Nutrigenomic effects of omega‐3 fatty acids

The health benefits of omega‐3 fatty acids have been recognized for more than 40 years, nevertheless, research gaps still remain regarding their mechanisms of action. This is certainly due to the complexity of action of omega‐3 fatty acids which have pleiotropic effects at the cellular level, and act either directly or indirectly through a large array of oxygenated metabolites. In this context, integrated approaches are essential to get an overview of the complexity of actions on a variety of molecular targets. Nutrigenomics is defined as the study of the genome‐wide influence of nutrition and the subsequent responses in transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics. Recent nutrigenomic studies contributed to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms related to the health benefits of omega‐3 fatty acids. Further studies should now focus on the documented major biological pathways modulated by omega‐3 fatty acids and on the identification of their bioactive metabolites.