Polyunsaturated long-chain fatty acids in hyperphenylalaninemias

Patients with hyperphenylalaninemia (HFA) must follow a restricted protein diet, which deprives them of natural dietary sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) that lead to neurological deficits, not related to high phenylalanine blood levels. There is strong evidence of the benefits of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplement, a long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) that has several essential roles in the brain and in the retina. More studies are required to determine the DHA dosage and its sources at different stages of life in this HFA patients.