ABSTRACT
As in many animal studies, human studies have shown that ALA is potentially important as a source of ω3 polyunsaturates, especially in vegetarians and those preferring not to eat fish. The efficacy of its conversion to eicosapentaenoate (EPA; 20:5ω3) and docosahexaenoate (DHA; 22:6ω3) is an ongoing controversy. Another controversy relates to whether ALA has health attributes without being converted to EPA or DHA. Research with traditional high-ALA flaxseed and flaxseed oil suggests that ALA may have an important but, as yet, ill-defined protective role against degenerative Western diseases, particularly cancer and coronary heart disease. This role may be independent of its conversion to EPA and DHA.
