Two essential fatty acids

Jan 2014   Home › Polyunsaturated fatty acids › Two essential fatty acids

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are essential because human body cannot synthesize them.

Advertisements

Fatty acids (FAs) are required for energy production and also for carrying out many important biochemical functions. Most of the required FAs are synthesized by our body. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and linoleic acid (LA) are the two essential fatty acids which our body cannot synthesize.
This inability of our biochemical system necessitates inclusion of these two FAs in our diet. Diet lacking these FAs can cause
deficiency diseases of fats and increase the risk of cancer, atherosclerosis, chronic inflammation and coronary arteriosclerosis.

Biochemical functions

There many mutually mediated biochemical interactions of these two EFAs. Eicosanoids are signalling molecules formed from EFAs. There are four classes of eicosanoids and those derived from ARA are inflammatory whereas those derived from EPA may be less inflammatory, or inactive, or even anti-inflammatory. Further the same eicosanoid can be pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory depending upon the target tissue. For the conversion into their derivatives, ALA and LA compete for the same enzymes and the greater presence of LA in the diet promotes pro-inflammatory cascades. EFAs are also modified to form endocannabinoids having neurological functions.

Conditionally essential

ALA is a precursor of two important FAs namely docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). LA is a precursor of arachidonic acid (ARA), another biochemically important FA connected with inflammatory process.

When the diet lacks ALA, deficiency of DHA and EPA will arise. The lack of LA in the diet causes the deficiency of ARA. If there is malabsorption or malnutrition due to diseases or developmental conditions, again the body can become deficient. There is another situation wherein the conversion of the precursors may be affected due deficiency in the required conversion enzymes or impairment in the enzyme production itself. In all these circumstances DHA, EPA or ARA become conditionally essential fatty acids and have to be included in the diet or supplemented to avoid their nutritional deficiency diseases.

Vegetable oils, fish, marine algae, linseed, walnuts, fish oil, krill oil, milk, dairy products and meat products are good sources of these two essential FAs.

1. Related topics on nutritional deficiency diseases:
Diseases of vitamin deficiency.
Diseases of carbohydrate deficiency.
Protein energy malnutrition.
Diseases of protein deficiency.
Diseases of mineral deficiency.
Examples of monounsaturated fatty acids.

2. Popular topics on nutritional deficiency diseases:
Selenium dosage.
Selenium side effects.
Selenium rich foods.
Selenium deficiency symptoms.
Selenium health benefits.
Chromium for diabetes.
Vanadium for diabetes.
Malnutrition diseases.
Causes of malnutrition.
Malnutrition and nutrition.

Present topic on nutritional deficiency diseases:
Two essential fatty acids.

Fats have an important role in the absorption of fat soluble vitamins

Fats are sources of essential fatty acids, important for our biological activities.
Fats are oil soluble nutrients.
In the normal room temperatures they may be in the form of liquid or solid.
In our nutrition, fats are sourced from animals and plants.
Ingested fats are broken down to fatty acids and utilised in our body.
Essential fatty acids are obtained from the fats and oils consumed.
Fats are the facilitators for the absorption and utilisation of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.Fats help us to maintain the body temperature and the health of the skin.
Fats stored in our body function as store houses of energy.
When required fats are broken down in our body into glycerol and fatty acids.
 Glycerol is again converted into glucose to produce energy.
 Human body has sebaceous glands which secrete oil to give lustre and protection to our skin.
Fats are essential for skin care and hair care.
Excess consumption of fats leads to obesity which is a big health care problem in developed countries.

• Home
• Index

Essential fatty acids are very important for heart's health.

Essential fatty acids are very important for health care nutrition
Nutrition professionals are advising the intake of sufficient quantity of essential fatty acids to prevent and treat heart ailments.
In human nutrition essential fatty acids are very necessary as many biological activities depend on them.
Though most of the fatty acids are produced by the human body ,omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids cannot be produced by the body and necessarily be added to the diet.
Insufficient intake or lack of balance between the intake of the omega -3and omega-6 fatty acids can affect the production of prostaglandins which are the regulators of,blood pressure, blood clotting and heart rate.
EFA( essential fatty acid) also helps in the digestion and assimilation process.
EFA are also very much necessary in the reproductive system right from fertility and conception, to fetal growth and nursing. EFA are also necessary for the immune system and the anti-inflammatory process.
Almonds, avocados, cashews, pea nuts, olive oil, soya oil, fish and fish oils are some of the rich sources of EFA.

• Home
• Index