Various organizations worldwide have made dietary recommendations for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and fish intake that are primarily for coronary disease risk reduction and triglyceride (TG) lowering. Recommendations also have been made for DHA intake for pregnant women, infants, and vegetarians/vegans. A Dietary Reference Intake (DRI), specifically, an Adequate Intake (AI), has been set for alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of The National Academies. This amount is based on an intake that supports normal growth and neural development and results in no nutrient deficiency. Although there is no DRI for EPA and DHA, the National Academies have recommended that approximately 10% of the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR) for ALA can be consumed as EPA and/or DHA. This recommendation represents current mean intake for EPA and DHA in the United States ( approximately 100mg/day), which is much lower than what many groups worldwide are currently recommending. Global recommendations for long-chain omega-3 fatty acids underscore the pressing need to establish DRIs for DHA and EPA because DRIs are recognized as the "official" standard by which federal agencies issue dietary guidance or policy directives for the health and well-being of individuals in the United States and Canada. Because of the many health benefits of DHA and EPA, it is important and timely that the National Academies establish DRIs for the individual long-chain (20 carbons or greater) omega-3 fatty acids.
Bourre JM. Bourre JM. Biomed Pharmacother. 2007 Feb-Apr;61(2-3):105-12. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2006.09.015. Epub 2007 Jan 2. Biomed Pharmacother. 2007. PMID: 17254747 Review.
Koletzko B, Uauy R, Palou A, Kok F, Hornstra G, Eilander A, Moretti D, Osendarp S, Zock P, Innis S. Koletzko B, et al. Br J Nutr. 2010 Mar;103(6):923-8. doi: 10.1017/S0007114509991851. Epub 2010 Feb 26. Br J Nutr. 2010. PMID: 20187993
Rupp H, Wagner D, Rupp T, Schulte LM, Maisch B. Rupp H, et al. Herz. 2004 Nov;29(7):673-85. doi: 10.1007/s00059-004-2602-4. Herz. 2004. PMID: 15580322 Review.
Holub BJ. Holub BJ. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2009 Aug-Sep;81(2-3):199-204. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2009.05.016. Epub 2009 Jul 9. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2009. PMID: 19545988 Review.
Brownawell AM, Harris WS, Hibbeln JR, Klurfeld DM, Newton I, Yates A. Brownawell AM, et al. Nutr Rev. 2009 Jul;67(7):391-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00212.x. Nutr Rev. 2009. PMID: 19566599 Review.
Song Y, Wang F, Chen L, Zhang W. Song Y, et al. Mar Drugs. 2024 May 9;22(5):216. doi: 10.3390/md22050216. Mar Drugs. 2024. PMID: 38786607 Free PMC article. Review.
Bodkowski R, Wierzbicki H, Mucha A, Cholewińska P, Wojnarowski K, Patkowska-Sokoła B. Bodkowski R, et al. Sci Rep. 2024 May 14;14(1):10968. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-61864-z. Sci Rep. 2024. PMID: 38745072 Free PMC article.
Monteiro JP, Domingues MR, Calado R. Monteiro JP, et al. Mar Drugs. 2024 Jan 30;22(2):73. doi: 10.3390/md22020073. Mar Drugs. 2024. PMID: 38393044 Free PMC article. Review.
Różanowska MB. Różanowska MB. Antioxidants (Basel). 2023 Dec 13;12(12):2111. doi: 10.3390/antiox12122111. Antioxidants (Basel). 2023. PMID: 38136230 Free PMC article. Review.
Falch E. Falch E. Foods. 2023 Nov 10;12(22):4078. doi: 10.3390/foods12224078. Foods. 2023. PMID: 38002136 Free PMC article.