Age-related alterations in blood fatty acid composition and ratios, omega-3 fatty acid levels and association with PhenoAge acceleration: a cross-sectional analysis of the NHANES 2021-2023 data

The study analyzed fatty acid composition in red blood cells of 4,863 adults aged 20-79 years from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2021-2023. Results showed that omega-3 fatty acids and EPA + DHA increased with age, while polyunsaturated and omega-6 fatty acids decreased. Saturated fatty acids did not change with age. Higher EPA and DHA content was associated with lower biological age acceleration, with the most pronounced effect of -4.7 years in the group with the highest EPA + DHA content (≥8%). The findings confirm previous research and suggest that long-chain omega-3 fatty acids may have a protective effect on biological aging.