• Review • Previous Articles     Next Articles

#br# Omega-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular diseases

#br# CHENG Di, LIN Lin, DU Rui, LU Jie-li   


  1. Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Clinical Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
  • Online:2016-08-29 Published:2016-08-31
  • Supported by:

    National Natural Science Foundation of China, 81370960;Shanghai Municipal Education Commission—Gaofeng Clinical Medicine Grant Support,20152202

Abstract:

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are essential fatty acids that cannot be synthesized in human body. The effects of omega-3 fatty acids are closely associated with the bioactivity of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Considerable research suggested that omega-3 fatty acids can improve the cardiovascular diseases. However, some studies obtained conflictive results in recent years. This article reviews major dietary sources and synthesis pathways of omega-3 fatty acids and discusses their effects on cardiovascular risk factors, the clinical evidence of cardiovascular protective effect, as well as mechanisms.

Key words: omega-3, docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, cardiovascular disease