Omega-3 fatty acids and human health: why strong claims remain on fragile consensus

Omega-3 (ω-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) consumption remains widespread despite inconsistent reported health benefits. This review discusses multiple issues related to the efficiency of ω-3 PUFAs on human health including factors driving ω-3 PUFAs bioavailability and growing concerns about product quality.

Recent clinical research reports ω-3 PUFAs benefits in various areas including cardiometabolic health, inflammation, cognitive protection, pregnancy outcomes, cancer and certain neuropsychiatric conditions. However, effects on healthy individuals and dietary recommendations need stronger clinical evidence. Heterogeneity in supplementation response involves genetic variability, microbiome, oxidative stress, diet and differences in supplementation protocols. Moreover, some of ω-3 PUFAs products are prone to significant oxidative degradation which can drastically reduce health benefits while possibly being detrimental. Yet ω-3 PUFAs oxidation status of products remains rarely reported and the effects of long-term consumption of oxidized lipids in humans still need to be established.

Future clinical practices and research should shift toward biomarker-guided and personalized ω-3 PUFAs intervention strategies with mandatory prerequisite knowledge about product quality, e.g. dietary supplements and ω-3 PUFAs rich/fortified foods, and baseline blood-based ω-3 PUFAs nutritional status. Standardized reporting of formulation, oxidation status, and participant baseline characteristics is essential to clarify dose-response relationships and optimize therapeutic efficacy of ω-3 PUFAs.