ABSTRACT
There is a considerable body of evidence suggesting the beneficial health effects of seafood and marine oil consumption. These findings have long been attributed to their long-chain polyunsaturated omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids comprised mainly of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)1. The earliest reports of these findings were cross-cultural epidemiological studies involving Greenland Inuits and Danish settlers, which showed that the traditional Greenlandic diet, rich in marine mammals and fish, significantly reduced the incidence of cardiovascular diseases2. Although the mechanisms by which marine n-3 fatty acids exert their cardioprotective effects are
Fereidoon Shahidi and H. Miraliakbari Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada
not fully understood, it appears that EPA and DHA can reduce the likelihood of fatal arrhythmias3 by altering the myocyte membrane fatty acid composition4, among others. Larger doses of EPA and DHA have been shown to lower serum triacylglycerol levels and reduce platelet aggregation6. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids have also been shown to act as disease-modifying agents in several human diseases including arthritis, cancer, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and mental diseases6.
