The Omega-6:Omega-3 ratio: A critical appraisal and possible successor
Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, 20 March 2018, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plefa.2018.03.003
William S.Harris
Highlights
- Polyunsaturated fatty acid blood levels have predictive power for disease outcomes.
- Both the Omega-3 Index and the n6:n3 ratio have been used to express PUFA status.
- The n6:n3 ratio has become scientifically out-dated.
- The Omega-3 Index, because if included EPA and DHA only, is a preferred metric.
The well-known health effects of the long-chain, marine omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (FAs) has led to a growing interest in the prognostic value that blood levels of these FAs might have vis-à-vis cardiovascular and neurocognitive diseases. The measurement and expression of n-3 FA levels is not straight-forward, however, and a wide variety of means of expression of n-3 FA status have been used in research and clinical medicine. This has led to considerable confusion as to what “optimal” n-3 FA status is. The n-6:n-3 ratio has enjoyed relatively widespread use, but this apparently simple metric has both theoretical and practical difficulties that have contributed to misunderstandings in this field. Just as the once-popular polyunsaturated:saturated FA ratio has largely disappeared from the nutritional and medical literature, it may be time to replace the n-6:n-3 ratio with a newer metric that focuses on the primary deficiency in Western diets – the lack of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids (EPA and DHA). The Omega-3 Index (red blood cell EPA+DHA) has much to recommend it in this regard.
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Note: Omega-3 Index can cannot get very high (>7) if there is too much Omega-6
Note: Current target for Omega-3 = 8. Japan considers target= 10
- Higher Omega-3 index (4 to 8 percent) associated with 30 percent less risk of coronary disease (10 studies) July 2017
- Omega-3 – Chart of index vs ratio by GrassrootsHealth – Sept 2019
Vitamin D and Omega-3 category starts with
Omega-3 and Vitamin D separately & together help with Autism, Depression, Cardiovascular, Cognition, Pregnancy, Infant, Obesity, Mortality, Breast Cancer, Smoking, Sleep, Stroke, Surgery, Longevity, Trauma, Inflammation, MS, etc
See also - Overview: Omega-3 many benefits include helping vitamin D
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