Pentadecanoic acid may offer more benefits than EPA, says newly published study

A new study, published by PLOS One, shows that an odd-chain saturated fat, called Pentadecanoic acid (C:15:0), may be healthier, safer, and more effective for supporting cellular health than the leading omega-3 fatty acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). The pentadecanoic acid used in the study is manufactured and marketed by Seraphina Therapeutics as FA15. The company has been recognized by Nutritional Outlook as its 2021 Best of the Industry, Ingredient Supplier for the discovery and commercialization of FA15.

In the study, 12 different human cell systems that mimic various disease states were treated with C15:0 or EPA. The cell systems included 148 biomarkers relevant to immune and heart health. According to the study, C15:0 and EPA shared 12 beneficial effects, most of which involved reducing inflammation, but C15:0 had an additional 35 beneficial effects compared to EPA that were associated with inflammation, autoimmune disease, and heart disease across a broader number of cell systems.

C:15:0 was used at four different concentrations (1.9 to 50 μM) to treat the cell systems. Similarities were found between C:15:0 and EPA at 17 μM. At its highest concentration (50 μM), however, EPA was found to be cytotoxic in four cell systems, while C15:0 had no cytotoxicity to any of the cell systems at all concentrations. Ultimately, researchers determined that the effects of C:15:0 is dose dependent, and its activities at various doses paralleled that of common therapeutics associated with mood disorders, microbial infections, and cancer.

“Given our growing understanding of C15:0 as an essential fatty acid, we were not surprised to see that C15:0 and omega-3 had shared benefits,” said Stephanie Venn-Watson, DVM, MPH, the study’s lead author, as well as CEO and co-founder of Seraphina Therapeutics. “What did surprise us was the high number of beneficial effects that were present with C15:0 but not EPA, a leading omega-3 fatty acid.”

Reference

1. Venn-Watson SK et al. "Broader and safer clinically-relevant activities of pentadecanoic acid compared to omega-3: Evaluation of an emerging essential fatty acid across twelve primary human cell-based disease systems." PLOS One, vol. 17, no. 5 (May 26, 2022)