The endogenous ω-6 / ω-3 ratio an important factor influencing the health effects of ω-3 PUFAs
1Zou Bo,2Kang Jingxuan,1 2Wang Bin
1 Department of Nutrition Shenzhen Longgang Central Hospital Shenzhen 518116 Guangdong China
2
Laboratory for Lipid Medicine
and Technology Department of Medicine Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School Boston MA 02129 USA
Abstract：ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids PUFAs are essential structural and functional nutrients in humans with numerous
studies demonstrating their lipid - lowering anti - inflammatory cardiovascular protective and tumor microenvironment - improving
effects. However the inconsistent results from ω-3 PUFAs intervention trials hinder their widespread application in medical guidelines
and limit their clinical use in disease management. As another class of polyunsaturated fatty acids ω-6 PUFAs are commonly found in
excess in global diets leading to an imbalance in the ω- 6 / ω- 3 ratio and potentially impeding the health effects of ω- 3 PUFAs.
Research has shown that high ω-6 / ω-3 ratios may hinder the beneficial effects of ω-3 PUFAs and are closely associated with the
development of numerous chronic diseases due to cellular membrane structure competition and metabolic interference between ω-6 and
ω-3 PUFAs. This review analyzes the interaction between ω-3 and ω-6 PUFAs in the body and highlights the importance of the ω-6 /
ω-3 ratio in modulating the effects of ω-3 PUFAs. Furthermore it emphasizes that the oversight of the ω-6 / ω-3 ratio in previous
ω-3 PUFAs studies may be a key reason for inconsistent results suggesting the need to standardize research protocols and include the
ω-6 / ω-3 ratio as a quality control parameter to objectively elucidate the health effects of ω-3 PUFAs and promote their standardized
application in disease management.
