The digestion and absorption of Docosahexaenoic acid in the body is quite different from other fatty acids. In the case of Docosahexaenoic acid in the form of triglycerides, in the small intestine, triglycerides are emulsified by the bile salts secreted by the liver, and then decomposed into diglycerides, monoglycerides, under the action of pancreatic lipase and intestinal lipase. Fatty acids and very small amounts of glycerin. These hydrolysates together with cholesterol, lysophospholipids and bile salts form a water-soluble mixed microparticle that passes through the water barrier of the surface of the small intestine to the microvilli membrane and is absorbed by passive diffusion (except bile salts).
The absorption of lipids in fish is similar to that in mammals. After the ingested fat is hydrolyzed in the lumen, the monoglyceride and free fatty acid are absorbed in the intestinal epithelial cells by diffusion in the form of micelles. Reassemble into triglycerides in mucosal cells to form chylomicrons that enter the bloodstream through the lymphatic system. The long-chain fatty acid (LFA) can be absorbed only by the emulsification of bile salts, and the absorbed LFA still needs to synthesize triglyceride and then enter the blood circulation through the lymph. In the human body, Docosahexaenoic acid is mainly absorbed through the lymphatic route and the intravenous route, and a third route, the duodenal route, has been proposed.
In general, short-chain fatty acids are more easily absorbed than long-chain fatty acids, and unsaturated fatty acids are more easily absorbed than saturated ones. Fish have a digestion rate of 95% for unsaturated fatty acids and short-chain fatty acids, and about 85% for saturated and long-chain fatty acids.
Digestion and absorption of Docosahexaenoic acid
