Question: I am a vegetarian, so I do not consume any fish. But I get plenty of ALA in my diet, from canola and soybean oil, ground flax seed, and walnuts. How efficiently does the body convert ALA to DHA and EPA? Should I take an algal DHA supplement?
Answer (by Dr. Frank Sacks): If you are getting adequate ALA in your diet from oils and nuts, I am not sure you really need to take an algal DHA supplement. As I mentioned above, the body partially converts ALA to EPA and DHA; it is not known if ALA has substantial health benefits as is, or whether it must be converted to EPA and DHA to produce most of the benefits. My current interpretation of the science is that ALA is important to nutrition because it is an essential fatty acid, and that at least part of its benefits come from its conversion to EPA and DHA. I don’t advocate that vegans take n-3 supplements if they are getting ALA from vegetable oils, vegetables, walnuts, and other vegetarian sources as described above.
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