Chapter 7: Bioactive Fatty Acids Check Access

Fatty acids are important structural components of both neutral lipids and phospholipids. Dietary fatty acids may alter fatty acid compositions of plasma and tissue lipids, and a number of fatty acids have been studied for their biological activities and health benefits to humans. This chapter covers n-3, n-6, and n-9 (ω-3, ω-6 and ω-9), conjugated, short-chain, medium-chain, hydroxyl, branched and odd-numbered fatty acids, along with nervonic and lipoic acids, their beneficial effects on health and biological activities, and the molecular mechanisms behind their biological functions, with emphasis on how their chemical structures may contribute to their biological actions.