Does brain consist of 20% Omega-3 fatty acid?

Question

I read an article on a website about preparing for exams, and it stated that because the brain consists of 1/5 Omega-3 fatty acids, it is important to eat fish, so your brain will get better at communicating.

Being very skeptic about the statement I tried to search the Internet for more information on the topic, but I was unable to get a clear answer.

Is it really true that the human brain consists of that much fatty acid, and if yes, is all of it Omega-3?

Please link to the web-site, so we can see the claim. I haven't heard this one before. — Oddthinking, Jun 16 '11 at 07:40

score 6 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 15 '11 at 19:19

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The brain doesn't have 20% lipids of any kind. So no, it's not true.

answered Jun 15 '11 at 19:19

Craig Stuntz

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If you discount water, it contains nearly 50% lipids. – Adam Davis Jun 15 '11 at 19:38
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@Adam, I agree, but that isn't what he asked. I can't tell if it's what he meant; I can only see what he wrote. – Craig Stuntz Jun 15 '11 at 19:40

Does brain consist of 20% Omega-3 fatty acid?

1 Answers1