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About EPA

EPA or eicosapentaenoic acid is one of the three main omega-3 fatty acids. The body can synthesize it from alpha-linolenic acid, but converting short-chain omega-3 fatty acids into long-chain omega-3 fatty acids is inefficient. Therefore, getting enough EPA from food or dietary supplements is important.

Cell membranes contain some amount of eicosapentaenoic acid. EPA activity mainly affects the brain, circulation and hormones. Eicosanoids such as prostaglandin-3, thromboxane-3 and leukotriene-5, which are synthesized in the body from eicosapentaenoic acid, are involved in, among other things, inflammatory reactions, immune reactions and regulation of the blood flow. Fatty fish, roe, phytoplankton, microalgae and crustaceans are especially rich in eicosapentaenoic acid. Seaweed also contains some amount of eicosapentaenoic acid.

TOP FOODS THAT ARE HIGH IN EICOSAPENTAENOIC ACID (EPA)

Source: The National Food Composition Database in Finland (Fineli)

• Smoked mackerel (1,480 mg / 100 g)
• Eel (1,300 mg / 100 g)
• Smoked river lamprey (1,300 mg / 100 g)
• Canned herring (1,032 mg / 100 g)
• Salmon fillet in the oven (901 mg / 100 g)
• Roe, the average value (606 mg / 100 g)
• Hot smoked fillet of rainbow trout (500 mg / 100 g) • Cooked Baltic herring (451 mg / 100 g)
• Ocean perch (373 mg / 100 g)
• Fried European flounder (320 mg / 100 g)
• Brown trout (170 mg / 100 g)
• Farmed common whitefish (204 mg / 100 g)

Biostarks reference ranges for EPA

  • Eicosapentaenoic acid C20:5 n-3 (EPA) (EPA-S): 3.0-20 umol/L

Scientific references:

  • Burdge, G. (2004). α-Linolenic acid metabolism in men and women: nutritional and biological implications. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care 7 (2): 137–144.
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  • Burdge, G. & Wootton, S. (2002). Conversion of α-linolenic acid to eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids in young women. British Journal of Nutrition 88 (4): 411–420.
  • Giltay, E. & Gooren, L. & Toorians, A. & Katan, M. & Zock, P. (2004). Docosahexaenoic acid concentrations are higher in women than in men because of estrogenic effects. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 80 (5): 1167–1174.
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  • Stonehouse, W. et al. (2013). DHA supplementation improved both memory and reaction time in healthy young adults: a randomized controlled trial. The American of Clinical Nutrition 97 (5): 1134–1143.
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  • Yurko-Mauro, K. (2010). Cognitive and cardiovascular benefits of docosahexaenoic acid in aging and cognitive decline. Current Alzheimer Research 7 (3): 190–196.
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  • Kotwal, S. & Jun, M. & Sullivan, D. & Perkovic, V. & Neal, B. (2012). Omega 3 fatty acids and cardiovascular outcomes: systematic review and meta-analysis. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes 5 (6): 808–818.
  • Miller, P. & Van Elswyk, M. & Alexander, D. (2014). Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid and blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. American Journal of Hypertension 27 (7): 885–896.
  • Bernstein, A. & Ding, E. & Willett, W. & Rimm, E. (2012). A meta-analysis shows that docosahexaenoic acid from algal oil reduces serum triglycerides and increases HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in persons without coronary heart disease. The Journal of Nutrition 142 (1): 99–104.
  • Larsson, S. & Orsini, N. & Wolk, A. (2012). Long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of stroke: a meta-analysis.European Journal of Epidemiology 27 (12): 895–901.