Plasma omega-3 PUFA not causally linked to sarcopenia-related traits

A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study has found no causal effect of plasma omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on sarcopenia-related traits, such as lean mass, grip strength, and walking pace.

Study authors conducted this two-sample MR based on genome-wide association studies summary statistics. They used inverse variance weighted (IVW) as the primary method, accompanied by four additional sensitivity analyses. In addition, associations independent of alcohol drinking, type 2 diabetes, triglycerides, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and C-reactive protein were evaluated via multivariable MR.

IVW analysis revealed no significant causal associations between genetically determined plasma omega-3 PUFAs and sarcopenia-related traits: fat-free mass (right leg: β, 0.01, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], −0.02 to 0.05; p=0.375; left leg: β, 0.01, 95 percent CI, −0.02 to 0.04; p=0.446; right arm: β, 0.01, 95 percent CI, −0.02 to 0.05; p=0.376; left arm: β, 0.01, 95 percent CI, −0.02 to 0.04; p=0.384; trunk: β, 0.02, 95 percent CI, −0.02 to 0.06; p=0.283; whole: β, 0.01, 95 percent CI, −0.03 to 0.04; p=0.631), grip strength (right hand: β, −0.01, 95 percent CI, −0.03 to 0.01; p=0.387; left hand: β, −0.01, 95 percent CI, −0.02 to 0.01; p=0.553), and walking pace (β, 0.00, 95 percent CI, −0.01 to 0.02; p=0.575).

In sensitivity analysis, similar nonsignificant results were observed. Multivariable MR also showed no independent causal association.