Docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) is an essential fatty acid containing 22 carbon bonds, but unlike its ’cousin’ DHA it only has 5 (cis) double bonds. Not a great deal is known about how DPA contributes to the overall efficacy of Omega 3, but increased research is under way to gain a better understanding.
Seal oil is quite high in DPA and some researchers feel that it may be a contributing factor to the overall good cardiovascular health of the Eskimos.