Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and health

Abstract

Good health has been linked with healthy diet as far back as the sixth century b.c. when the clinical effects of a vegetarian diet on a group of Hebrew captives were documented in the Book of Daniel (Josephus, 1994). In this chapter, we will discuss diverse effects of an essential component of a healthy diet, long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)(Burr & Burr, 1930). Because modern diets are relatively deficient in this special type of fat, there is a great potential for improving many aspects of health by adding it to the diet (Lands, 2003). For example, omega-3 fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are known to prevent heart attacks and sudden cardiac death in individuals with coronary artery disease (Albert et al., 2002). Greater omega-3 fat consumption has also been reported to reduce the risk for dementia (Morris et al., 2003; Tully et al., 2003), depression (Hibbeln, 1998), high triglycerides (Weber & Raederstorff, 2000), hypertension (Mori, Bao, Burke, Puddey, & Beilin, 1999), arthritis (Simopoulos, 2002), autoimmune diseases (Adam, 2003; Simopoulos, 2002), certain cancers (Terry, Rohan, & Wolk, 2003), and preterm delivery (Olsen & Secher, 2002). This chapter will examine diverse health risks due to omega-3 fatty acid deficiency and the reduction of this risk through the use of dietary supplements and food sources rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as seafood.