Abstract
The well-known health effects of the long-chain, marine omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (FAs) has led to a growing interest in the prognostic value that blood levels of these FAs might have vis-à-vis cardiovascular and neurocognitive diseases. The measurement and expression of n-3 FA levels is not straight-forward, however, and a wide variety of means of expression of n-3 FA status have been used in research and clinical medicine. This has led to considerable confusion as to what “optimal” n-3 FA status is. The n-6:n-3 ratio has enjoyed relatively widespread use, but this apparently simple metric has both theoretical and practical difficulties that have contributed to misunderstandings in this field. Just as the once-popular polyunsaturated:saturated FA ratio has largely disappeared from the nutritional and medical literature, it may be time to replace the n-6:n-3 ratio with a newer metric that focuses on the primary deficiency in Western diets – the lack of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids (EPA and DHA). The Omega-3 Index (red blood cell EPA+DHA) has much to recommend it in this regard.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 34-40 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Prostaglandins Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids |
Volume | 132 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 2018 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Arachidonic acid
- Biomarkers
- Docosahexaenoic acid
- Eicosapentaenoic acid
- Linoleic acid
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Omega-3 index
- Omega-6 fatty acids
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Biochemistry
- Cell Biology