Omega-6 fatty acids (also referred to as ω-6 fatty acids or ''n''-6 fatty acids) are a family of
polyunsaturated fatty acids
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are fatty acids that contain more than one double bond in their backbone. This class includes many important compounds, such as essential fatty acids and those that give drying oils their characteristic pr ...
that have in common a final carbon-carbon
double bond
In chemistry, a double bond is a covalent bond between two atoms involving four bonding electrons as opposed to two in a single bond. Double bonds occur most commonly between two carbon atoms, for example in alkenes. Many double bonds exist betwee ...
in the
''n''-6 position, that is, the sixth bond, counting from the
methyl
In organic chemistry, a methyl group is an alkyl derived from methane, containing one carbon atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms, having chemical formula . In formulas, the group is often abbreviated as Me. This hydrocarbon group occurs in ...
end.
Health effects
One review found that an increased intake of omega‐6 fatty acids has been shown to reduce total serum cholesterol and may reduce
myocardial infarction
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...
. The same review found no significant change in
LDL cholesterol
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is one of the five major groups of lipoprotein that transport all fat molecules around the body in extracellular water. These groups, from least dense to most dense, are chylomicrons (aka ULDL by the overall densi ...
and
triglyceride
A triglyceride (TG, triacylglycerol, TAG, or triacylglyceride) is an ester derived from glycerol and three fatty acids (from ''tri-'' and ''glyceride'').
Triglycerides are the main constituents of body fat in humans and other vertebrates, as ...
s. A 2021 review found that omega 6 supplements do not affect the risk of
CVD morbidity and mortality.
Dietary sources
Dietary sources of omega-6 fatty acids include:
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poultry
Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for their eggs, their meat or their feathers. These birds are most typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially the order Galliformes (which includes chickens, qu ...
*
eggs
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nuts
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hulled sesame seeds
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cereal
A cereal is any grass cultivated for the edible components of its grain (botanically, a type of fruit called a caryopsis), composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran. Cereal grain crops are grown in greater quantities and provide more food ...
s
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durum wheat
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whole-grain breads
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pumpkin seeds
*
hemp seeds
Vegetable oils
Vegetable oil
Vegetable oils, or vegetable fats, are oils extracted from seeds or from other parts of fruits. Like animal fats, vegetable fats are ''mixtures'' of triglycerides. Soybean oil, grape seed oil, and cocoa butter are examples of seed oils, or f ...
s are a major source of omega-6 linoleic acid. Worldwide, more than 100 million
metric ton
The tonne ( or ; symbol: t) is a unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. It is a non-SI unit accepted for use with SI. It is also referred to as a metric ton to distinguish it from the non-metric units of the short ton (United States ...
s of vegetable oils are extracted annually from
palm fruits,
soybean seeds,
rape seeds, and
sunflower seeds
The sunflower seed is the seed of the sunflower (''Helianthus annuus''). There are three types of commonly used sunflower seeds: linoleic (most common), high oleic, and sunflower oil seeds. Each variety has its own unique levels of monounsatu ...
, providing more than 32 million metric tons of omega-6 linoleic acid and 4 million metric tons of omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid.
[, Table 03: Major Vegetable Oils: World Supply and Distribution a]
Oilseeds: World Markets and Trade Monthly Circular
List of omega-6 fatty acids
The melting point of the fatty acids increases as the number of carbons in the chain increases.
See also
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Cattle feeding
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Essential fatty acid interactions
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Essential nutrients
A nutrient is a substance used by an organism to survive, grow, and reproduce. The requirement for dietary nutrient intake applies to animals, plants, fungi, and protists. Nutrients can be incorporated into cells for metabolic purposes or excre ...
*
Inflammation
Inflammation (from la, inflammatio) is part of the complex biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants, and is a protective response involving immune cells, blood vessels, and molec ...
*
Linolenic acid
Linolenic acid is a type of naturally-occurring fatty acid. It can refer to either of two octadecatrienoic acids (i.e. with an 18-carbon chain and three double bonds, which are found in the '' cis'' configuration), or a mixture of the two. Lino ...
*
Lipid peroxidation
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Olive oil regulation and adulteration
*
Omega-3 fatty acid
Omega−3 fatty acids, also called Omega-3 oils, ω−3 fatty acids or ''n''−3 fatty acids, are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) characterized by the presence of a double bond, three atoms away from the terminal methyl group in their chem ...
*
Omega-7 fatty acid
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Omega-9 fatty acid
Omega-9 fatty acids (ω−9 fatty acids or ''n''−9 fatty acids) are a family of unsaturated fatty acids which have in common a final carbon–carbon double bond in the omega−9 position; that is, the ninth bond from the methyl end of the fat ...
*
Ratio of fatty acids in different foods
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Wheat germ oil
References
Bibliography
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Omega-6 Fatty Acid
Fatty acids
Essential nutrients
Treatment of bipolar disorder
Alkenoic acids
de:Omega-n-Fettsäuren#Omega-6-Fettsäuren