(08-03-12) The omega-3 Fatty Acid nutritional landscape: health benefits and sources.

Deckelbaum RJ, Torrejon C.
Source
Institute of Human Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University
Medical Center, New York, NY 10032 5Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology,
University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Abstract
Dietary fatty acids (FA) are increasingly recognized as major biologic
regulators and have properties that relate to health outcomes and disease. The
longer chain, more bioactive (n-6) (or omega-6) FA and (n-3) (or omega-3) FA
share similar elongation and desaturation enzymes in their conversion from the
essential (n-6) FA, linoleic acid, and (n-3) FA, ?-linolenic acid (ALA).
Conversion from these essential FA is very inefficient. However, now for the (n-
3) FA series, soy oil can be enriched with (n-3) stearidonic acid (SDA) to
allow for much more efficient conversion to longer chain EPA. EPA and the
longer chain DHA possess distinct physical and biological properties that
generally impart properties to cells and tissue, which underlie their ability
to promote health and prevent disease. Although active in a number of areas of
human biology, mechanisms of action of EPA and DHA are perhaps best defined in
cardiovascular disease. There is concern that to reach the intake
recommendations of EPA and DHA, their supply from cold water fish will be
insufficient. Gaps in understanding mechanisms of action of (n-3) FA in a
number of health and disease areas as well as optimal sources and intake levels
for each need to be defined by further research. Because of the inefficient
conversion of ALA, the appearance of SDA in enriched soy oil offers a
biologically effective and cost effective approach to providing a sustainable
plant source for (n-3) FA in the future.

Source: J Nutr. 2012 Mar;142(3):587S-91S. Epub 2012 Feb 8.

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