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Current choices in omega 3 supplementation
Author(s) -
Bailey N.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
nutrition bulletin
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.933
H-Index - 40
eISSN - 1467-3010
pISSN - 1471-9827
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-3010.2008.01736.x
Subject(s) - docosahexaenoic acid , eicosapentaenoic acid , long chain , confusion , health benefits , public health , medicine , polyunsaturated fatty acid , business , fatty acid , environmental health , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , biochemistry , biology , traditional medicine , psychology , nursing , polymer science , psychoanalysis
Summary Our understanding of the significant role that long‐chain fatty acids play in maintaining health and deterring the progression of disease is rapidly expanding. Much attention has been drawn to the benefits of increasing n ‐3 (omega‐3) fatty acids in the diet, either through direct fortification of foodstuffs, or through supplementation. However, it is clear that there is some confusion among the general public as to the benefits of foods fortified with short‐chain n ‐3 fatty acids compared with long‐chain fatty acids and, indeed, over the role omega 3 fatty acids play in homeostasis. With the supplement market growing quickly and the general public seemingly increasingly ‘health‐conscious’, emphasis should be focused upon educating the public more thoroughly about the biological roles that these fats play. Modern changes in our diet and the current general consensus that the UK is not an ‘oily fish‐loving’ nation mean that many individuals run the risk of consuming insufficient amounts of the long‐chain n ‐3 fatty acids for optimal function of the cardiovascular, immune and inflammatory systems. While supplementation is an easy way of modifying fatty acid intake, the quality of many cheaper products favoured by the public as the ‘value for money’ option are unlikely to offer the same health benefits as those that are molecularly distilled to exclude impurities and maximise concentrations of the active ingredients eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. This paper discusses the need for the public to be aware of the variation in the quality and dosage of n ‐3 supplements, delineates some of the vegetarian alternatives to fish‐derived products and also discusses the potential role that General Practitioners may play in educating their patients about the possible long‐term benefits of such products.