Algal supplementation of vegetarian eating patterns improves plasma and serum docosahexaenoic acid concentrations and omega-3 indices: a systematic literature review.

 

Vegetarians are likely to have lower intakes of preformed docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) than omnivorous populations who consume fish and animal products. As such, vegetarian populations have omega-3 indices up to 60% lower than those who consume marine products. Algae, the primary producer of DHA in the marine food chain, offer an alternative source of DHA...

...All included studies reported algal sources of DHA significantly improve DHA concentrations (including plasma, serum, platelet and red blood cell fractions), as well as omega-3 indices, in vegetarian populations.

Mark Scaife