Docosahexaenoic Acid by
Ray Sahelian, M.D. Health
benefit of docosahexaenoic acid supplements
Docosahexaenoic acid is abbreviated as DHA and
has the chemical structure 22:6(?-3), all-cis-docosa-4,7,10,13,16,19-hexaenoic
acid. Docosahexaenoic acid is an omega-3 essential fatty acid. Docosahexaenoic
acid is most often found in fish oil. If you would like to buy a product with
eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic
acid, see
Fish-Oils. Two other products to buy include
DHA and a fish oil product called
Fisol.
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Docosahexaenoic acid in
breastmilk
Concentrations of the long-chain
polyunsaturated fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n–3) and arachidonic
acid (AA, 20:4n–6) in human breast milk are important indicators of infant
development. The highest docosahexaenoic acid concentrations in breast milk
worldwide are primarily in
coastal populations and are associated with marine food consumption.
Docosahexaenoic acid supplements and
blood lipids
Docosahexaenoic acid supplementation improves
cardiovascular health by lowering concentrations of triacylglycerols and small,
dense LDL particles.
Dose-dependent effects of docosahexaenoic acid-rich
fish oil on erythrocyte docosahexaenoic acid and blood lipid levels.
Br J Nutr. 2007 Oct 31; School of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences,
University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia.
Consumption of long-chain n-3 PUFA, particularly
docosahexaenoic acid, has
been shown to improve cardiovascular risk factors but the intake required to
achieve benefits is unclear. We sought to determine the relationship between DHA
intake, increases in erythrocyte DHA content and changes in blood lipids. A
total of sixty-seven subjects completed a 12-week intervention. Subjects
consumed 2, 4 or 6 grams a day of DHA rich fish oil (26 % DHA, 6 % EPA) or a
placebo (Sunola oil). The close association between incorporation of DHA in
erythrocytes and its effects on serum lipids highlights the importance of
erythrocyte DHA as an indicator of cardiovascular health status.
Docosahexaenoic acid supplements
and eczema
Docosahexaenoic acid DHA supplementation in atopic eczema: a randomized,
double-blind, controlled trial.
Br J Dermatol. 2008 Jan 30. Allergy-Center-Charité, Department of
Dermatology and Allergology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1,
10117 Berlin, Germany.
The aim of the pilot study was to determine the efficacy of dietary n-3 PUFA
docosahexaenoic acid DHA in patients with atopic eczema. Methods Fifty-three
patients suffering from atopic eczema aged 18-40 years were recruited into this
randomized, double-blind, controlled trial and received either docosahexaenoic
acid 5.4 g daily or an isoenergetic control of saturated fatty acids for 8
weeks. docosahexaenoic acid, but not the control treatment, resulted in a
significant clinical improvement of atopic eczema. The docosahexaenoic acid
group showed an increase of plasma n-3 PUFA and a decrease in the n-6/n-3 PUFA
ratio. Our data suggest that dietary docosahexaenoic acid could be bioactive and
might have a beneficial impact on the outcome of atopic eczema, but our results
need to be confirmed in a larger study.