Assessing the environment for regulatory change for eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid nutrition labeling
Amy M Brownawell,
William S Harris,
Joseph R Hibbeln,
David M Klurfeld,
Ian Newton, Allison Yates,
Corresponding Author
Amy M Brownawell
Life Sciences Research Office, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
AM Brownawell, Life Sciences Research Office, 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814-3998, USA. E-mail: [email protected], Phone: +1-301-634-7030, Fax: +1-301-634-7876.Search for more papers by this authorWilliam S Harris
University of South Dakota School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
Search for more papers by this authorJoseph R Hibbeln
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
Search for more papers by this authorDavid M Klurfeld
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
Search for more papers by this authorAllison Yates
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
Search for more papers by this authorAmy M Brownawell,
William S Harris,
Joseph R Hibbeln,
David M Klurfeld,
Ian Newton, Allison Yates,
Corresponding Author
Amy M Brownawell
Life Sciences Research Office, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
AM Brownawell, Life Sciences Research Office, 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814-3998, USA. E-mail: [email protected], Phone: +1-301-634-7030, Fax: +1-301-634-7876.Search for more papers by this authorWilliam S Harris
University of South Dakota School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
Search for more papers by this authorJoseph R Hibbeln
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
Search for more papers by this authorDavid M Klurfeld
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
Search for more papers by this authorAllison Yates
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
Search for more papers by this authorFirst published: 26 June 2009
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the individual authors and not those of their respective government agencies or organizations.
Abstract
This review examines issues related to the development of a recommended daily allowance or adequate intake, two of the categories of dietary reference intakes, for the long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 PUFAs), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n-3), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3). Although some have suggested a dietary intake of two servings of fatty fish per week or supplement intake of 500 mg/day EPA plus DHA, based on evidence from epidemiologic and clinical studies of cardiovascular benefit from regular fish or fish-oil consumption, supplementation with EPA and/or DHA may also have antidepressant and mood-stabilizing effects. Omega-3 PUFA biology is complex and chronic disease outcomes are sometimes difficult to prove, yet the possibility of benefit for a substantial portion of the population from increased omega-3 PUFA intake is a public health issue that must be addressed responsibly and be based on significant scientific evidence.
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