2007/07/26 by Scott D. Doughman, Krupanidhi Srirama, Carani B. Sanjeevi · 1 citation
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Medicine · Nursing · #Algae fuel #Aquaculture Nutrition and Growth #Biochemistry #Biodiesel #Biology #Biotechnology #Docosahexaenoic acid #Eicosanoids and Hypertension Pharmacology #Eicosapentaenoic acid #Fatty Acid Research and Health #Fatty acid #Fish <Actinopterygii> #Fish oil #Fishery #Food science #Medicine #Omega 3 fatty acid #Polyunsaturated fatty acid
paper · doi:10.2174/157339907781368968
openalex publication_date 2007/07/26 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
Long-chain EPA/DHA omega-3 fatty acid supplementation can be co-preventative and co-therapeutic. Current research suggests increasing accumulated long chain omega-3s for health benefits and as natural medicine in several major diseases. But many believe plant omega-3 sources are nutritionally and therapeutically equivalent to the EPA/DHA omega-3 in fish oil. Although healthy, precursor ALA bio-conversion to EPA is inefficient and production of DHA is nearly absent, limiting the protective value of ALA supplementation from flax-oil, for example. Along with pollutants certain fish acquire high levels of EPA/DHA as predatory species. However, the origin of EPA/DHA in aquatic ecosystems is algae. Certain microalgae produce high levels of EPA or DHA. Now, organically produced DHA-rich microalgae oil is available. Clinical trials with DHA-rich oil indicate comparable efficacies to fish oil for protection from cardiovascular risk factors by lowering plasma triglycerides and oxidative stress. This review discusses 1) omega-3 fatty acids in nutrition and medicine; 2) omega-3s in physiology and gene regulation; 3) possible protective mechanisms of EPA/DHA in major diseases such as coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, cancer and type 2 diabetes; 4) EPA and DHA requirements considering fish oil safety; and 5) microalgae EPA and DHA-rich oils and recent clinical results.