Fish lipids: more than n-3 fatty acids?
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Updated: Jul 30, 2026

NMR Spectroscopy as a Robust Tool for the Rapid Evaluation of the Lipid Profile of Fish Oil Supplements
Published on: May 1, 2017
1Norwegian Herring Meal and Oil Industry Research Institute, Fyllingsdalen, Norway. ssf@nippy1.rn.mbs.no
Abstract:
Recent studies have shown that marine oils rich in long-chain (C20 and C22) fatty acids (i.e. certain natural marine oils and partially hydrogenated fish oil) may affect the haemostatic balance in a favourable way with regard to coronary heart disease. Such fats have also been found to increase the content of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid = C20:5 n-3) and to decrease the content of arachidonic acid (C20:4 n-6) in blood lipids, thus affecting the ratio of C20:4 n-6 to C20:5 n-3 in a favourable way with regard to eicosanoid production. It is therefore likely that the positive effects of long-chain monoenoic fatty acids on haemostasis are due to increased synthesis of long-chain essential n-3 fatty acids. According to recent theories the final steps in the synthesis of long-chain essential fatty acids occur in the peroxisomes, which also have a controlling function in essential fatty acid synthesis. Long-chain monoenoic fatty acids are known to enhance peroxisomal beta-oxidation. An hypothesis is therefore advanced that marine oils rich in long-chain monoenoic fatty acids improve haemostasis in a favourable way with regard to coronary heart disease through increased peroxisomal beta-oxidation and increased synthesis of long-chain n-3 fatty acids.
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