Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency
A lack of fats the body cannot make on its own
Quick Facts
- Type: Nutritional deficiency
- Missing nutrients: Omega-6 and omega-3 essential fats
- Common sign: Dry, scaly skin
- Most at risk: People on very low-fat or tube feeding
Overview
Essential fatty acids are types of fat that the body needs but cannot make on its own, so they must come from the diet. The two main families are omega-6 and omega-3 fats, found in foods such as vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and oily fish. They are important for healthy skin, cell membranes, and many body processes.
Essential fatty acid deficiency develops when the diet provides too little of these fats over time, or when the body cannot absorb them properly. In otherwise healthy people eating a varied diet it is uncommon, because only small amounts are needed. It is more likely in specific situations, such as long-term very low-fat nutrition, certain digestive diseases, or prolonged feeding through a vein without added fats. The most recognizable sign is dry, scaly skin.
Symptoms
Symptoms develop gradually as the deficiency progresses and often involve the skin first:
- Dry, rough, scaly skin and a flaky scalp
- Skin rashes or dermatitis
- Hair changes, including dry or thinning hair
- Slow wound healing
- Increased susceptibility to infections
- In infants and children, poor growth
Because these signs overlap with many other conditions, essential fatty acid deficiency is identified by considering a person's overall nutrition and circumstances alongside their symptoms.
Causes
Essential fatty acid deficiency arises when the body does not get or cannot use enough of these fats. Causes include:
- Very low-fat diets: Long-term diets that severely restrict fat.
- Fat malabsorption: Conditions that impair the absorption of fat, such as certain digestive diseases, cystic fibrosis, or after some types of intestinal surgery.
- Prolonged intravenous feeding: Long-term nutrition given through a vein without adequate added fats.
- Severe malnutrition: Where overall nutrition, including fats, is inadequate.
Because only small amounts of essential fats are required, most well-nourished people with a varied diet do not develop the deficiency.
Risk Factors
- Long-term very low-fat diets
- Digestive conditions that impair fat absorption
- Cystic fibrosis or other malabsorption disorders
- Prolonged intravenous (parenteral) nutrition without added fats
- Severe malnutrition
- Premature infants, who have limited fat stores
Diagnosis
Diagnosis combines clinical suspicion with assessment of nutrition:
- History and examination: Considering risk factors and recognizing dry, scaly skin and other signs.
- Dietary and medical review: Looking at fat intake, absorption problems, and feeding methods.
- Blood tests: Specialized tests can measure fatty acid levels and patterns to confirm the deficiency.
Because the skin signs are non-specific, the diagnosis often depends on recognizing the situations in which the deficiency is likely.
Treatment
Treatment restores essential fats and addresses the underlying cause:
- Adding essential fats to the diet: Including sources of omega-6 and omega-3 fats, such as vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and oily fish, as appropriate.
- Correcting intravenous nutrition: Adding fat (lipid) to feeding given through a vein when needed.
- Treating malabsorption: Managing the digestive condition that limits fat absorption.
- Monitoring recovery: Skin and other signs usually improve once adequate essential fats are provided.
With appropriate treatment, the deficiency typically resolves and symptoms improve.
Prevention
Essential fatty acid deficiency is usually preventable with adequate, balanced nutrition:
- Include healthy fat sources in a varied diet rather than following extreme low-fat eating
- Manage conditions that affect fat absorption with medical guidance
- Ensure long-term intravenous nutrition includes appropriate fats
- Provide proper nutrition for infants, especially those born prematurely
When to See a Doctor
See a doctor if you or your child has:
- Persistent dry, scaly skin or rashes, especially with a very low-fat diet or a digestive condition
- Poor wound healing or frequent infections
- Poor growth in a child
- A condition affecting fat absorption or long-term tube or intravenous feeding
A doctor can assess your nutrition, look for other causes of the symptoms, and recommend the right way to restore essential fats safely.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is essential fatty acid deficiency?
It is a nutritional deficiency that occurs when the body lacks essential fats, the omega-6 and omega-3 fats it cannot make on its own and must get from food. The most recognizable sign is dry, scaly skin.
Who is at risk of essential fatty acid deficiency?
It is uncommon in well-nourished people eating a varied diet. It is more likely with long-term very low-fat diets, digestive conditions that impair fat absorption, severe malnutrition, or prolonged intravenous feeding without added fats.
What are the signs of essential fatty acid deficiency?
Common signs include dry, rough, scaly skin, a flaky scalp, rashes, dry or thinning hair, slow wound healing, and, in children, poor growth. Because these overlap with many conditions, the diagnosis considers a person's overall nutrition.
How is essential fatty acid deficiency treated?
Treatment restores essential fats through the diet, such as vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and oily fish, or by adding fat to intravenous nutrition when needed, while also treating any underlying absorption problem. Symptoms usually improve once fats are replaced.
Can a low-fat diet cause this deficiency?
A long-term, very low-fat diet can contribute, because the body still needs small amounts of essential fats. Including healthy fat sources in a balanced diet, rather than following extreme low-fat eating, helps prevent the deficiency.
References
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Facts about fats.
- National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Dietary Supplements. Omega-3 Fatty Acids.
- Mayo Clinic. Dietary fats.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nutrition.