Can Fatty acids ingestion alter our inflammatory response to rheumatic disease?
Yes. FAs are essential to the human diet, with omega-3 and omega-6 FAs being the two major groups. FAs are responsible for the composition of the phospholipids in cellular membranes, and thus these membranes can be altered by dietary intake of omega-3 or omega-6 FA. Additionally, FAs are the precursors for LTs and PGs, the agents (among many) responsible for our inflammatory response. Omega-3 FAs are the precursors of PGE3 and LTB5, which are less inflammatory than PGE2 and LTB4 that come from omega-6 FA. Long-chain omega-3 FAs (Krill oil, fish [salmon] oil) are more effective than short-chain omega-3 FAs (plant oil, e.g., flaxseed). The recommended dose for dietary supplements containing long-chain omega-3 FA is 2000 mg/day (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid combined) for a safe antiinflammatory effect.