Interactions Between Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Iron

Fe is an essential micronutrient, required for many biological processes. Apart from its role in hemoglobin, it is central to many redox processes throughout the body. The long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6 n−3) is ubiquitously present in the plasma membrane of biological cells and has a key role as an essential macronutrient in all mammals since it participates in a number of biological functions in the maintenance of homeostasis. This chapter summarizes the interactive role of Fe and DHA in physiological situations and nutritional deficiencies and reveals that DHA stimulates Fe metabolism, and several studies have suggested that Fe deficiency is associated with an alteration in tissue fatty acid content and hypomyelination indicating a clear interaction between Fe and DHA metabolism.