DHA Frequently Asked Question - About Omega Fatty Acids

4th Pediatric Infectious Diseases Conference

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FAQ'S - ABOUT OMEGA FATTY ACIDS

Question:
What are fatty acids?

Answer:
Not to be confused with fats, fatty acids are chains of carbons with hydrogen attached to them and an “acid” group at one end of the molecule. Individual fatty acids serve different purposes in the body—some are “burned” or oxidized for energy, some are structural features of cell membranes, others are converted to different fatty acids or substances, such as sterols, while still others perform special duties in tissues, such as nerve cells.

Fatty acids also differ in the length of the carbon chain. Short-chain fatty acids have less than eight carbons. Medium-chain fatty acids have 8 to 14 carbons and long-chain fatty acids have 16 or more carbons.

Question:
Types of Fatty Acids?

Answer:
Fatty acids belong to one of three types or families: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.

Saturated Fatty Acids :

The carbons in these fatty acids are fully loaded with hydrogen, thus forming straight chains. Saturated fatty acids stack tightly, providing rigidity and making food fats, such as butter, solid at room temperature. They have a similar effect in cell membranes. Many saturated fatty acids increase blood cholesterol levels and for that reason have been considered less healthful

Unsaturated Fatty acids :

These are called unsaturated because they have lost one or more pairs of hydrogen from their carbon chain. Unsaturated fatty acids include mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). When hydrogen pairs are removed, the fatty acid molecule develops a kink or bend, known as a double bond. The more hydrogen missing, the more bent out of shape the fatty acid becomes. Unsaturated fatty acids, especially those with several double bonds, occupy more space, thereby making a fat containing them liquid (an oil) and cell membranes more fluid.

Monounsaturated Fatty Acids :

These fatty acids are missing one pair of hydrogen, creating one double bond.

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA):

If two or more double bonds occur in the fatty acid, it is called "polyunsaturated."

Question:
What are essential fatty acids?

Answer:
Essential Fatty Acids are the "good fats". These are PUFAs necessary fats that humans cannot synthesize or derive from other fatty acids and must be obtained through diet. Traditionally, linoleic acid (omega-6) and, more recently, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) (omega-3) were the only PUFAs considered essential because deficiency symptoms develop in their absence, it is the long-chain derivatives—arachidonic acid and DHA-that are the most critical for the body’s needs.

Some Fatty acids can be produced by our body those are called the non-essential fatty acids and no extra dietary supplementation for them is required. Both Essential fatty acids and their derivatives (DHA and arachidonic acid) are required by the body for proper functioning, growth and development.

Question:
What are omega fatty acids?

Answer:
They are essential fatty acids .They are component of fats that we consume, they are necessary for human health but the body can’t make them we have to get them through food. Also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), omega-3 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function, as well as normal growth and development. They have also become popular because they may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Question:
What are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids?

Answer:
The end of the fatty acid farthest from the acid is called the omega end. The location of the first double bond counted from the omega end denotes whether a fatty acid belongs to the omega-6, omega-3 or other omega family. Humans cannot convert omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to each other, nor can they make either of these fatty acids from scratch.

These are two forms of fatty acids which differ in their chemical structure and also in their actions, one promotes inflammation (omega-6) and other reduces inflammation (omega-3). A correct ratio of omega-3/omega-6 is required in the body for optimal maintenance of metabolic functions.

Omega-3s :

These come in short- and long-chain varieties. The short-chain form is alpha-linolenic acid, the only omega-3 found in plants (except for some algae). It has 18 carbons and 3 double bonds. It is found in flaxseed oil (53%), canola oil (11%), English walnuts (9%), and soybean oil (7%). Alpha-linolenic acid is considered essential because we cannot make it and we need it or its long-chain derivatives. DHA is derived from ALA and is an important omega-3 fatty acid. Docohexaenoic acid (DHA) is the most abundant omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) in the brain and retina and is essential for brain development in children and for vision.

Omega-6s :

Like omega-3s, this family of PUFAs has its short-chain representative, linoleic acid. Considered essential in its own right for healthy skin, it predominates in several vegetable oils, namely corn, sunflower, soybean and canola oils. Linoleic acid is converted to a limited extent to the long-chain fatty acid, arachidonic acid, which has 20 carbons and four double bonds. Arachidonic acid is a vital constituent of cell membranes and an important source of substances involved in combating infection, generating protective inflammatory responses and promoting blood coagulation. It also has important functions in the communication between and within cells.

Question:
Sources of omega fatty acids?

Answer:
Fish, plant, and nut oils are the primary dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are found in cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, halibut, sardines, tuna, and herring. ALA is found in flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, canola (rapeseed) oil, soybeans, soybean oil, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seed oil, purslane, perilla seed oil, walnuts and walnut oil.

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