BACKGROUND Supplementation of the diet with fish oil, which is rich in the long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is reported to decrease several markers of immune function. However, whether EPA, DHA, or a combination of the 2 exerts these immunomodulatory effects is unclear. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to determine ...

The omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are orthomolecular, conditionally essential nutrients that enhance quality of life and lower the risk of premature death. They function exclusively via cell membranes, in which they are anchored by phospholipid molecules. DHA is proven essential to pre- and postnatal brain development, whereas EPA seems more infl...

Parris M. Kidd, PhD – Cell biology; University of California, Berkeley; Contributing Editor, Alternative Medicine Review; health educator; biomedical consultant to the dietary supplement industry. Correspondence address: 10379 Wolf Drive, Grass Valley, CA 95949 Email: [email protected] Abstract The omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are orthomolecular, c...

Vegetarian diets have been associated with health benefits, but paradoxically are low in EPA and DHA which are important for development, particularly of the central nervous system, and for health. Humans have limited capacity for synthesis of EPA and DHA from α-linolenic acid, although this is greater in women than men. Oily fish and, to a lesser extent, dairy foods and meat are the primary so...

The n-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), found in fish oil, exert a number of beneficial effects, and they are used in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. In recent years, EPA and DHA have been found to affect cancer cell proliferation. In the present study, PC3 cells, which are androgen-independent prostate cancer cells that resemble castration-resistant pr...

A reliable risk factor for sudden cardiac death (SCD) for the general population remains to be defined. We propose the omega-3 index, defined as the combined percentage of eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA) in red blood cell membranes. It reflects the EPA + DHA status of a given individual. It can be determined by a standardised and reproducible laboratory procedure. Several...

BACKGROUND The ω-3-fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is important in infant brain development and maturation. The advisable intake of the ω-3 fatty acids DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) for pregnant and lactating women is 300 mg/d or 9 g/month. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to test the hypothesis that low-income pregnant/or lactating women do not consume advisable amou...

Characterisation of long-term adherence to EPA and DHA intakes through biomarkers and dietary assessments has implications for interpreting the findings of long-term intervention studies. Adherence to dietary advice targeting an EPA+DHA intake of 1 g/d was examined over 1 year. Men and women (n 45) received dietary advice to increase EPA and DHA intakes from seafood, nutraceutical (fish oil) or...

Animal studies suggest that the 2 major omega3 fatty acids found in fish, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), may have differential effects on blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). The aim of this study was to determine whether there were significant differences in the effects of purified EPA or DHA on ambulatory BP and HR in humans. In a double-blind, placebo-control...

A number of studies have investigated the effects of fish oil on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines using peripheral blood mononuclear cell models. The majority of these studies have employed heterogeneous blends of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which preclude examination of the individual effects of LC n...