α-linolenic acid

α-Linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3 n-3) is the essential plant-derived omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid and the metabolic precursor to the long-chain omega-3s EPA and DHA via desaturation and elongation. In salivary lipidomics ALA reflects dietary omega-3 intake and the substrate pool that biases tissue eicosanoid synthesis toward less inflammatory mediators. Calder (2017) established the omega-3 fatty acids, beginning with ALA, as primary determinants of the inflammatory response to exercise and recovery.