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Article: PUFAs; fishing for clues in evolution by Mark Greener.
- Article from:
- Nutraceuticals International
- Article date:
- July 1, 1998
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 Marketletter Publications Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Over the last few years, scientists have confirmed what every mother already knew: fish is good for your brain. Oily fish, in particular, is rich in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which play an important role in neural growth and development. For example, a lack of arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in utero impairs children's intelligence and visual acuity as well as, possibly, leading to depression and attention deficit disorder in later life.
However, a recent paper (British Journal of Nutrition 1998;79:3-21) suggests that PUFAs may have been critical to human evolution - and raises the prospect that modern diets may ...