Research Paper Volume 3, Issue 2 pp 125—147

Figure 6. Reduction in C. elegans lifespan with addition of PUFAs to their diet. Adult worms were maintained on agar plates spotted with E. coli (strain OP50). Control plates were unsupplemented, while treatment plates contained either palmitic acid (PA, 16:0) or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 (ω-3)). Worms were transferred daily to fresh plates of the same type. Survival in the presence of 40 μM EPA was reduced 20% relative to unaugmented controls (P<0.0005 by Gehans Wilcoxon log-rank test), and by 16% relative to worms supplemented with PA approximately isocaloric to the added EPA (P<0.007). Each group initially comprised 35 worms, with 24-26 “natural deaths” after censoring worms killed by other factors (see [7,34]).