A workshop took place in 1999 in regard to the essentiality and RDI's of the
omega-6 and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Thought it might be of interest.
Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC
http://www.issfal.org.uk/adequateintakes.htm
"The Workshop on the Essentiality of and Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDI)
for Omega-6 and Omega-3 Fatty Acids was held at The Cloisters, National
Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, April 7-9, 1999. The
workshop was sponsored by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism-NIH, the Office of Dietary Supplements-NIH, The Center for
Genetics, Nutrition and Health, and the International Society for the Study
of Fatty Acids and Lipids; and cosponsored by several industry groups. (BASF
Corp., USA; BASF Health and Nutrition A/S; Bestfoods; ENRECO; F. Hoffmann-La
Roche, Ltd.; Groupe Danone; Kraft Foods, Inc.; Martek Biosciences
Corporation; Mead Johnson Nutritionals; Ocean Nutrition Canada, Ltd.;
OmegaTech, Inc.; Pronova Biocare; and Roche Vitamins, Inc.)
The workshop participants consisted of investigators of the role of essential
fatty acids in infant nutrition, cardiovascular disease, and mental health.
The first two areas were selected because they are the ones where extensive
studies involving animal models, clinical intervention trials, and
biochemical and physiologic mechanisms and their function have been carried
out relative to omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. The role of essential fatty
acids in mental health is a new, but promising research area.
The workshop was truly international in nature bringing together scientists
from academia, government, international organizations, and industry, from
Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, United
Kingdom, and the United States.
The first two days of the workshop consisted of presentations and extensive
discussions. The format of the workshop was Round Table permitting extensive
discussion following individual presentations and at the completion of each
session.....
One recommendation deserves explanation here. After much discussion consensus
was reached on the importance of reducing the omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty
acids (PUFAs) even as the omega-3 PUFAs are increased in the diet of adults
and newborns for optimal brain and cardiovascular health and function. This
is necessary to reduce adverse effects of excesses of arachidonic acid and
its eicosanoid products. Such excesses can occur when too much LA and AA are
present in the diet and an adequate supply of dietary omega-3 fatty acids is
not available. The adverse effects of too much arachidonic acid and its
eicosanoids can be avoided by two interdependent dietary changes. First, the
amount of plant oils rich in LA, the parent compound of the omega-6 class,
which is converted to AA, needs to be reduced. Second, simultaneously the
omega-3 PUFAs need to be increased in the diet. LA can be converted to
arachidonic acid and the enzyme....
The Working Group endorsed the addition of the principal long chain
polyunsaturates, AA and DHA, to all infant formulas.
EPA is a natural constituent of breast milk, but in amounts more than 0.1% in
infant formula may antagonize AA and interfere with infant growth."
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