title: n-3 fatty acid deficiency in man.
abstract: A total of nine patients with n-3 fatty acid deficiency are described. They had been fed by gastric tube for 2.5-12 years, and had received 0.02-0.09% of calories as n-3 acids. The observed clinical symptoms of n-3 fatty acid deficiency were scaly and haemorrhagic dermatitis, haemorrhagic folliculitis of the scalp, growth retardation and impaired wound healing. All patients had extensive brain damage making it impossible to evaluate n-3 effects on cerebral functions. The patients were supplemented with cod liver and soya oil, alpha-linolenate followed by a purified fish oil, or with a mixture of linseed and cod liver oil. The results indicate that a dietary supply of 1.0-1.2% of alpha-linolenic acid is necessary to obtain a mid-normal lipid concentration of n-3 fatty acids, and suggest that the minimal dietary requirement is 0.2-0.3% of total calories. Long-chain n-3 fatty acids seem to be approximately twice as efficient as alpha-linolenic acid in maintaining normal n-3 fatty acid concentrations in plasma and red cell lipids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Regional Hospital, University of Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Bjerve
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000172:deficiency*; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008042:Linolenic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid
chemical_list: D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D005395:Fish Oils; D008042:Linolenic Acids; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid