Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA: Health benefits throughout life
Abstract
Omega-3 [(n-3)] fatty acids have been linked to healthy aging throughout life. Recently, fish-derived omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA have been associated with fetal development, cardiovascular function, and Alzheimer's disease. However, because our bodies do not efficiently produce some omega-3 fatty acids from marine sources, it is necessary to obtain adequate amounts through fish and fish-oil products. Studies have shown that EPA and DHA are important for proper fetal development, including neuronal, retinal, and immune function. EPA and DHA may affect many aspects of cardiovascular function including inflammation, peripheral artery disease, major coronary events, and anticoagulation. EPA and DHA have been linked to promising results in prevention, weight management, and cognitive function in those with very mild Alzheimer's disease.
... The enhanced levels of the SFAs, MUFAs, and PUFAs in Guiping suggest improved growth and disease resistance. However, crayfish muscle had lower PUFA and SFA levels than recommended values of 0.45 or higher (WHO 1986;Swanson et al. 2012) or a range of 0.21 to 1.41 (Chen and Liu 2020), indicating potential for improvement. These findings emphasize the importance of location in optimizing crayfish farming for better growth and health (Petenuci et al. 2016). ...
... Additionally, consuming monounsaturated and PUFA is beneficial for health (Mensink et al. 2003;Harlioglu and Yilmaz 2012;Santos et al. 2013;Zhang et al. 2019a;Kaliszewicz et al. 2022). However, crayfish muscle has lower levels of PUFA and SAFA than recommended values of 0.45 or higher (WHO 1986;Swanson et al. 2012) or a range of 0.21 to 1.41 (Chen and Liu 2020). Selenium exposure may influence the fatty acid content in crayfish muscles by interacting with enzymes related to lipid metabolism and reducing lipid oxidation (Khan et al. 2016;Kieliszek et al. 2019). ...
Selenium is a widely used essential micronutrients in aquaculture, but its excessive effects on crayfish growth parameters and immune system are still unclear. This study was aimed to investigate the effects of selenium concentration in the soil, muscle, fatty acid profile, and gene expression of crayfish cultured in rice co-culture (CRC) model fed with commercial feed for 3 months in three locations of Guangxi Province. For this purpose, the soil samples of the three locations were collected and analyzed with the muscles of crayfish harvested were analyzed for selenium concentration. The Agilent Technology (7800 ICP-MS) was used to analyze selenium levels in soil, as well as muscle and fatty acid profiles. Additionally, gene expression profiling was conducted using qPCR, along with transcriptome analysis. On the one hand, we observed increased selenium concentrations in soil and muscle samples with significant differences (P < 0.05). Significant increases in AKP and T-AOC were observed in Guiping (P < 0.05), with Gangnan exhibiting the lowest T-AOC levels and Qintang the lowest AKP levels. On the other hand, the boosted antioxidant defenses (SOD and CAT) and reduced lipid peroxidation (MDA) in Gangnan might indicate a more favorable oxidative environment in this area. The results demonstrated that selenium exerted a targeted effect on specific growth-related genes while overall growth remained largely unaffected. Furthermore, it was observed that selenium had a positive effect on the expression of immune-related genes in crayfish, which may have resulted in an enhanced immune response. In conclusion, the notable elevation in selenium levels in the soil, coupled with pronounced discrepancies(P < 0.05), may exert considerable influence on the muscle and fatty acid profile of crayfish. Furthermore, this increase in selenium levels may also have implications for the growth and immune functions of crayfish.
... The changes in the lipid profile parameters observed in the presented study, namely the decrease in LDL concentration and the TAG concentration increase in the intervention group, can be most probably attributed to the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, such as the ALA, EPA, and DHA. The presence of EPA and DHA, primarily found in fish and seafood [18], is the reason why fish are recommended in various nutritional guidelines [25], including the ones from the AHA, to reduce cardiovascular risk [12,16]. However, in intervention studies using purified EPA and DHA, EPA was found not to influence LDL concentrations, while the DHA increased its concentrations [58], contrary to the results of the presented study. ...
Background/Objectives: Habitual dietary changes that could help reduce the potential consequences of excessive body mass, such as hyperlipidemia and increased cardiovascular disease risk, are needed. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of a farmed-salmon-based dietary intervention on lipid profile parameters in young women with excessive body mass. Methods: The 8-week intervention involved 38 pair-matched women aged 18–30 years with excessive body weight defined as BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m2. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (200 g of smoked salmon weekly) or the control group. Lipid profile parameters (total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides (TAG)), as well as atherogenic indices (Atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP), Atherogenic Coefficient (AC), Cholesterol Index (Cholindex), Castelli Risk Index 1 (CRI-1), Castelli Risk Index 2 (CRI-2) and the TAG/HDL ratio) were assessed before, during, and after the intervention. Results: At baseline, 47% of participants had at least one of the lipid profile parameters outside the recommended range. No statistically significant differences were observed in the TC, HDL, non-HDL, LDL, or TAG concentrations or in the various atherogenic indices between the intervention and the control group after the 8-week-long intervention. However, differences in the change of the LDL concentration were noted, with a decrease of 8.2 ± 20.7 mg/dL in the intervention group compared to an increase of 9.5 ± 20.0 mg/dL in the control group (p = 0.011), as well as in the change of the Cholindex for which a median decrease of 4.4 mg/dL was noted in the intervention group, while a median increase of 0.8 mg/dL in the control group was observed (p = 0.040). Additionally, across participants with a waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) greater than 0.5, an increase of 50.0 ± 68.3 mg/dL in the intervention group and a decrease of 8.6 ± 56.6 mg/dL in the control group was noted for the TAG concentration change (p = 0.040). Conclusions: Concerning the observed beneficial influence of increasing farmed salmon intake to the recommended fish-intake amounts on decreasing LDL and Cholindex in young women with excessive body weight after 8 weeks, it seems that such a diet alteration might be recommended for this group to decrease their risk of cardiovascular disease in the future. Nonetheless, regarding the diverse influence on TAG, further studies are needed to assess the influence of increasing the intake of fatty fish available on the market at present on human health.
... Penelitian Wu et al (2014) menekankan peranan protein ikan dalam mendukung pertumbuhan, pemeliharaan jaringan tubuh, dan sistem kekebalan. Sementara itu, Swanson et al. (2012) mengkaji manfaat asam lemak omega-3 terhadap kesehatan jantung dan fungsi kognitif. Pada konteks makanan fungsional, Bigliardi & Galati (2013) mendefinisikannya sebagai makanan yang memberikan manfaat kesehatan tambahan diluar nutrisi dasarnya. ...
This study aims to identify the potential for developing functional food products based on Depik fish (Rasbora awareness), an endemic fish species in Lake Laut Tawar, Central Aceh, Aceh Province. The urgency of this study is based on the utilization of Depik fish nutrition and the need to manage local food ingredients that have not been optimally utilized. The research method uses a qualitative and quantitative descriptive approach with an online survey of potential consumers. The results of literature studies and interviews conducted with health practitioners show that Depik fish has a protein content of 15-20% and significant omega-3 fatty acids. The survey revealed that consumer knowledge of the nutritional content of Depik fish reached 50-75%. The survey results were based on consumer interest and interest in trying Depik fish products, which reached 60-65%. The resulting time series analysis shows that Depik fish product sales data experienced stable growth of 15% per year from 2018-2022. The development of Depik fish products with various flavors has the potential to reach the consumer market aged 25-45 years who care about health. This product's development offers health benefits and supports utilizing local resources and improving community welfare. The results are used as a baseline for research sustainability, providing a basis for developing compelling products and marketing strategies.
... It was found that Supplements with Omega-3 can reduce the cardiovascular events risk and improves cognitive health in older adults. 4 ...
... For instance, black soldier fly larvae contain high levels of lauric acid (38.43%), which has potential antiviral properties (Ushakova et al. 2016). Silkworms are rich in essential fatty acids such as eicosatetraenoic acid (ETA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (Zhou et al. 2017), which play crucial roles in fetal development and cognitive function (Swanson, Block, and Mousa 2012;Rowe 2020). ...
Edible insects have gained increased attention as the important and sustainable source of nutrients for both human and animal consumption due to their rich content of protein, oil, fiber (as chitin), vitamins, and minerals. This study focuses on examining the effects of advanced pretreatments and oil extraction methods from prominent edible insect species commercially cultivated in Thailand, namely the house cricket (Acheta domesticus), black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens), and silkworm (Bombxy mori). The raw insect samples underwent pretreatment using high pressure processing (HPP) at 200–600 MPa for 5 min or ultrasonication (UL) at 37 kHz for 5–15 min, followed by dehydration and extraction using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC‐CO2) or solvent extraction. The study revealed that HPP significantly reduced the initial microbial load of all edible insects by 6–8 log cycles, while UL showed a slight effect on microbial reduction. Additionally, pretreatments notably improved the oil extraction yield of most samples by disrupting the integrity of the cell membrane, facilitating the release of oils. The extracted edible insect oils were rich in unsaturated fatty acids, omega 3, 6, and 9, making them suitable for various applications such as cosmetics, food, and feed additives. Furthermore, the protein meals obtained as a residue after oil removal were identified as potential meat alternatives or replacements in food or feed formulations. This study provides valuable insights into the potential of edible insects as a sustainable source of oil and protein, highlighting the significance of pretreatments and extraction methods in maximizing their utility for various applications in the food, cosmetic, and feed industries.
... Unlike in bovine milk, omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have not yet been detected in red kangaroo, eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus), nor potoroo milk (122,133,135) . Given the importance of EPA and DHA to the development of the nervous systems of other mammals, their evasiveness from detection in marsupial milk warrants further investigation (136)(137)(138) . ...
Marsupials give birth to immunologically naïve young after a relatively short gestation period compared to eutherians. Consequently, the joey significantly relies on maternal protection, which is the focus of the present review. The milk and the pouch environment are essential contributors to maternal protection for the healthy development of joeys. In this review, we discuss bioactive components found in the marsupial pouch and milk that form cornerstones of maternal protection. These bioactive components include immune cells, immunoglobulins, the s100 family of calcium-binding proteins, lysozymes, whey proteins, antimicrobial peptides and other immune proteins. Furthermore, we investigated the possibility of the presence of plurifunctional components in milk and pouches that are potentially bioactive. These compounds include caseins, vitamins and minerals, oligosaccharides, lipids, and microRNAs. Where applicable, this review addresses variability in bioactive components during different phases of lactation, designed to fulfil the immunological needs of the growing pouch young. Yet there are numerous additional research opportunities to pursue, including uncovering novel bioactive components, investigating their mode of action, dynamics, stability, and ability to penetrate the gut epithelium ensuring systemic actions.
... Both of these acids are involved in various processes in the human body, including regulation of the immune system, reduction in risk of cardiovascular events and an anti-inflammatory effect (1)(2)(3). Due to the fact that omega-3 acids are found in large concentrations in the brain tissue and in the human retina, it is believed that their insufficient supply within the diet may contribute to impaired fetal development and even be a risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease (1,4). ...
... These fatty acids (FAs) are positively associated with human health by supporting cardiovascular function. (Swanson et al., 2012). Concurrently, ω-3 were investigated as cow fertility enhancers and proven to support estrus length and intensity of cow's typical estrus behavior (Zachut et al., 2010). ...
The present study was conducted at the Department of Veterinary Physiology & Biochemistry and Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India during the period of October, 2018 to November, 2019 to evaluate the effect of ground flaxseed supplementation on blood biochemical and metabolic status of buffalo calves. The experiment was performed on four apparently healthy male buffalo calves of 2.0–2.5 years age in this present investigation. They were divided in 2 groups in a switch over design. The animals of Group I were kept as control. The animals of group II were supplemented with Ground Flaxseed @ 15% on dry matter basis replacing oil seed cakes in TMR for 21 days. Blood samples were collected at weekly intervals over a period of 21 days. The results revealed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in plasma glucose and cholesterol values in group II supplemented with ground flaxseed. There was no significant alteration with respect to the plasma total protein, triglycerides, creatinine, urea and total immunoglobulins in any of the groups. The erythrocytic lipid peroxidation was significantly reduced in the flaxseed supplemented group as compared to non-supplemented group. Thus, the present investigation revealed that flaxseed supplementation improved the energy utilization reduced the oxidative stress in animals.
Fish are a rich source of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), two long-chain polyunsaturated n-3 fatty
acids (LC n-3 PUFA) with cardiovascular benefits. A related but less-investigated LC n-3 PUFA, docosapentaenoic acid (DPA),
is more common in seal oil and pasture-fed red meats. This study compared indicators of platelet function and plasma lipids
in healthy volunteers given supplements containing these different fatty acids (FA) for 14days. Subjects, randomised into
three groups of ten, consumed capsules of tuna oil (210mg EPA, 30mg DPA, 810mg DHA), seal oil (340mg EPA, 230mg DPA,
450mg DHA) or placebo (sunola) oil. Supplementary LC n-3 PUFA levels were approximately 1g/day in both fish and seal oil
groups. Baseline dietary FA and other nutrient intakes were similar in all groups. Both fish and seal oil elevated platelet
DHA levels (P<0.01). Seal oil also raised platelet DPA and EPA levels (P<0.01), and decreased p-selectin (P=0.01), a platelet activation marker negatively associated with DPA (P=0.03) and EPA (P<0.01) but not DHA. Plasma triacylglycerol decreased (P=0.03) and HDL-cholesterol levels increased (P=0.01) with seal oil only. Hence, seal oil may be more efficient than fish oil at promoting healthy plasma lipid profiles
and lowering thrombotic risk, possibly due to its high DPA as well as EPA content.
KeywordsDocosapentaenoic acid-Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids-Cardiovascular disease-Triacylglycerols-Platelet activation-P-selectin
Epidemiological and clinical evidence suggests that an increased intake of long-chain n-3 fatty acids protects against mortality from coronary artery disease. We aimed to test the hypothesis that long-term use of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is effective for prevention of major coronary events in hypercholesterolaemic patients in Japan who consume a large amount of fish.
18 645 patients with a total cholesterol of 6.5 mmol/L or greater were recruited from local physicians throughout Japan between 1996 and 1999. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either 1800 mg of EPA daily with statin (EPA group; n=9326) or statin only (controls; n=9319) with a 5-year follow-up. The primary endpoint was any major coronary event, including sudden cardiac death, fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarction, and other non-fatal events including unstable angina pectoris, angioplasty, stenting, or coronary artery bypass grafting. Analysis was by intention-to-treat. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00231738.
At mean follow-up of 4.6 years, we detected the primary endpoint in 262 (2.8%) patients in the EPA group and 324 (3.5%) in controls-a 19% relative reduction in major coronary events (p=0.011). Post-treatment LDL cholesterol concentrations decreased 25%, from 4.7 mmol/L in both groups. Serum LDL cholesterol was not a significant factor in a reduction of risk for major coronary events. Unstable angina and non-fatal coronary events were also significantly reduced in the EPA group. Sudden cardiac death and coronary death did not differ between groups. In patients with a history of coronary artery disease who were given EPA treatment, major coronary events were reduced by 19% (secondary prevention subgroup: 158 [8.7%] in the EPA group vs 197 [10.7%] in the control group; p=0.048). In patients with no history of coronary artery disease, EPA treatment reduced major coronary events by 18%, but this finding was not significant (104 [1.4%] in the EPA group vs 127 [1.7%] in the control group; p=0.132).
EPA is a promising treatment for prevention of major coronary events, and especially non-fatal coronary events, in Japanese hypercholesterolaemic patients.
Although several epidemiological studies have reported that higher intake of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids during pregnancy is associated with both a reduced risk of postpartum depression and improved neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring, the results of other intervention trials have been inconsistent. Despite the uncertainty of benefit, there are now international recommendations for pregnant women to increase their intake of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids believed to be responsible for the improved outcomes. The DHA to Optimize Mother Infant Outcome (DOMINO) study was a double-blind, multicenter, randomized controlled trial designed primarily to determine whether DHA supplementation during the last half of pregnancy would reduce the risk of maternal postpartum depression and improve early neurodevelopmental outcome of offspring. The study subjects were 2399 women with singleton pregnancies <21 weeks' gestation who were enrolled in 5 Australian maternity hospitals between 2005 and 2008, and 726 offspring who were followed up until 18 months of age. The women were randomly assigned to receive fish oil capsules providing 800 mg/d of DHA (n = 1197) or identical capsules without DHA (n = 1202). The level of postpartum depression was evaluated using a self-reported Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). A score >12 on the EPDS at 6 weeks or 6 months postpartum indicated a high level of depression. In the offspring, neurodevelopmental outcomes were compared at 18 months of age in the DHA group (n = 351) and the control group (n = 375) using the Cognitive and Language Composite Scales of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition. More than 96% of the 2399 enrolled women completed the trial. There was no significant difference between the DHA and control groups in the percentage of women reporting high levels of depressive symptoms (EPDS score >12) at 6 weeks (DHA group: 9.6% vs. control group: 10.9%) or 6 months postpartum (9.7% vs. 11.5%); the adjusted relative risks were 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68–1.10; P = 0.24) and 0.83 (95% CI, 0.66–1.05; P = 0.11). Similarly, there was no significant difference between children in the DHA group and those in the control group with respect to mean cognitive scores (adjusted mean difference, 0.01; 95% CI, −1.36 to 1.37; P = 0.99) and mean language composite scores (adjusted mean difference, −1.42; 95% CI, −3.07 to 0.22; P = 0.09). These findings provide no support for routine supplementation with DHA in pregnant women, either to reduce symptoms of postpartum depression or to improve neurodevelopmental cognitive or language outcomes in early childhood.
Background-Our purpose was to assess the time course of the benefit of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on mortality documented by the GISSI-Prevenzione trial in patients surviving a recent (<3 months) myocardial infarction. Methods and Results-In this study, 11 323 patients were randomly assigned to supplements of n-3 PUFAs, vitamin E (300 mg/d), both, or no treatment (control) on top of optimal pharmacological treatment and lifestyle advice. Intention-to-treat analysis adjusted for interaction between treatments was carried out. Early efficacy of n-3 PUFA treatment for total, cardiovascular, cardiac, coronary, and sudden death; nonfatal myocardial infarction; total coronary heart disease; and cerebrovascular events was assessed by right-censoring follow-up data 12 times from the first month after randomization up to 12 months. Survival curves for n-3 PUFA treatment diverged early after randomization, and total mortality was significantly lowered after 3 months of treatment (relative risk [RR] 0.59; 95% CI 0.36 to 0.97; P=0.037). The reduction in risk of sudden death was specifically relevant and statistically significant already at 4 months (RR 0.47; 95% CI 0.219 to 0.995; P=0.048). A similarly significant, although delayed, pattern after 6 to 8 months of treatment was observed for cardiovascular, cardiac, and coronary deaths. Conclusions-The early effect of low-dose ( I g/d) n-3 PUFAs on total mortality and sudden death supports the hypothesis of an antiarrhythmic effect of this drug. Such a result is consistent with the wealth of evidence coming from laboratory experiments on isolated myocytes, animal models, and epidemiological and clinical studies.
Background
Several epidemiological and experimental studies suggest that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) can exert favourable effects on atherothrombotic cardiovascular disease, including arrhythmias. We investigated whether n-3 PUFA could improve morbidity and mortality in a large population of patients with symptomatic heart failure of any cause.
Methods
We undertook a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 326 cardiology and 31 internal medicine centres in Italy. We enrolled patients with chronic heart failure of New York Heart Association class II–IV, irrespective of cause and left ventricular ejection fraction, and randomly assigned them to n-3 PUFA 1 g daily (n=3494) or placebo (n=3481) by a concealed, computerised telephone randomisation system. Patients were followed up for a median of 3·9 years (IQR 3·0–4·5). Primary endpoints were time to death, and time to death or admission to hospital for cardiovascular reasons. Analysis was by intention to treat. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00336336.
Findings
We analysed all randomised patients. 955 (27%) patients died from any cause in the n-3 PUFA group and 1014 (29%) in the placebo group (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0·91 [95·5% CI 0·833–0·998], p=0·041). 1981 (57%) patients in the n-3 PUFA group and 2053 (59%) in the placebo group died or were admitted to hospital for cardiovascular reasons (adjusted HR 0·92 [99% CI 0·849–0·999], p=0·009). In absolute terms, 56 patients needed to be treated for a median duration of 3·9 years to avoid one death or 44 to avoid one event like death or admission to hospital for cardiovascular reasons. In both groups, gastrointestinal disorders were the most frequent adverse reaction (96 [3%] n-3 PUFA group vs 92 [3%] placebo group).
Interpretation
A simple and safe treatment with n-3 PUFA can provide a small beneficial advantage in terms of mortality and admission to hospital for cardiovascular reasons in patients with heart failure in a context of usual care.
Funding
Società Prodotti Antibiotici (SPA; Italy), Pfizer, Sigma Tau, and AstraZeneca.
Background: Perinatal depression is common, and treatment remains challenging. Depression has been reported to be associated with the abnormality of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). A pro- found decrease of omega-3 PUFAs in the mother during pregnancy is associated with the higher demand of fetal development and might precipitate the occurrence of depression. In this study, we examined the efficacy of omega-3 PUFA monotherapy for the treatment of depression during pregnancy.
Since the first AHA Science Advisory “Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Lipids, and Coronary Heart Disease,”1 important new findings, including evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs), have been reported about the beneficial effects of omega-3 (or n-3) fatty acids on cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with preexisting CVD as well as in healthy individuals.2 New information about how omega-3 fatty acids affect cardiac function (including antiarrhythmic effects), hemodynamics (cardiac mechanics), and arterial endothelial function have helped clarify potential mechanisms of action. The present Statement will address distinctions between plant-derived (α-linolenic acid, C18:3n-3) and marine-derived (eicosapentaenoic acid, C20:5n-3 [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid, C22:6n-3 [DHA]) omega-3 fatty acids. (Unless otherwise noted, the term omega-3 fatty acids will refer to the latter.) Evidence from epidemiological studies and RCTs will be reviewed, and recommendations reflecting the current state of knowledge will be made with regard to both fish consumption and omega-3 fatty acid (plant- and marine-derived) supplementation. This will be done in the context of recent guidance issued by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about the presence of environmental contaminants in certain species of fish.
### Coronary Heart Disease
As reviewed by Stone,1 three prospective epidemiological studies within populations reported that men who ate at least some fish weekly had a lower coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality rate than that of men who ate none.3–6⇓⇓⇓ More recent evidence that fish consumption favorably affects CHD mortality, especially nonsudden death from myocardial infarction (MI), has been reported in a 30-year follow-up of the Chicago Western Electric Study.7 Men who consumed 35 g or more of fish daily compared with those who consumed none had a relative risk of death from CHD of 0.62 and a relative risk of nonsudden death from MI of 0.33. In an …
