Endocannabinoid balance between visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous (SAT) adipose tissues may regulate lipid deposition and metabolism influencing several parameters of the metabolic syndrome. We have recently shown that dietary EPA and DHA incorporated into phospholipids, as in krill oil, is able to influence biosynthesis of the endocannabinoids in VAT but not in SAT.

In the present study we fed Zucker rats with 0.3% in the diet of EPA and DHA, corresponding to about 0.5%en and to humans 1.2g/d, either in the TAG (n-3TAG) or PC (n-3PC) forms for 4 weeks.

The results show that both dietary n-3PC and n-3TAG decreased significantly the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) in VAT but not in SAT. However, the ratio of AEA between VAT and SAT was significantly lower in rats fed n-3PC with respect to those fed n-3TAG. In addition, the decreased ratio was associated to a lower deposition of ectopic fat in liver, plasma NEFA, glycemia and insulin resistance.

We may conclude that endocannabinoid balance between visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues is crucial for body fat homeostasis and low doses of dietary n-3PC are able to affect significantly this balance and significantly improve metabolic syndrome in obese zucker rats.