Balance of Omega-6/Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids Is Important for Health The Evidence from Gene Transfer Studies

摘要

The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids in today's Western diets is around 15-20:1, indicating that modern diets are deficient in omega-3 fatty acids but too high in omega-6 fatty acids compared with the diet on which humans evolved andtheir genetic patterns were established (omega-6/omega-3 = 1:1) [1,2]. This is the consequence of modern agriculture, agribusiness and aquaculture with excessive production of vegetable oils, the emphasis on grain feeds, and processed foods [1-3]. The lipid pattern of our diets renders our tissues very high in omega-6 fatty acids. Since this change in dietary omega-6/omega-3 ratio occurred within too short a time to affect genetic adaptation significantly, we do not have the gene capable of converting omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. As a result, a high omega—6/omega—3 ratio exists in our body tissues. The high omega—6/omega—3 ratio may contribute to the high prevalence of many modern diseases (heart disease, cancer, etc.) [4], and appears to be a major problem of modern nutrition.