N6 and N3 Fatty Acid
Imbalance
Zahra Farazandeh
Genetic, Environment, Disease1
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Genetic factors
predispose us to disease
Environment determines
if genetically predisposed
people are effected by
the disease
Nutrition is an
environmental factor
Genetics influence
nutrition and nutrition
influences gene
expression
library.think
quest.org
Change in Diet1
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Agriculture – 10,000 years ago
Dramatically changed the human diet
The modern Western diet changed
dramatically in past 50 years
Human DNA rate of change = .5% per
million years
Our DNA has not changed to adapt to our
dietary change
How?
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We are eating more
saturated fat, trans fat,
and omega 6 fatty acids,
increased grains, reduced
fruits and vegetables
We are feeding our
animals grains
The ratio of omega 6 to
omega 3 fatty acids
changed from 1:1 to 10:1
or even 20:11
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Inflammation!
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Inflammation is part of the bodies defence
mechanism
However, chronic inflammation of blood vessels
leads to Atherosclerosis
N6 fatty acids such as arachidonic acid induces
inflammatory mediators such as prostoglandins,
leukotrienes, cytokines
DHA and EPA (n3 fatty aicds) down regulate the
effects of n6 fatty acids.
The balance is necessary to resolve
inflammation.
Research
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In vivo studies show decreased
inflammation and atherosclerosis from
omega 3 supplementation2
Increased inflammatory markers from
diets high in omega 6 fatty acids3
Varying N6/N34
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4 groups of
atherosclerosis genetically
susceptible mice fed
varying ratios of N6/N3
fatty acids: .29,1.43, 5, 8
Group 1 with the lowest
amount of N6 had lower
LDL and TG levels, higher
HDL levels and lowest
degree of atherosclerosis
Research
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Some studies did not find any significant
difference in inflammatory markers when
adding omega 3 supplementation5
No oxidative damage of DNA in study
supplementing omega 66
Reasons for Discrepancies
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Amounts of fatty acids supplemented
Types of damage , if it didn’t show DNA
damage it doesn’t mean there isn’t
damage to cell or increased inflammation
What were the baseline N6/N3 ratios
consumed before study?
Conclusion
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Dramatic change in diet such as the N6 and N3
ratio
Genome has not changed to adapt
Current nutrition environment affects expression
of disease such as atherosclerosis
Research does show decrease in inflammation
and atherosclerosis with not only omega 3
supplementation, but correcting the ratio with
omega 6 fatty acids as well
 How
can we vary take control of
our dietary fat balance?
References
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Simopoulos, Artemis PP. Evolutionary Aspects of Diet: The Omega-6/Omega-3 Ratio and the
Brain". Molecular Neurobiology. 2011; 44 (2): 203-215.
von Schacky, C, Angerer P, Kothny W, Theisen K, Mudra H. The effect of dietary omega-3 fatty
acids on coronary atherosclerosis. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Annals of
internal medicine. 1999; 130 (7):554-562.
Turpeinen, A M, Basu S, Mutanen M . A high linoleic acid diet increases oxidative stress in vivo
and affects nitric oxide metabolism in humans. Prostaglandins, leukotrienes and essential fatty
acids. 1998; 59 (3):229-233.
Yamashita, T, Oda E, Sano T, et al. Varying the ratio of dietary nˆ́’6 nˆ́’3 polyunsaturated fatty
acid alters the tendency to thrombosis and progress of atherosclerosis in apoEˆ́’ ˆ́’ LDLRˆ́’ ˆ́’
double knockout mouse. Thrombosis research. 2005; 116 (5):393-401.
Petersson H, Rise´rus U*, McMonagle J et al. Effects of dietary fat modification on oxidative
stress and inflammatory markers in the LIPGENE study. British journal of nutrition ; 104 (9):
1357-1362.
de Kok TMCM, Zwingmana I, Moonena EJ. Analysis of oxidative DNA damage after human dietary
supplementation with linoleic acid. Food and chemical toxicology ; 41 (3):351-358