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Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and human health outcomes.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and human health outcomes.
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and human health outcomes.
Current intakes of very long chain -3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are low in most individuals living in Western countries. A good natural source of these fatty acids is seafood, especially oily fish. Fish oil capsules contain these fatty acids too. Very long chain -3 fatty acids are readily incorporated from capsules into transport, functional, and storage pools. This incorporation is dose-dependent and follows a kinetic pattern that is characteristic for each pool. At sufficient levels of incorporation, EPA and DHA influence the physical nature of cell membranes and membrane protein-mediated responses, eicosanoid generation, cell signaling and gene expression in many different cell types. Through these mechanisms, EPA and DHA influence cell and tissue physiology, and the way cells and tissues respond to external signals. In most cases, the effects seen are compatible with improvements in disease biomarker profiles or in health-related outcomes. As a result, very long chain -3 fatty acids play a role in achieving optimal health and in protection against disease. Long chain -3 fatty acids protect against cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and might be beneficial in rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases, childhood learning, and behavior, and adult psychiatric and neurodegenerative illnesses. DHA has an important structural role in the eye and brain, and its supply early in life is known to be of vital importance. On the basis of the recognized health improvements brought about by long chain -3 fatty acids, recommendations have been made to increase their intake.
fish oil, fatty acid, phospholipid, cell function
0951-6433
266-272
Calder, P.C.
1797e54f-378e-4dcb-80a4-3e30018f07a6
Yaqoob, P
95634646-7773-4934-8e30-1b982b012d41
Calder, P.C.
1797e54f-378e-4dcb-80a4-3e30018f07a6
Yaqoob, P
95634646-7773-4934-8e30-1b982b012d41

Calder, P.C. and Yaqoob, P (2009) Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and human health outcomes. Biofactors, 35 (3), 266-272.

Record type: Review

Abstract

Current intakes of very long chain -3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are low in most individuals living in Western countries. A good natural source of these fatty acids is seafood, especially oily fish. Fish oil capsules contain these fatty acids too. Very long chain -3 fatty acids are readily incorporated from capsules into transport, functional, and storage pools. This incorporation is dose-dependent and follows a kinetic pattern that is characteristic for each pool. At sufficient levels of incorporation, EPA and DHA influence the physical nature of cell membranes and membrane protein-mediated responses, eicosanoid generation, cell signaling and gene expression in many different cell types. Through these mechanisms, EPA and DHA influence cell and tissue physiology, and the way cells and tissues respond to external signals. In most cases, the effects seen are compatible with improvements in disease biomarker profiles or in health-related outcomes. As a result, very long chain -3 fatty acids play a role in achieving optimal health and in protection against disease. Long chain -3 fatty acids protect against cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and might be beneficial in rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases, childhood learning, and behavior, and adult psychiatric and neurodegenerative illnesses. DHA has an important structural role in the eye and brain, and its supply early in life is known to be of vital importance. On the basis of the recognized health improvements brought about by long chain -3 fatty acids, recommendations have been made to increase their intake.

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More information

Published date: 25 March 2009
Keywords: fish oil, fatty acid, phospholipid, cell function

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 147701
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/147701
ISSN: 0951-6433
PURE UUID: a511eef0-e8a9-4b6c-b53b-2d5d71f279e1
ORCID for P.C. Calder: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-6038-710X

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 26 Apr 2010 12:31
Last modified: 31 May 2023 01:33

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Contributors

Author: P.C. Calder ORCID iD
Author: P Yaqoob

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