Conversion of α -linolenic acid to longer-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in human adults
Open accessAbstract
The principal biological role of alpha-linolenic acid (alphaLNA; 18:3n-3) appears to be as a precursor for the synthesis of longer chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Increasing alphaLNA intake for a period of weeks to months results in an increase in the proportion of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n-3) in plasma lipids, in erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets and in breast milk but there is no increase in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3), which may even decline in some pools at high alphaLNA intakes. Stable isotope tracer studies indicate that conversion of alphaLNA to EPA occurs but is limited in men and that further transformation to DHA is very low. The fractional conversion of alphaLNA to the longer chain n-3 PUFA is greater in women which may be due to a regulatory effect of oestrogen. A lower proportion of alphaLNA is used for beta-oxidation in women compared with men. Overall, alphaLNA appears to be a limited source of longer chain n-3 PUFA in humans. Thus, adequate intakes of preformed long chain n-3 PUFA, in particular DHA, may be important for maintaining optimal tissue function. Capacity to up-regulate alphaLNA conversion in women may be important for meeting the demands of the fetus and neonate for DHA.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In vivo, omega-3 FAs (EPA and DHA) as well as omega-6 FA (arachidonic acid) are involved in formation of key regulators of inflammation, vasodilation, and platelet aggregation.
“In vivo , omega-3 FAs (EPA and DHA) as well as omega-6 FA (arachidonic acid [AA]) are involved in formation of key regulators of in fl ammation, vasodilation, and platelet aggregation [26,27].”
From Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on cardiovascular outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2021) · cites this paper as [27]
Increased omega-6 FA intake favors high AA content in membrane phospholipids, leading to excess pro-inflammatory cytokine production through COX and LOX pathways.
“Increased omega-6 FA intake favors high AA content in membrane phospholipids, leading to excess pro-in fl ammatory cytokine production through COX and LOX pathways [26,27].”
From Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on cardiovascular outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2021) · cites this paper as [27]
A high intake of omega-3 FA results in increased production of EPA, which competes with AA through the same COX and LOX pathways, mitigating pro-inflammatory cytokines and generating mediators that improve vasodilation and decrease inflammation and aggregation.
“In contrast, a high intake of omega-3 FA results in the increased production of EPA, which competes with AA through the same COX and LOX pathways, mitigating pro-in fl ammatory cytokines and generating mediators that improve vasodilation and decrease in fl ammation and aggregation [26,27].”
From Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on cardiovascular outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2021) · cites this paper as [27]
Cites
Polyunsaturated fatty acids in the food chain in the United States
Kris-Etherton, P., Taylor, D. S., Yu-Poth, S., Huth, P., Moriarty, K., Fishell, V., Hargrove, R. L., Zhao, G., & Etherton, T. D. (2000) · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/71.1.179s · Cited by 1,023 · see citing works
Burdge, G. C., Jones, A. E., & Wootton, S. A. (2002) · British Journal Of Nutrition · doi:10.1079/bjn2002662 · Cited by 598 · see citing works
Self-citation
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and their health benefits
Shahidi, F., & Ambigaipalan, P. (2018) · Annual Review of Food Science and Technology · doi:10.1146/annurev-food-111317-095850 · Cited by 1,390 · see citing works
Essential fatty acids as functional components of foods- a review
Kaur, N., Chugh, V., & Gupta, A. K. (2014) · Journal of Food Science and Technology · doi:10.1007/s13197-012-0677-0 · Cited by 490 · see citing works
Specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators in the inflammatory response: An update
Bannenberg, G., & Serhan, C. N. (2010) · Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids · doi:10.1016/j.bbalip.2010.08.002 · Cited by 464 · see citing works
Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on cardiovascular outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Khan, S. U., Lone, A. N., Khan, M. S., Virani, S. S., Blumenthal, R. S., Nasir, K., Miller, M., Michos, E. D., Ballantyne, C. M., Boden, W. E., et al. (2021) · eClinicalMedicine · doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.100997 · Cited by 411 · see citing works
“Increased omega-6 FA intake favors high AA content in membrane phospholipids, leading to excess pro-inflammatory cytokine production through COX and LOX pathways [26,27].”
BackgroundGoyens, P. L., Spilker, M. E., Zock, P. L., Katan, M. B., & Mensink, R. P. (2006) · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/84.1.44 · Cited by 392 · see citing works
Health benefits of dietary marine DHA/EPA-enriched glycerophospholipids
Zhang, T.-T., Xu, J., Wang, Y.-M., & Xue, C.-H. (2019) · Progress in Lipid Research · doi:10.1016/j.plipres.2019.100997 · Cited by 339 · see citing works
α-Linolenic acid and risk of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Pan, A., Chen, M., Chowdhury, R., Wu, J. H., Sun, Q., Campos, H., Mozaffarian, D., & Hu, F. B. (2012) · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.3945/ajcn.112.044040 · Cited by 329 · see citing works
Docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-3): A review of its biological effects
Kaur, G., Cameron-Smith, D., Garg, M., & Sinclair, A. J. (2011) · Progress in Lipid Research · doi:10.1016/j.plipres.2010.07.004 · Cited by 337 · see citing works
The differential effects of EPA and DHA on cardiovascular risk factors
Cottin, S. C., Sanders, T. A., & Hall, W. L. (2011) · Proceedings of the Nutrition Society · doi:10.1017/s0029665111000061 · Cited by 247 · see citing works
Astarita, G., Jung, K.-M., Berchtold, N. C., Nguyen, V. Q., Gillen, D. L., Head, E., Cotman, C. W., & Piomelli, D. (2010) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0012538 · Cited by 218 · see citing works
Microalgae as Sources of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: Biotechnological Aspects
Barta, D. G., Coman, V., & Vodnar, D. C. (2021) · Algal Research · doi:10.1016/j.algal.2021.102410 · Cited by 178 · see citing works
Algae: Critical Sources of Very Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
Harwood, J. (2019) · Biomolecules · doi:10.3390/biom9110708 · Cited by 171 · see citing works
Griffin, B. A. (2008) · Current Opinion in Lipidology · doi:10.1097/mol.0b013e3282f2e2a8 · Cited by 168 · see citing works
Fats and fatty acid requirements for adults
Elmadfa, I., & Kornsteiner, M. (2009) · Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism · doi:10.1159/000228996 · Cited by 161 · see citing works
Marine Cryptophytes Are Great Sources of EPA and DHA
Peltomaa, E., Johnson, M., & Taipale, S. (2017) · Marine Drugs · doi:10.3390/md16010003 · Cited by 137 · see citing works
Weill, P., Plissonneau, C., Legrand, P., Rioux, V., & Thibault, R. (2020) · Biochimie · doi:10.1016/j.biochi.2020.09.003 · Cited by 124 · see citing works
Walker, C. G., Jebb, S. A., & Calder, P. C. (2013) · Nutrition · doi:10.1016/j.nut.2012.06.003 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
Glencross, B. D., Bachis, E., Betancor, M. B., Calder, P., Liland, N., Newton, R., & Ruyter, B. (2025) · Reviews in Fisheries Science & Aquaculture · doi:10.1080/23308249.2024.2388563 · Cited by 89 · see citing works
Self-citationComparison of Diatoms and Dinoflagellates from Different Habitats as Sources of PUFAs
Peltomaa, E., Hällfors, H., & Taipale, S. J. (2019) · Marine Drugs · doi:10.3390/md17040233 · Cited by 73 · see citing works
Potential role of omega-3 fatty acids on the myogenic program of satellite cells
Bhullar, A. S., Putman, C. T., & Mazurak, V. C. (2016) · Nutrition and Metabolic Insights · doi:10.4137/nmi.s27481 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Nunes, E. A., D'Souza, A. C., Steen, J. P., & Phillips, S. M. (2025) · Clinical Nutrition ESPEN · doi:10.1016/j.clnesp.2025.03.012 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Fitzpatrick, K. C. (2011) · Omega-3 Oils · doi:10.1016/b978-1-893997-82-0.50013-x · Cited by 8 · see citing works
- Authors
- Burdge, G. C., & Calder, P. C.
- Affiliations
- University of Southampton (GB)
- Venue
- Reproduction Nutrition Development
- Publisher
- EDP Sciences
- Published
- 2005-09
- Volume
- 45
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 581-597
- ISSN
- 0003-388X (ISSN-L)
- 0926-5287
- 1297-9708
- OpenAlex
- W2158369256
- Cited by
- 939
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 45 · 2025: 46 · 2024: 34 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 36 · 2020: 53 · 2019: 44 · 2018: 50 · 2017: 50 · 2016: 60 · 2015: 56 · 2014: 48 · 2013: 64 · 2012: 58
- FWCI
- 20.79
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hal.science
- Licence
- other-oa
- Locations
- annales de biologie animale biochimie biophysique (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Fatty Acid Research and Health
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biochemistry › Lipid metabolism and biosynthesis
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Aquatic Science › Aquaculture Nutrition and Growth
- Keywords
- alpha-linolenic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, fatty acid desaturation, delta-6 desaturase, sex differences, estrogen, fatty acid beta-oxidation, dietary fatty acid intake, adults, plasma lipids, breast milk
- MeSH terms
- Biological Availability, Docosahexaenoic Acids, Estrogens, Fatty Acids, Unsaturated, Female, Humans, Male, Nutritional Requirements, Oxidation-Reduction, Sex Factors, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, alpha-Linolenic Acid
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
