Fatty Acid Structure Dietary Source Function/Mechanism Implication References Omega-3 Fatty Acids α-linolenic acid, ALA C18:3n3 Plant oils linseed oil, kiwifruit oil, chia seed oil,  flaxseed oil, canola (rapeseed) oil, soybean, purslane, walnuts anti-inflammatory antioxidant hypocholesterolemic hypolipidemic hypotensive vasoconstrictive ↓ oxidative stress ↓ oxidation ↓ inflammation ↓ platelet aggregation [26-33] Eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA C20:5n3 Oily fish, fish oil, certain seaweeds, human breast milk antioxidant anti-inflammatory hypotensive improved insulin sensitivity ↓ oxidative stress ↓ oxidation ↓ inflammation [34-38] Docosahexaenoic acid, DHA C22:6n3 Cold water fish, metabolic synthesis from EPA anti-inflammatory hypolipidemic ↓ decline in mental function in Alzheimer’s disease ↑ cognition ↑ visual acuity ↓ colon carcinoma cell growth [39-46] Omega-6 Fatty Acids Linoleic acid, LA C18:3n6 Corn, peanut, soybean, cottonseed, other plant oils ↑ vascular adhesion molecule-1 expression ↑ oxidation ↑ inflammation [47-51] Arachidonicacid, AA C20:4n6 Meat, eggs, dairy products ↑ platelet aggregation ↑ vasoconstriction ↑ eicosanoid synthesis ↑ inflammation ↑ vascular damage ↑ oxidative stress [52,53] Omega-9 Fatty Acids Oleicacid, OA C18:1n9 Olive oil, macadamia oil hypolipidemic hypotensive iatherogenicity ↓ LDL cholesterol ↓ LDL cholesterol oxidation vasoprotective improved lipid profile [54-56] Nervonic acid C24:1n9 King salmon, yellow mustard seed, flaxseed nerve cell myelin biosynthesis ↓ obesity-related risk factors for CVD [57]

Table 1: Structure, dietary source, mechanism and implications of select omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids.