High content of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in red blood cells of Kenyan Maasai despite low dietary intake

Table 5 Mean age, iron status and plasma blood lipids of the sub-group of blood donors

Parameter	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	cut-off points¹
	male (n = 4)		female (n = 14)
Age (years)²	38.5	23.2	31.4	9.5	-
Ferritin (μg/L)	70	47	20	17	> 15
Saturation of transferrin (%)	31	10	14	8	> 16
TAG (mmol/L)	1.2	0.5	0.9	0.4	< 1.7
total cholesterol (mmol/L)	4.3	0.5	4.3	1.1	< 5.2
LDL (mmol/L)	2.8	0.6	2.8	0.9	< 3.4
HDL (mmol/L)	0.9	0.1	1.1	0.2	> 1.0
LDL/HDL	3.3	1.1	2.7	0.8

¹ For normal blood lipids according to NCEP-ATP III [15] and parameter of iron status below which iron stores are considered to be depleted (ferritin) or a marked anaemia is indicated (saturation of transferrin) according to the WHO [23]
² Only blood donors

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