Omega-3 fatty acid
hiden−3 fatty acids (popularly referred to as ω−3 fatty acids or omega-3 fatty acids) are a family of unsaturated fatty acids that have in common a final carbon–carbon double bond in the n−3 position; that is, the third bond from the methyl end of the fatty acid.
Important nutritionally-essential n−3 fatty acids are: α-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), all of which are polyunsaturated. The human body cannot synthesize n−3 fatty acids de novo, but it can form 20-carbon unsaturated n−3 fatty acids (like EPA) and 22-carbon unsaturated n−3 fatty acids (like DHA) from the eighteen-carbon n−3 fatty acid α-linolenic acid. These conversions occur competitively with n−6 fatty acids, which are essential closely related chemical analogues that are derived from linoleic acid. Both the n−3 α-linolenic acid and n−6 linoleic acid are essential nutrients which must be obtained from food. Synthesis of the longer n−3 fatty acids from linolenic acid within the body is competitively slowed by the n−6 analogues. Thus accumulation of long-chain n−3 fatty acids in tissues is more effective when they are obtained directly from food or when competing amounts of n−6 analogs do not greatly exceed the amounts of n−3.[citation needed]
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News tagged with omega 3 fatty acids
Fish food fight: Fish don't eat trees after all, says new study
Nov 24, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- What constitutes fish food is a matter of debate. A high-profile study a few years ago suggested that fish get almost 50 percent of their carbon from trees and leaves, evidence for a very ...
How fish is cooked affects heart-health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids
Nov 17, 2009 |
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If you eat fish to gain the heart-health benefits of its omega-3 fatty acids, baked or boiled fish is better than fried, salted or dried, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions ...
Half of the fish consumed globally is now raised on farms, study finds
Sep 07, 2009 |
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Aquaculture, once a fledgling industry, now accounts for 50 percent of the fish consumed globally, according to a new report by an international team of researchers. And while the industry is more efficient ...
Omega fatty acid balance can alter immunity and gene expression
May 29, 2009 |
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Using a controlled diet study with human volunteers, researchers may have teased out a biological basis for the increased inflammation observed due to humans' shift in their consumption of omega fatty acids.
Oil from biotech soybeans increases key omega-3 fatty acid in humans
Nov 16, 2009 |
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Oil from soybeans modified through biotechnology increased levels of omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in red blood cells according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2009.
Study reveals mounting evidence of fish oil's heart health benefits
Aug 03, 2009 |
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There is mounting evidence that omega-3 fatty acids from fish or fish oil supplements not only help prevent cardiovascular diseases in healthy individuals, but also reduce the incidence of cardiac events and mortality in ...
Results from trials of DHA in Alzheimer's disease and age-related cognitive decline
Jul 12, 2009 |
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Results from two large studies using DHA, an omega 3 fatty acid, were reported today at the Alzheimer's Association 2009 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD 2009) in Vienna.
Edible coating makes fish filets longer-lasting, healthier
Jul 16, 2009 |
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Consumers may be able to eat longer-lasting, potentially healthier fish fillets if research at Oregon State University makes its way to the supermarket.
Smoking, high blood pressure, being overweight -- top 3 preventable causes of death in the US
Apr 28, 2009 |
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Smoking, high blood pressure and being overweight are the leading preventable risk factors for premature mortality in the United States, according to a new study led by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), ...
Eating fatty fish once a week reduces men's risk of heart failure
Apr 22, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Eating salmon or other fatty fish just once a week helped reduce men’s risk of heart failure, a recent study shows, adding to growing evidence that omega-3 fatty acids are of benefit to cardiac health. Led ...
Omega-3 fatty acids reduce risk of advanced prostate cancer
Mar 24, 2009 |
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Omega-3 fatty acids appear protective against advanced prostate cancer, and this effect may be modified by a genetic variant in the COX-2 gene, according to a report in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Associ ...
Quails get super fit by simply eating omega-3 diet
Mar 27, 2009 |
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When tiny semipalmated sandpipers embark on their annual odyssey from the Canadian Arctic to their winter residences in South America, they set out on one of the world's longest migrations. On the way, the tiny birds stop ...
Walnuts may prevent breast cancer
Apr 21, 2009 |
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Walnut consumption may provide the body with essential omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phytosterols that reduce the risk of breast cancer, according to a study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research ...
It's no fish tale: Omega-3 fatty acids prevent medical complications of obesity
Feb 12, 2009 |
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According to a recent study published online in The FASEB Journal, diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids protect the liver from damage caused by obesity and the insulin resistance it provokes. This research should give doctor ...
Mercury in fish seems to raise blood pressure in spite of nutrients
Oct 05, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- The negative impact of high amounts of methylmercury in seafood on blood pressure may outweigh the protective effects of fish nutrients, researchers report in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart As ...
