FORMULATION OF AN ULTIMATE NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT ...

21A diet supplement must be rich enough to guarantee the maintenance of an optimal ω6:ω3ratio mandatory for therapeutic results (refer to further discussion), and this, howeverdeficient or rich in FAs the basal diet of the animal is. Otherwise, this ratio will undergoimportant variations according to the animal’s diet.The recommended dosage of MEGADERM provides the required quantities of ω6 and ω3EFAs, talking about the ones that are useful, in other words LA, GLA, EPA and DHA.2. The ω6:ω3 ratioThe benefit of supplying EFAs from both families has been demonstrated, and theminimum quantity has been determined. The question is then : what is an appropriate ratioof proportions of ω6 and ω3 in a dietary supplementation? This is a debate among manyspecialists.The basic idea that was investigated, was that benefits could be provided by a “metabolic”overload of ω3 (EPA and DHA) with regard to the ω6. Many published work show theinfluence of variable ω6:ω3 ratios on the replacement of AA in the membranephospholipids by EPA, as well as on the EFA metabolic activities. 16,19,21 Maximal efficacyis obtained with diet supplements which ω6:ω3 ratios are included between 5:1 and 10:1,with a preference for the 5:1 ratio. 14-20 This ratio allows loading the cell membranes withω3, that will then be preferentially converted by the enzymatic systems, since the ω6 arepoorer competitors. With higher ratios (lower amounts of ω3), the ω6 metabolic pathway isfavoured, and the level of EPA is not sufficient enough to integrate the cell membranes andreplace AA, whereas this is perfectly achieved with the ratios mentioned above. Withlower ratios (small amounts of ω6), the beneficial effects of ω6 FA on skin integrity areconsiderably diminished (or even absent). It can also be assumed that in this case, thebeneficial influence of ω6 (GLA) on the eicosanoid cascade is notably diminished as well.Moreover, above a certain point, an excess of ω3 due to an inadequate supplementation ofω6, becomes toxic, and in particular gives rise to coagulopathies or immunodeficiencies.Other studies show that this optimal ratio provides an utmost anti-inflammatory efficacy,proved by a reduced production of LTB4 to the benefit of LTB5, without risking any sideeffectsobserved with higher levels of ω3, (ratio to low).MEGADERM, with a ω6:ω3 ratio of 5:1, has the optimal ratio. This ratio is meant inwords of useful EFAs : LA + GLA / EPA + DHA.