,e

7.18 ± 0.27^a,b,d

< 0.001

0.7 (0.2–1.3)

ω-3 index

7.10 ± 0.67^c,e

6.31 ± 0.66^e

5.32 ± 0.55^a

6.24 ± 0.19^e

4.71 ± 0.22^a,b,d

< 0.001

0.9 (0.27–1.36)

n-6 POLYUNSATURATED FAs

Linoleic 18:2n-6

12.71 ± 0.59^b,d

14.09 ± 0.83^a,d,e

13.01 ± 0.66^d,e

11.64 ± 0.20^a,b,c

11.77 ± 0.19^b,c

< 0.001

0.3 (-0.2–0.9)

Eicosadienoic 20:2n-6

0.65 ± 0.23

0.43 ± 0.12

0.68 ± 0.23

0.50 ± 0.07

0.40 ± 0.03

0.34

-

Dihomo-γ-linolenic 20:3n-6

1.53 ± 0.15^d

1.67 ± 0.17^d

1.69 ± 0.14^d

2.00 ± 0.08^a,b,c,e

1.73 ± 0.06^d

0.01

-0.5 (-1.1 - -0.03)

Arachidonic 20:4n-6

15.44 ± 0.57^c,d

15.74 ± 0.46^c,d

17.68 ± 0.32^a,b

17.70 ± 0.26^a,b

16.79 ± 0.45

< 0.01

-0.7 (-1.3 - -0.2)

Adrenic 22:4n-6

2.88 ± 0.26^c,d,e

2.98 ± 0.32^c,d,e

3.73 ± 0.23^a,b

3.79 ± 0.09^a,b

3.98 ± 0.15^a,b

< 0.001

-1.0 (-1.5 - -0.4)

Docosapentaenoic 22:5n-6

0.39 ± 0.04^c,d,e

0.44 ± 0.05^c,d,e

0.61 ± 0.06^a,b,e

0.67 ± 0.03^a,b

0.74 ± 0.03^a,b,c

< 0.001

-1.2 (-1.7 - -0.6)

SUM

33.64 ± 0.86^c,d

35.38 ± 0.99

37.42 ± 0.67^a

36.31 ± 0.31^a

35.39 ± 0.67

0.03

-0.9 (-1.4 - -0.4)

ENZYME ACTIVITIES

Δ9 desaturase (16:1/16:0)

0.014 ± 0.002^b,c,d,e

0.011 ± 0.002^a

0.009 ± 0.001^a

0.010 ± 0.001^a

0.010 ± 0.000^a

0.03

0.9 (0.3–1.4)

Δ5 desaturase (20:4n6/20:3n6)

11.66 ± 1.4

10.44 ± 1.1

11.46 ± 1.1

9.57 ± 0.4

10.2 ± 0.5

0.26

-

Elongase (18:0/16:0)

0.72 ± 0.04c,d,e

0.71 ± 0.04c,d,e

0.81 ± 0.02a,b,d,e

0.87 ± 0.01a,b,c

0.88 ± 0.01a,b,c

< 0.001

-