Biochemical mechanisms involved in the Omega fatty acids digestion, absorption and metabolism

Abstract

Lipids consist of a broad group of compounds that are very different from one another and fatty acids are the substances present in greater quantity. The inadequate ingestion of these substances has an influence on the incidence of various diseases, such as coronary heart disease, some types of cancer, immune diseases and rheumatoid arthritis. In order to understand the role of lipids in the animal body it is necessary to know the food lipid composition, as well the absorption and digestion mechanisms of these compounds. Fatty acids are presented in form of triacylglycerol and phospholipids. They have a significant physiological importance for the maintenance of the cellular membranes structures, functions and integrity, and this allows that the animal organism be capable of altering the fatty acids number of carbon atoms and double joints, in order to turn it adequate for the cellular membrane needs. Several sources of information suggest that a diet with a ratio w6/w3 is an important factor in diseases prevention. The purpose of this present review was to describe the biochemical mechanisms involved in lipid digestion, absorption and metabolism, by pointing out the importance of omega 3 in human nutrition.