Marine omega-3 phospholipids: metabolism and biological activities

Int J Mol Sci. 2012 Nov 21;13(11):15401-19. doi: 10.3390/ijms131115401.

Abstract

The biological activities of omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 FAs) have been under extensive study for several decades. However, not much attention has been paid to differences of dietary forms, such as triglycerides (TGs) versus ethyl esters or phospholipids (PLs). New innovative marine raw materials, like krill and fish by-products, present n-3 FAs mainly in the PL form. With their increasing availability, new evidence has emerged on n-3 PL biological activities and differences to n-3 TGs. In this review, we describe the recently discovered nutritional properties of n-3 PLs on different parameters of metabolic syndrome and highlight their different metabolic bioavailability in comparison to other dietary forms of n-3 FAs.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aquatic Organisms / metabolism
  • Cosmetics
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Esters
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / chemistry
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / metabolism*
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / therapeutic use
  • Food Industry
  • Humans
  • Phospholipids / chemistry
  • Phospholipids / classification
  • Phospholipids / metabolism*
  • Phospholipids / therapeutic use
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Triglycerides / chemistry

Substances

  • Cosmetics
  • Esters
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3
  • Phospholipids
  • Triglycerides