Nuevas fuentes dietarias de acido alfa-linolénico: Una visión crítica

Abstract

Alpha-linolenic acid (C18: 3 ω-3, ALA) is an essential fatty acid that can be elongated and desaturated to become long-chain ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 LCPUFA) having important functions in the body, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (C20: 5 ω-3, EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (C22: 6 ω-3, DHA). However, the main metabolic fate of ALA is mitochondrial ß-oxidation (energy input), followed by deposition and a very low conversion ratio into ω-3 LCPUFA. However, in recent years a number of evidences have indicated that consumption of significant amounts of ALA can modify tissue levels of ω-3 LCPUFA, including DHA. Particularly, interesting differences in the conversion of ALA to LCPUFA ω-3 are observed, depending on the tissue where it is metabolized. This background, coupled with the low intake of ω-3 fatty acids (including ALA, EPA and DHA) by the western population, which produces a significant imbalance in the relationship ω-6/ω-3 fatty acids, entails a great interest in the emergence of vegetable oils with significant content of ALA (over 50% of total fatty acids). This has opened an interesting discussion about the complex metabolism of ALA and its effect on the body. This article presents a background on ALA metabolism, mainly about its conversion to ω-3 LCPUFA on different biological models, where evidence suggests a promising potential for the consumption of vegetable oils rich in ALA as new dietary sources of ω-3 fatty acids.