Connecting with Dr. Mercola, the conversion of short-chain to long-chain omega-3 fatty acids is a complex metabolic process that occurs primarily in the liver. This pathway transforms alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), of plant origin, into docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the key structural component for the brain and retina. The process is based on a sequence of chemical steps that alternate between two functions: adding double bonds (desaturation) and lengthening the carbon chain (elongation).
This is the most complex step: the conversion of DPA to DHA, known as the Sprecher pathway. It is not a direct desaturation. Any oxidative stress or cellular dysfunction in these organelles halts DHA production.
Nutritional competition: If there is a deficiency of cofactors (such as zinc), the peroxisome machinery and elongases do not function at full capacity, halting the cycle at DPA. The efficiency of this cycle in omnivores is usually low (it is estimated that less than 5-10% of ALA is converted to EPA, and less than 1% to DHA). Several factors determine its success:
1) Omega-6/Omega-3 ratio: An excess of linoleic acid (omega-6) monopolizes the Delta 6-desaturase enzymes, reducing the production of long-chain omega-3s.
2) Enzymatic cofactors: For these enzymes to function, optimal levels of zinc and magnesium, as well as vitamins B6, B3, and C, are required.
3) Genetics: Variations in the FADS1 and FADS2 genes determine how quickly or slowly an individual can perform these conversions. 4) Lifestyle: Alcohol, stress (cortisol), and high insulin levels can inhibit the activity of the Delta 6-desaturase enzyme.
5) Age and Health: The ability to perform this complex pathway decreases with age and can be affected by metabolic health or elevated glucose and insulin levels.
6) Gender and Hormones: Women of childbearing age have significantly higher conversion rates to DHA (up to 9%) due to the stimulatory effect of estrogens on desaturases. Stearidonic acid (SDA) is a "transitional omega-3." Its main advantage is that it has already overcome the first metabolic bottleneck, the Delta 6-desaturase enzyme, making its conversion to EPA up to 3 to 4 times more efficient than that of ALA (flaxseed or chia). Although not as common in the daily diet as ALA, it is found in very specific plant sources: Hemp oil, which contains between 0.5% and 2% SDA. It also provides GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), an anti-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid that uses the same enzymatic pathways in a balanced way. Blackcurrant oil contains 2-4% SDA.
The EPIC-Norfolk study (originally published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) observed that, despite vegans and vegetarians having virtually no EPA and DHA intake, their blood levels were not as low as predicted. While conversion rates are very low in omnivores, variations have been observed in plant-based diets. It is estimated that conversion in non-fish eaters can be between 40% and 50% higher compared to those who regularly consume fish.
More recent research (such as the NuEva study, 2025) suggests that while vegetarians are more efficient at converting DHA, this efficiency has a biological limit. Although they convert better, their absolute DHA levels are typically 30-50% lower than those of fish eaters.
As shared before, a recent Legacy Media article claiming - well Omega 6's are a needed, essential fatty acid, so if consuming too much, just ramp up Omega 3 intake. Unfortunately this a go to response for too many things. It is a companion to the impulse one is good so two must be better, four better yet. This undercurrent to a certain amount of the general publics to pursue such things are toyed with. We see it Whoopdie Doo's, now with fill in the blank added. Whatever may be following a trend, a new awareness to what may improve our health. Same corporate tactics applied when seeing things like a bag of sugar with No Added Fat...or other products with nonsense promoted. (The Fatty Acid's...is it just me or does that sound like a great name for a high school garage rock band?)
Well said, Just, it's the undesirable bunch. Large corporations have replicated the tobacco industry's historical tactics: funding biased scientific studies, intensely lobbying to block taxes or warning labels, and employing aggressive marketing strategies (especially targeting children) that disguise their products under false health promises. The implications of this model not only impact healthcare systems but also profoundly alter human biology and food sovereignty.
Ultra-processed foods displace traditional dietary patterns based on fresh, local foods. By relying on massive, low-cost monocultures (soy, corn, palm) to extract isolated ingredients, agricultural biodiversity is destroyed, and the food sovereignty of regions is weakened.
One of the most documented cases of conflict of interest in the US involves the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) itself, the largest organization of dietitians in the country. Investigations based on Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests revealed how multinational corporations directly fund the association, invest in its funds, and shape its public stances on ultra-processed foods.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9991767/ The corporate-funded research model in the U.S. has historically promoted "nutritionism": a reductionist view that analyzes isolated nutrients (such as added vitamins) instead of assessing the harm of ultra-processing within the food matrix. Historical examples, such as Coca-Cola's covert funding of the Global Energy Balance Network at the University of Colorado, sought to shift the blame from sugars to lack of exercise.
Economic data reveals the magnitude of the political pressure: between 1998 and 2020, the US food and beverage industry spent more than $1.15 billion on direct lobbying of the US government. Public health experts unanimously compare these tactics to those used by tobacco companies to delay front-of-package labeling laws, fabricate "scientific doubts," and threaten job losses if their market is restricted.
Connecting with Dr. Mercola, the conversion of short-chain to long-chain omega-3 fatty acids is a complex metabolic process that occurs primarily in the liver. This pathway transforms alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), of plant origin, into docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the key structural component for the brain and retina. The process is based on a sequence of chemical steps that alternate between two functions: adding double bonds (desaturation) and lengthening the carbon chain (elongation).
This is the most complex step: the conversion of DPA to DHA, known as the Sprecher pathway. It is not a direct desaturation. Any oxidative stress or cellular dysfunction in these organelles halts DHA production.
Nutritional competition: If there is a deficiency of cofactors (such as zinc), the peroxisome machinery and elongases do not function at full capacity, halting the cycle at DPA. The efficiency of this cycle in omnivores is usually low (it is estimated that less than 5-10% of ALA is converted to EPA, and less than 1% to DHA). Several factors determine its success:
1) Omega-6/Omega-3 ratio: An excess of linoleic acid (omega-6) monopolizes the Delta 6-desaturase enzymes, reducing the production of long-chain omega-3s.
2) Enzymatic cofactors: For these enzymes to function, optimal levels of zinc and magnesium, as well as vitamins B6, B3, and C, are required.
3) Genetics: Variations in the FADS1 and FADS2 genes determine how quickly or slowly an individual can perform these conversions. 4) Lifestyle: Alcohol, stress (cortisol), and high insulin levels can inhibit the activity of the Delta 6-desaturase enzyme.
5) Age and Health: The ability to perform this complex pathway decreases with age and can be affected by metabolic health or elevated glucose and insulin levels.
6) Gender and Hormones: Women of childbearing age have significantly higher conversion rates to DHA (up to 9%) due to the stimulatory effect of estrogens on desaturases. Stearidonic acid (SDA) is a "transitional omega-3." Its main advantage is that it has already overcome the first metabolic bottleneck, the Delta 6-desaturase enzyme, making its conversion to EPA up to 3 to 4 times more efficient than that of ALA (flaxseed or chia). Although not as common in the daily diet as ALA, it is found in very specific plant sources: Hemp oil, which contains between 0.5% and 2% SDA. It also provides GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), an anti-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid that uses the same enzymatic pathways in a balanced way. Blackcurrant oil contains 2-4% SDA.
The EPIC-Norfolk study (originally published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) observed that, despite vegans and vegetarians having virtually no EPA and DHA intake, their blood levels were not as low as predicted. While conversion rates are very low in omnivores, variations have been observed in plant-based diets. It is estimated that conversion in non-fish eaters can be between 40% and 50% higher compared to those who regularly consume fish.
More recent research (such as the NuEva study, 2025) suggests that while vegetarians are more efficient at converting DHA, this efficiency has a biological limit. Although they convert better, their absolute DHA levels are typically 30-50% lower than those of fish eaters.
https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/nutrition-information/omega-3
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000291652312911X
https://www.omegor.com/en/blogs/omega-3-special/omega-3-vegetarians
https://veganhealth.org/omega-3s-part-2/#:~:text=Although%20vegetarians%20and%20vegans%20have%20been%20shown,the%20lower%20levels%20have%20negative%20health%20consequences.
https://nutridans.com/blog/el-omega-3-en-la-alimentacion-vegetariana-y-vegana/
https://www.omegor.com/en/blogs/omega-3-special/omega-3-vegetarians
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/46403205_Dietary_intake_and_status_of_n-3_polyunsaturated_fatty_acids_in_a_population_of_fish-eating_and_non-fish-eating_meat_eaters_vegetarians_and_vegans_and_the_precursor-product_ratio_of_a-linolenic_acid_t#:~:text=This%20study%20included%2014%2C422%20men%20and%20women,individuals%20with%20plasma%20phospholipid%20fatty%20acid%20measures.
As shared before, a recent Legacy Media article claiming - well Omega 6's are a needed, essential fatty acid, so if consuming too much, just ramp up Omega 3 intake. Unfortunately this a go to response for too many things. It is a companion to the impulse one is good so two must be better, four better yet. This undercurrent to a certain amount of the general publics to pursue such things are toyed with. We see it Whoopdie Doo's, now with fill in the blank added. Whatever may be following a trend, a new awareness to what may improve our health. Same corporate tactics applied when seeing things like a bag of sugar with No Added Fat...or other products with nonsense promoted. (The Fatty Acid's...is it just me or does that sound like a great name for a high school garage rock band?)
Well said, Just, it's the undesirable bunch. Large corporations have replicated the tobacco industry's historical tactics: funding biased scientific studies, intensely lobbying to block taxes or warning labels, and employing aggressive marketing strategies (especially targeting children) that disguise their products under false health promises. The implications of this model not only impact healthcare systems but also profoundly alter human biology and food sovereignty.
Ultra-processed foods displace traditional dietary patterns based on fresh, local foods. By relying on massive, low-cost monocultures (soy, corn, palm) to extract isolated ingredients, agricultural biodiversity is destroyed, and the food sovereignty of regions is weakened.
One of the most documented cases of conflict of interest in the US involves the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) itself, the largest organization of dietitians in the country. Investigations based on Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests revealed how multinational corporations directly fund the association, invest in its funds, and shape its public stances on ultra-processed foods.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9991767/ The corporate-funded research model in the U.S. has historically promoted "nutritionism": a reductionist view that analyzes isolated nutrients (such as added vitamins) instead of assessing the harm of ultra-processing within the food matrix. Historical examples, such as Coca-Cola's covert funding of the Global Energy Balance Network at the University of Colorado, sought to shift the blame from sugars to lack of exercise.
https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4601
Economic data reveals the magnitude of the political pressure: between 1998 and 2020, the US food and beverage industry spent more than $1.15 billion on direct lobbying of the US government. Public health experts unanimously compare these tactics to those used by tobacco companies to delay front-of-package labeling laws, fabricate "scientific doubts," and threaten job losses if their market is restricted.
https://www.bmj.com/content/391/bmj.r2442.short------------------------------------------------------------------Ultimately, we save money on groceries and medical expenses by avoiding metabolic diseases and their associated health problems caused by the consumption of ultra-processed foods. Here's a good example of flavored "veggie chips," related to your comment, where you empty your wallet in these difficult times and lose your health.
These types of snacks (very common in American supermarkets as “plant-based” chips or “veggie crisps”) usually include:
• Dehydrated potato or potato flour
• Potato or corn starch
• Refined vegetable oils (sunflower, corn, canola)
• Salt
• Maltodextrin (ultra-fast carbohydrate)
• Sugar or dextrose
• Natural and artificial flavorings
• Yeast extract (umami)
• Powdered vinegar / citric acid
• Thickeners (vegetable gums)
In “flavored” versions:
• Colorings such as paprika extract or caramel color
• Enhancers:
• MSG (monosodium glutamate)
• Disodium inosinate
• Disodium guanylate
Why it is clearly ultra-processed
1) Artificial palatability: fat + salt + flavorings + umami leads to overconsumption
2) Fast carbohydrates Hidden ingredients: maltodextrin + dextrose leads to very rapid absorption
3) Hyper-optimized flavor: flavor enhancers reduce satiety control
4) Destroyed structure: original potato converted into powder/reconstituted, loses fiber and natural matrix
Comparison with "real" potato
Cooked potato: satiating (fiber + water + intact matrix)
Industrial vegan chips: low satiety, high energy density, easy to overconsume
https://www.health.com/5-healthiest-ultra-processed-foods-8777708?utm_source=chatgpt.com
https://www.soupersage.com/nutrition-ingredients/sensible-portions-garden-veggie-chips-bbq?utm_source=chatgpt.com