News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Study links omega-3s to improved brain structure, cognition at midlife. Parent comment

Re:Study links omega-3s to improved brain structure, cogniti... by Mordisquitos on Friday October 07, 2022 @12:30AM (#33117459)
You're probably thinking of land-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids, such as linseed, which are indeed composed only of ALA. Algae oil, on the other hand, is rich in EPA and DHA. In fact, fish themselves don't synthesise their own EPA but obtain it from the algae they (or their prey) feed on.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Study links omega-3s to improved brain structure, cogniti... by TekMol on Friday October 07, 2022 @12:48AM (#33117560)
Do you have a source for this, that fish do not create their own EPA but obtain it from algae?
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Study links omega-3s to improved brain structure, cogniti... by jbernsteiniv on Friday October 07, 2022 @01:11AM (#33117669)
"Marine Cryptophytes are Great Sources of DHA and EPA" - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5793051/

"Like humans, fish obtain EPA and DHA from their diet, basically from microalgae, some of which could be used in commercial PUFA production."

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Study links omega-3s to improved brain structure, cogniti... by adrian_b on Friday October 07, 2022 @03:38AM (#33118425)
Few fish eat directly unicellular algae or other unicellular protists, which are indeed the main producers of DHA and EPA.

Those unicellular living beings are normally eaten by small animals, e.g. copepods, which are eaten by small fish, which are eaten by big fish.

Thus all of them get the required DHA and EPA.

[ Parent | on HN ]