Abstract
The nutraceutical market for EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is promoting fishing for Euphasia superba (Antarctic krill) in the Southern Ocean and Calanus finmarchicus in Norwegian waters. This industry argues that these species are underexploited, but they are essential in their ecosystems, and climate change is altering their geographical distribution. In this perspective, we advocate the cessation of fishing for these species to produce nutraceuticals with EPA and DHA. We argue that this is possible because, contrary to what this industry promotes, the benefits of these fatty acids only seem significant to specific population groups, and not for the general population. Next, we explain that this is desirable because there is evidence that these fisheries may interact with the impact of climate change. Greener sources of EPA and DHA are already available on the market, and their reasonable use would ease pressure on the Arctic and Antarctic ecosystems.
Highlights
The last years have seen an increase in the popularity of fish oil nutraceuticals (Kantor et al 2016)
We provide strong evidence supporting a role for n3-PUFAs deficiency in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and for advocating n-3 PUFAs supplementation as a clinically relevant intervention in this group, especially if guided by a biomarker-based personalisation approach
In preterm infants, a metaanalysis suggested that supplementation is beneficial in terms of visual acuity and cognitive development (Shulkin et al 2018), likely because dietary EPA and DHA compensated the lack of placental transfer of these fatty acids due to premature birth (Larqueet al. 2011)
Summary
The last years have seen an increase in the popularity of fish oil nutraceuticals (Kantor et al 2016). Interest on the benefits of EPA and DHA on human health began when Danish researchers Bang and Dyerberg associated the low incidence of ischemic heart disease in the Inuit people of Greenland to their diet of fish, whales and seals, rich in these fatty acids (Dyerberg et al 1975; Bang et al 1976).
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