New Review Challenges One of Nutrition’s Longest-Held Omega-3 Beliefs
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New Review Challenges One of Nutrition’s Longest-Held Omega-3 Beliefs
Ahiflower® (Buglossoides arvensis) oil
Drawing on 120+ peer-reviewed studies, Dr. Hanaway’s review introduces an evidence-based framework that could reshape plant-based omega-3 recommendations
WINSTON-SALEM, NC, UNITED STATES, August 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — One of the most respected voices in functional and integrative medicine is asking healthcare practitioners to rethink what they know about plant-based omega-3s.
In a newly published peer-reviewed review article in Integrative and Complementary Therapies, Patrick Hanaway, MD synthesizes more than 120 scientific publications into practical clinical guidance that challenges one of the nutrition industry’s longest-standing assumptions: that plant-derived omega-3s convert too inefficiently to provide meaningful health benefits. Drawing on the latest advances in omega-3 metabolism research, Dr. Hanaway concludes that emerging evidence paints a far more complete picture of how the body produces and utilizes EPA and DHA from plant sources than conventional blood measurements have suggested.
The publication represents more than another scientific review. It signals a potential shift in clinical thinking for physicians, dietitians, nutritionists, and healthcare practitioners who rely on the latest evidence to guide patient recommendations. Dr. Hanaway is widely recognized as a pioneer of functional medicine, having served as the founding Medical Director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine and as an educator who has influenced thousands of clinicians worldwide. When respected physician leaders reevaluate established nutritional dogma, the industry pays attention.
At the center of the review is a provocative question: What if decades of research have underestimated the body’s ability to utilize plant-derived omega-3s because scientists have been measuring the wrong endpoint? Rather than focusing exclusively on changes in blood DHA levels, newer analytical techniques now allow researchers to track how omega-3s are produced, stored, and used throughout the body, including in the liver, brain, and adipose tissue. According to the evidence summarized in the review, these advances reveal a more dynamic and adaptive system than previously understood.
The implications extend well beyond academic research. Nearly three-quarters of the world’s population does not consume enough omega-3s to meet minimum recommendations, while increasing demand continues to place pressure on marine omega-3 supplies. Dr. Hanaway’s review offers healthcare practitioners an expanded framework for helping patients improve their omega-3 status while supporting a more diverse and resilient global supply of these essential nutrients.
“These findings highlight a bigger view of omega-3 intake, metabolism, and storage across all tissues beyond the limitations of blood-based measures to assess omega-3 intake and status,” said Dr. Hanaway. “This is particularly notable for vegans and vegetarians who do not consume EPA or DHA in their diets without supplementation.”
Rather than positioning plant- and marine-derived omega-3s as competing solutions, the review presents a complementary approach. Dr. Hanaway highlights growing evidence that stearidonic acid (SDA), a plant-derived omega-3 found in high concentrations in Buglossoides arvensis seed oil, commercially known as Ahiflower®, contributes clinically meaningful benefits through pathways that differ from conventional EPA and DHA supplementation. Recent human and preclinical studies cited in the review demonstrate favorable effects on gut microbiome balance, gut barrier integrity, inflammatory signaling, insulin sensitivity, hormonal balance, and metabolic health, expanding the conversation well beyond traditional omega-3 biomarkers.
“This publication changes the conversation,” said Andrew Hebard, Founder and CEO of Natures Crops International. “For years the industry has debated plant versus fish. Dr. Hanaway’s review shows that the better question is how different omega-3 sources can work together to deliver broader health benefits while helping address the growing global omega-3 nutrition gap.”
The review places particular emphasis on Ahiflower® oil because it is nature’s richest source of stearidonic acid (SDA), an omega-3 that bypasses the body’s primary rate-limiting conversion step from alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Dr. Hanaway also provides practical therapeutic guidance for clinicians, including dosing recommendations for adults and children and considerations for supporting inflammatory conditions, metabolic health, and overall wellness.
As the nutrition industry searches for new solutions to improve global omega-3 status, Dr. Hanaway’s review provides something increasingly valuable: a comprehensive, evidence-based framework that helps practitioners understand not only whether plant-derived omega-3s work, but how they work and why they deserve a meaningful place alongside traditional EPA and DHA sources. For clinicians, brands, and ingredient innovators alike, the publication marks an important milestone in the evolving science of omega-3 nutrition.
About Natures Crops International
A manufacturer of specialty oils for dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, food, personal care and animal nutrition products, Natures Crops International (NCI) produces oils from the highest quality crops, produced by growers who follow strict management protocols for sustainability and identity preservation. NCI ensures the crops produced are grown, processed, packaged, and delivered in a safe, sustainable, traceable, and cost-competitive manner. The company has
operations in Prince Edward Island, Canada and the United Kingdom, with headquarters in North Carolina. For more information, please write to info@naturescrops.com.
Jacqueline Rizo
Natures Crops Internationalemail us here
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