Research
Hormonal
High activity of the delta-5 desaturase and high levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in skeletal muscle are strongly associated with good insulin sensitivity.
While you cannot directly 'dose' desaturase activity, maintaining a muscle fatty acid profile that supports delta-5 desaturase function (via adequate unsaturated fat intake and physical activity) is linked to better insulin sensitivity.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
A high ratio between arachidonic (20:4 n-6) and dihomo-gamma linolenic (20:3 n-6) acid, as a measure of delta-5 desaturase activity, in the skeletal muscle phospholipids has been related to good insulin sensitivity.
Why this rating
Based on cross-sectional and prospective studies with strong correlations, though causality is debated.
Source
Desaturation and Elongation of Fatty Acids and Insulin Action
B. Vessby et al. · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · 2002
DOI 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2002.tb04275.x
narrative_reviewCited 317×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Substituting saturated fatty acids with monounsaturated fatty acids in the diet improves insulin sensitivity, whereas substituting saturated fats with polyunsaturated n-6 fatty acids does not.Good
- Physical activity improves insulin sensitivity by altering skeletal muscle fatty acid composition, specifically by reducing palmitic acid and improving delta-5 desaturase activity.Good
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