Dietary stearidonic acid is a long chain (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acid with potential health benefits.
The therapeutic and health-promoting effects of (n-3) long-chain PUFA (LCPUFA) from fish are well known, although these same benefits may not be shared by their precursor, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). World-wide agencies and scientific organizations (i.e. FDA, AHA, International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids, Institute of Medicine, WHO, etc.) have made similar dietary recommendations for (n-3) LCPUFA; however, due to concerns regarding the safety of consuming fish, alternative sources of (n-3) LCPUFA are being investigated. One such lipid is stearidonic acid (SDA), a naturally occurring (n-3) PUFA that may have similar biological properties to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), a major (n-3) PUFA in fish oil. Existing and novel plant sources rich in SDA are being cultivated and promoted as potential alternatives to marine-based (n-3) PUFA. This critical review provides a direct comparison of SDA with other dietary (n-3) PUFA under similar experimental conditions. The comparative results suggest that SDA shares many of the biological effects of (n-3) LCPUFA and functions most similarly to dietary EPA compared with ALA when consumed in a typical Western diet. Therefore, although SDA may not replace fish as a major dietary source of (n-3) LCPUFA, it could become a prominent surrogate for EPA in the commercial development of foods fortified with (n-3) PUFA.
Whelan
Jay
J
Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1920, USA. jwhelan@utk.edu
D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005504:Food Analysis; D006801:Humans; D012377:Rodentia
D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; C062895:stearidonic acid