Essential Fats: Plant vs Marine & ALA vs EPA &/or DHA
Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 8:15 am
The ongoing debate in the arena of essential fats centers around two issues...
1) Are marine sources (fish) better for you then plant sources
2) Are the short-chain Omega 3 fatty acids (ALA) as beneficial for you as the long-chain Omega 3 fatty acids (EPA &/or DHA) since the thought is that the body does not convert ALA to EPA & DHA very efficiently.
In my presentation and writings over the years, I have made the case many times that the 1) Plant sources are as good if not better then marine sources and 2) on a healthy minimally processed low fat, WFPB, low SOS diet, getting in adequate Omega 3 is more then enough and supplements of EPA/DHA are not necessary. as the body has the ability to make adequate conversions as needed.
These papers support both these positions.
In Health
Jeff
1) The Evidence for α-Linolenic Acid and Cardiovascular Disease Benefits: Comparisons with Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid. Adv Nutr November 2014 Adv Nutr vol. 5: 863S-876S, 2014
http://advances.nutrition.org/content/5/6/863S
Abstract
"Our understanding of the cardiovascular disease (CVD) benefits of α-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3n–3) has advanced markedly during the past decade. It is now evident that ALA benefits CVD risk. The expansion of the ALA evidence base has occurred in parallel with ongoing research on eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n–3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n–3) and CVD. The available evidence enables comparisons to be made for ALA vs. EPA + DHA for CVD risk reduction. The epidemiologic evidence suggests comparable benefits of plant-based and marine-derived n–3 (omega-3) PUFAs. The clinical trial evidence for ALA is not as extensive; however, there have been CVD event benefits reported. Those that have been reported for EPA + DHA are stronger because only EPA + DHA differed between the treatment and control groups, whereas in the ALA studies there were diet differences beyond ALA between the treatment and control groups. Despite this, the evidence suggests many comparable CVD benefits of ALA vs. EPA + DHA. Thus, we believe that it is time to revisit what the contemporary dietary recommendation should be for ALA to decrease the risk of CVD. Our perspective is that increasing dietary ALA will decrease CVD risk; however, randomized controlled clinical trials are necessary to confirm this and to determine what the recommendation should be. With a stronger evidence base, the nutrition community will be better positioned to revise the dietary recommendation for ALA for CVD risk reduction."
Science Daily Article
Nothing fishy about health benefits of plant-based omega-3 fatty acid
November 17, 2014
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 174524.htm
Summary:
Increasing the amount of omega-3s in your diet, whether from fish or flax, will likely decrease your risk of getting heart disease, according to nutritionists. A substantial amount of evidence exists supporting the heart-health benefits of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (EPA and DHA), marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids. However, much less evidence exists to demonstrate the positive effects of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid.
2) Plant compared with marine n-3 fatty acid effects on cardiovascular risk factors and outcomes: what is the verdict?
Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Jul;100 Suppl 1:453S-8S. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.071555. Epub 2014 Jun 4.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24898234
Abstract
Plants provide α-linolenic acid [ALA; 18:3n-3 (18:3ω-3)], which can be converted via eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n-3) to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3), which is required for normal visual and cognitive function. Dietary ALA is provided mainly by vegetable oils, especially soybean and rapeseed oils, but is destroyed by partial hydrogenation; it is also present in high amounts in walnuts and flaxseed. Dietary EPA and DHA are provided mainly by fish and so are absent from vegan diets and only present in trace amounts in vegetarian diets. Vegetarians and vegans have lower proportions of DHA in blood and tissue lipids compared with omnivores. High intakes of EPA and DHA (typically in the range of 3-5 g/d) but not ALA have favorable effects on several cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and have been postulated to delay arterial aging and cardiovascular mortality, but these intakes are beyond the range of normal dietary intake. Arterial stiffness, which is a measure of arterial aging, appears to be lower in vegans than in omnivores; and risk of CVD in vegetarians and vegans is approximately one-third that in omnivores. Prospective cohort studies showed higher intakes of EPA+DHA, and less consistently ALA, to be associated with a lower risk of CVD, especially fatal coronary heart disease, but meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials of supplementation of EPA+DHA or ALA in secondary prevention of CVD showed no clear benefit. Current evidence is insufficient to warrant advising vegans and vegetarians to supplement their diets with EPA or DHA for CVD prevention.
Another thread on the topic that also covers the issue of our ability to convert ALA > EPA >DHA
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=19443&p=181741
1) Are marine sources (fish) better for you then plant sources
2) Are the short-chain Omega 3 fatty acids (ALA) as beneficial for you as the long-chain Omega 3 fatty acids (EPA &/or DHA) since the thought is that the body does not convert ALA to EPA & DHA very efficiently.
In my presentation and writings over the years, I have made the case many times that the 1) Plant sources are as good if not better then marine sources and 2) on a healthy minimally processed low fat, WFPB, low SOS diet, getting in adequate Omega 3 is more then enough and supplements of EPA/DHA are not necessary. as the body has the ability to make adequate conversions as needed.
These papers support both these positions.
In Health
Jeff
1) The Evidence for α-Linolenic Acid and Cardiovascular Disease Benefits: Comparisons with Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid. Adv Nutr November 2014 Adv Nutr vol. 5: 863S-876S, 2014
http://advances.nutrition.org/content/5/6/863S
Abstract
"Our understanding of the cardiovascular disease (CVD) benefits of α-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3n–3) has advanced markedly during the past decade. It is now evident that ALA benefits CVD risk. The expansion of the ALA evidence base has occurred in parallel with ongoing research on eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n–3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n–3) and CVD. The available evidence enables comparisons to be made for ALA vs. EPA + DHA for CVD risk reduction. The epidemiologic evidence suggests comparable benefits of plant-based and marine-derived n–3 (omega-3) PUFAs. The clinical trial evidence for ALA is not as extensive; however, there have been CVD event benefits reported. Those that have been reported for EPA + DHA are stronger because only EPA + DHA differed between the treatment and control groups, whereas in the ALA studies there were diet differences beyond ALA between the treatment and control groups. Despite this, the evidence suggests many comparable CVD benefits of ALA vs. EPA + DHA. Thus, we believe that it is time to revisit what the contemporary dietary recommendation should be for ALA to decrease the risk of CVD. Our perspective is that increasing dietary ALA will decrease CVD risk; however, randomized controlled clinical trials are necessary to confirm this and to determine what the recommendation should be. With a stronger evidence base, the nutrition community will be better positioned to revise the dietary recommendation for ALA for CVD risk reduction."
Science Daily Article
Nothing fishy about health benefits of plant-based omega-3 fatty acid
November 17, 2014
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 174524.htm
Summary:
Increasing the amount of omega-3s in your diet, whether from fish or flax, will likely decrease your risk of getting heart disease, according to nutritionists. A substantial amount of evidence exists supporting the heart-health benefits of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (EPA and DHA), marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids. However, much less evidence exists to demonstrate the positive effects of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid.
2) Plant compared with marine n-3 fatty acid effects on cardiovascular risk factors and outcomes: what is the verdict?
Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Jul;100 Suppl 1:453S-8S. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.071555. Epub 2014 Jun 4.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24898234
Abstract
Plants provide α-linolenic acid [ALA; 18:3n-3 (18:3ω-3)], which can be converted via eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n-3) to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3), which is required for normal visual and cognitive function. Dietary ALA is provided mainly by vegetable oils, especially soybean and rapeseed oils, but is destroyed by partial hydrogenation; it is also present in high amounts in walnuts and flaxseed. Dietary EPA and DHA are provided mainly by fish and so are absent from vegan diets and only present in trace amounts in vegetarian diets. Vegetarians and vegans have lower proportions of DHA in blood and tissue lipids compared with omnivores. High intakes of EPA and DHA (typically in the range of 3-5 g/d) but not ALA have favorable effects on several cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and have been postulated to delay arterial aging and cardiovascular mortality, but these intakes are beyond the range of normal dietary intake. Arterial stiffness, which is a measure of arterial aging, appears to be lower in vegans than in omnivores; and risk of CVD in vegetarians and vegans is approximately one-third that in omnivores. Prospective cohort studies showed higher intakes of EPA+DHA, and less consistently ALA, to be associated with a lower risk of CVD, especially fatal coronary heart disease, but meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials of supplementation of EPA+DHA or ALA in secondary prevention of CVD showed no clear benefit. Current evidence is insufficient to warrant advising vegans and vegetarians to supplement their diets with EPA or DHA for CVD prevention.
Another thread on the topic that also covers the issue of our ability to convert ALA > EPA >DHA
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=19443&p=181741