Modem Agriculture and Aquaculture and the n-6/n-3 Balance

Abstract

Over the past 10 years, epidemiologic studies, animal studies and clinical investigations indicate that n-3 fatty acids are essential for normal growth and development of human beings. n-3 fatty acids are found in human milk whereas cow’s milk does not contain n-3 fatty acids. n-3 fatty acids have hypolipidemic, antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory properties that contribute to the prevention and treatment of heart disease and hypertension. n-3 fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have beneficial effects in the treatment of a number of autoimmune diseases and disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis (and possibly lupus erythematosus), ulcerative colitis and psoriasis, and decrease the size and number of tumors in a variety of animal models. In epidemiologic studies, fish-eating populations have lower death rates from cardiovascular disease, except in situations where the saturated fat intake is high.^1–2