2013 Volume 22 Issue 1 Pages 25-34
Arachidonic acid (ARA) is converted to eicosanoids with diverse physiological activities, which are essential for the maintenance of growth and reproductive physiology of mammals. However, excessive and unbalanced productions of eicosanoids from ARA are known to be causative of inflammation-related diseases including cancer, atherosclerotic diseases and allergic diseases, which are currently prevailing in the elderly in Japan. Omega 3 fatty acids can suppress excessive productions of eicosanoids from ARA, thereby serving to prevent these diseases. These interpretations are based on the results from nutritional, pharmacological and biotechnological studies performed worldwide. Therefore, it was a big surprise for us when a leading Japanese food company began to sell an ARA-containing supplement. With a Health and Labour Sciences Research Grant from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, members of the committee of Japan Society for Lipid Nutrition performed a series of research on the safety and efficacy of ARA containing microbial oil to find little evidence to support the health benefits. Moreover, teratogenicity in the eye of a mouse strain was noted at 0.6 energy % ARA, together with cancer promoting activities, which are crucial as a supplement for elderly people. These safety issues need to be solved before supplementing humans with the ARA oil.
