Faculty of dentistry

Pharos University in Alexandria (PUA)

Biochemistry
Omega fatty acid
By
Zoheir Helal (ID:202302723)
Malak Mohamed (ID: 202302729)
Omar Youssef (ID: 202302728)
Moustfa El-Gengy(ID:20232645)

Supervisor: Dr. Tamer Alshafie

October 2023

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 Contects Pages

Definition 3

Type 5

Structure 7

Food source 9

Importance 11

Reference 13

Figures Pages
Figure 1 4
Figure 2 4
Figure 3 6
Figure 4 6
Figure 5 7
Figure 6 7
Figure 7 8

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 Definition of fatty acid

 fatty acids can be defined as carboxylic acids with long aliphatic chains
that can either be branched or unbranched and each fatty acid contain
from16 to 20 carbons by in even number not in odd number.

Figure 1
Definition of omega fatty acid

 Omega fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats. A fatty acid is a long string of
carbon atoms. An unsaturated fat is distinguished from a saturated fat by
the presence of a double bond in that carbon string. When fats have more
than two double bonds, they are called polyunsaturated.
 Omega 3 fatty acids are one of the important fats that our body needs for
various processes but cannot make from scratch. Our body gets omega 3
fatty acids from different types of foods.

Figure2

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 Type

 There are three type of omega fatty acid:

1. Omega-3 fatty acid
2. Omega-6 fatty acid
3. Omega-9 fatty acid
There is another classification for the three type of fatty acid is according to
if it monounsaturated fats or polyunsaturated fats:
 Monounsaturated(MUFA)  Omega-9
 Polyunsaturated(PUFA)  Omega-3 and Omega-6

To understand this classification, we should understand the meaning of

unsaturated. So, Unsaturated fats contain one or more double or triple bonds
between the molecules.
After we understand the meaning of unsaturated fats lets understand the
monounsaturated. The monounsaturated is subclass of fatty acid
characterized by having a double bond in the fatty acid chain with all of the
remaining carbon atoms being single-bond While the polyunsaturated is a
subclass of fatty acid characterized by a backbone with two or more carbon–
carbon double bonds.
 There are three type of omega-3 fatty acid:
1. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
2. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
3. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
1. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA):
 α-Linolenic acid, also known as alpha-Linolenic acid, is an n−3, or
omega-3, essential fatty acid. ALA is found in many seeds and oils,
including flaxseed, walnuts, chia, hemp, and many common vegetable
oils. In terms of its structure, it is named all-cis-9,12,15-
octadecatrienoic acid like the structure in figure (3).
 It is necessary for normal human growth and development. Alpha-
linolenic acid is thought to decrease the risk of heart disease by
helping to maintain normal heart rhythm and pumping.

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 Figure 3

2. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA):

 Eicosapentaenoic acid is an omega-3 fatty acid. In physiological

literature, it is given the name 20:5. It also has the trivial name
timnodonic acid.
 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) Omega-3 fatty acids are part of a
healthy diet that helps lower risk of heart disease. Getting more
EPA in your diet has positive effects on coronary heart disease,
high triglycerides (fats in the blood), high blood pressure, and
inflammation.

Figure 4

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 3. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA):
 An omega-3 fatty acid found in cold-water, fatty fish, such as
salmon. It is also found in fish oil supplements, along with
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Vegetarian sources of DHA come
from seaweed. Omega-3 fatty acids are good for your heart, and
your body needs DHA for a healthy brain.

Figure 5

Figure 6

 There are Two type for omega-6 Fatty acid:

1. Arachidonic acid

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 2. Lionolic acid

 There is one type for omega-9 Fatty acid:

1. Oleic acid

Structure
1) Omega-3 Fatty acid:
An omega−3 fatty acid is a fatty acid with multiple double bonds, where
the first double bond is between the third and fourth carbon atoms from
the end of the carbon atom chain. "Short-chain" omega−3 fatty acids
have a chain of 18 carbon atoms or less, while "long-chain" omega−3
fatty acids have a chain of 20 or more.

2) Omega-6 Fatty acid:

The n-6 fatty acids are a class of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)
characterized by the presence of two or more cis-double bonds, with the
position of the first double bond six carbon atoms from the methyl end of
the molecule.

3) Omega-9 Fatty acid:

Omega-9 FAs (ω−9 FAs or n−9 FAs) are group of unsaturated FAs that
have a double bond in the 9th position from the methyl end. They are
either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated.

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 Figure 7

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 Food Sources

 Omega-3 fatty acid

Here is a list of 4 foods that are very high in omega-3:
1. Mackerel (4,580 mg per serving)
 Mackerel are small fatty fish. In many countries, they are
commonly smoked and eaten as whole fillets
 Omega-3 content: 4,580 mg of EPA and DHA (combined) in 3.5
oz (100 g).
2. Salmon (2,150 mg per serving)
 Salmon is one of the most nutrient-dense foods.
 Studies show that people who regularly eat fatty fish such as
salmon have a lower risk of conditions such as heart disease,
dementia, and depression.
 Omega-3 content: 2,150 mg of EPA and DHA (combined) in 3.5
oz (100 g).
3. Cod liver oil (2,438 mg per serving)
 Cod liver oil is more of a supplement than a food.
 As the name implies, it’s an oil extracted from the livers of cod
fish. Therefore, taking just 1 tablespoon of cod liver oil more than
satisfies your need for three essential nutrients.
 But don’t take more than 1 tablespoon at a time, as too much
vitamin A can be harmful.
 Omega-3 content: 2,438 mg of EPA and DHA (combined) per
tablespoon.
4. Herring (2,150 mg per serving)
 Herring is a medium-sized oily fish.
 It is often cold-smoked, pickled, or precooked and sold as a canned
snack.
 Omega-3 content: 2,150 mg of EPA and DHA (combined) in 3.5 oz
(100 g).

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  Omega-6 Fatty acid
Are found in various foods like vegetable oils (soybean, sunflower,
corn), nuts (walnuts, pine nuts), seeds (flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds),
and certain meats. Balancing omega-6 intake with omega-3 is
important for a healthy diet.

 Omega-9 Fatty acid

Omega-9 fatty acids are primarily produced by the body, so they're
not considered essential in the diet. However, you can find them in
foods like olive oil, almonds, avocados, and nuts.

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 Importance

 Omega fatty acids, particularly Omega-3 and Omega-6, are crucial for
various bodily functions. They support heart health, brain function, eye
health, and help reduce inflammation. These fatty acids are considered
essential as the body can't produce them, so obtaining them through diet
or supplements is vital for overall well-being. Omega-3s, found in fish,
flaxseeds, and walnuts, are especially renowned for their numerous
health benefits.

 Omega-9 benefits the heart, brain and overall well-being when consumed
and produced in moderation. Here are three key omega-9 benefits to your
health.

1. May Help Reduce the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke

Research has shown that omega-9 fatty acids can help reduce the risk of
cardiovascular disease and stroke. Omega-9 benefits heart health because
omega-9s have been shown to increase HDL cholesterol (the good
cholesterol) and decrease LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol). This
may help eliminate plaque buildup in the arteries, which we know as one
of the causes of heart attacks and strokes.

2.May Benefit Those with Alzheimer’s Erucic acid is a monounsaturated

omega-9 fatty acid found in fats like mustard oil. Studies show that it
may normalize the accumulation of very long chain fatty acids in the
brains of patients suffering from X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD),
which is a serious genetic disorder affecting the adrenal glands, spinal
cord and nervous system. It’s possible that mustard oil enhances
cognitive function therefore enhancing memory impairment.

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 Omega-6 fatty acids are also essential, so you need to obtain them from
your diet
They mainly provide energy. The most common omega-6 fat is linoleic
acid, which the body can convert to longer omega-6 fats such as
arachidonic acid (AA).
Like EPA, AA produces eicosanoids. However, the eicosanoids that AA
produces are more pro-inflammatory.
Pro-inflammatory eicosanoids play a key role in the immune system.
However, when the body produces too many, they can increase the risk
of inflammation and inflammatory disease (29Trusted Source).
A healthy ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids appears to be between
1-to-1 and 4-to-1 (30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source), but studies
suggest that people who follow a typical Western diet may consume a
ratio of between 15-to-1 and almost 17-to-1
Some omega-6 fatty acids have shown benefits in treating symptoms of
chronic disease.
Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is an omega-6 fatty acid found in certain
oils, such as: evening primrose oil and borage oil. When consumed, much
of it is converted to another fatty acid called dihomo-gamma-linolenic
acid (DGLA).
Research suggests that GLA and DGLA may have some health benefits.
For example, GLA may help reduce symptoms of inflammatory
conditions.

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 Reference

 Robert S. Lees, Omega-3 fatty acid in health and disease, Marcel Dekker,
New York, 1990

 Claudio Calli, Dietary w3 and w6 Fatty Acid Biological Effects and

Nutritional Essentiality, Plenum Press, Belgirate (Italy), 1988

 EKB (Egyptian Knowledge Bank)

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