The Clinical Benefits of DPA in Fish Oil

Bill Hogarth, DC, MBS | January 16, 2020 | Wellness As functional medicine providers, we know that omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil have many benefits. The health benefits include inflammatory balance, cardiovascular fitness, brain health, and normal growth and development. We have learned that these benefits come from EPA and DHA. However, new research shows that many of the benefits attributed to EPA or DHA may actually be from a lesser-known omega-3, docosapentaenoic acid or DPA.Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are considered essential, although in theory, we should be able to make these from their short-chain fatty acids, alpha linolenic acid (ALA) for EPA, DPA and DHA, and linoleic acid (LA) for omega-6s. In humans, the conversion of long-chain fatty acids from short-chain fatty acids is poor, making it necessary for us to consume them as long chain fatty acids. In the recent past, we would consume close to equal amounts of omega-3s and omega-6s in our diet as both short-chain and l...