title: The effect of modifying dietary LA and ALA intakes on omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 LCPUFA) status in human adults: a systematic review and commentary.
abstract: This paper presents a systematic review of human studies investigating the effect of altering dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-6 PUFA) linoleic acid (LA) intakes on n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) status in adult humans. The results suggest that it is possible to increase n-3 LCPUFA status by reducing LA and/or increasing ALA intake in humans, although decreasing LA intake to below 2.5%E may be required to specifically increase levels of the n-3 LCPUFA docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The majority of studies in this area to date have been relatively poor in quality, which limits the ability to draw robust conclusions, and we present a series of recommendations to improve the quality of future studies in fatty acid nutrition in humans.
authors: FOODplus Research Centre, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5064, Australia.
authors: K E
authors: KE
authors: Wood
authors: School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Mantzioris
authors: FOODplus Research Centre, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5064, Australia.
authors: R A
authors: RA
authors: Gibson
authors: Laboratory of Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors: C E
authors: CE
authors: Ramsden
authors: FOODplus Research Centre, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5064, Australia. Electronic address: beverly.muhlhausler@adelaide.edu.au.
authors: B S
authors: BS
authors: Muhlhausler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016239:MEDLINE; D008297:Male; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D019787:Linoleic Acid
keywords: ALA; DHA; Diet; EPA; Human; LA