Role of n-3 fatty acids in prevention of disease complications in patients with HIV.

Hypertriglyceridemia and insulin resistance have been seen in patients with HIV. Beneficial effects of the n-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have been reported for these conditions. One study of n-3 fatty acid supplementation in patients with HIV reported a decrease in serum triglyceride levels. These marine fatty acids appear to be working at a number of sites to achieve an improvement in lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity. There is disagreement about the amount of n-3 fatty acids needed to achieve different effects and about the optimal ratio of dietary n-6 and n-3 fatty acids.