Fish oils in the diet have anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular benefits due to an abundance of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).1 DHA is the most abundant ω-3 PUFA in neural tissues, especially in the retina and brain. DHA ethyl ester is the stabilized ethyl ester form of the ω-3 22:6 fatty acid. Dietary intake of DHA ethyl ester enhances maze-learning ability in old mice.2 In rats, dietary DHA ethyl ester increases plasma and erythrocyte membrane DHA levels without altering the content of the ω-6 arachidonic acid.3 Dietary DHA ethyl ester increases fatty acid oxidation enzymes in rats and, in humans with peroxisomal disorders, improves vision, liver function, muscle tone, and social contact.4,5 The ω-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid competitively inhibits the metabolism of arachidonic acid by COX enzymes, suggesting that DHA ethyl ester may also directly modulate the actions of enzymes involved in fatty acid metabolism.6
References
1. von Schacky, C. A review of omega-3 ethyl esters for cardiovascular prevention and treatment of increased blood triglyceride levels. Vascular Health and Risk Management 2(3), 251-262 (2006).
2. Lim, S.Y., and Suzuki, H. Intakes of dietary docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester and egg phosphatidylcholine improve maze-learning ability in young and old mice. Journal of Nutrition 130, 1629-1632 (2000).
3. Valenzuela, A., Valenzuela, V., Sanhueza, J., et al. Effects of supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester and sn-2 docosahexaenyl monoacylglyceride on plasma and erythrocyte fatty acids in rats. Annuals of Nutrition and Metabolism 49, 49-53 (2005).
4. Hong, D.D., Takahashi, Y., Kushiro, M., et al. Divergent effects of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid ethyl esters, and fish oil on hepatic fatty acid oxidation in the rat. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 1635, 29-36 (2003).
5. Martinez, M., VÁzquez, E., GarcÍa-Silva, M.T., et al. Therapeutic effects of docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester in patients with generalized peroxisomal disorders. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 71, 376S-385S (2000).
6. Wada, M., DeLong, C.J., Hong, Y.H., et al. Enzymes and receptors of prostaglandin pathways with arachidonic acid-derived versus eicosapentaenoic acid-derived substrates and products. J. Biol. Chem. 282(31), 22254-22266 (2007).