Table 1.
Mean PUFA composition in erythrocytes
| Fatty Acids (wt %) | mean (SD) |
|---|---|
| n-6 PUFAs | |
| Total n-6 a | 38.3 (2.6) |
| 18:2n-6 (LA) | 15.8 (2.4) |
| 20:4n-6 (AA) | 16.1 (1.9) |
| n-3 PUFAs | |
| Total n-3 b | 7.9 (2.0) |
| 18:3n-3 (ALA) | 0.2 (0.1) |
| 20:5n-3 (EPA) | 0.9 (0.4) |
| 22:6n-3 (DHA) | 4.5 (1.5) |
| 6:3 PUFA Ratios | |
| Total n-6:n-3 | 5.2 (1.5) |
| LA:ALA | 72.8 (19.5) |
| AA:EPA | 21.7 (8.9) |
| AA:EPA+DHA | 3.3 (1.2) |
NOTE: N=248. Data are expressed as mean (SD). Fatty acids are reported as a percentage by weight of the total fatty acids (weight percent, wt %). PUFA, polyunsaturated fatty acid; n-6, omega-6; LA, linoleic acid; AA, arachidonic acid; n-3, omega-3; ALA, alpha-linolenic acid; EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid; and DHA, docosahexaenoic acid.
a
18:2n-6+18:3n-6+20:2n-6+20:3n-6+20:4n-6+22:4n-6+22:5n-6
b
18:3n-3+20:4n-3+20:5n-3+22:5n-3+22:6n-3