Essential Fatty Acids

In this era of fat phobia and the resulting barrage of low-fat and non-fat food products lining the grocery store shelves, a recommendation to supplement an individual's daily diet with one or two tablespoons of Flaxseed oil may be puzzling to many consumers. However, flaxseed oil is extremely rich in special fats designated as essential fatty acids.

"Essential" simply means that we must consume them in our diets and that our bodies cannot manufacture them from other dietary fats or nutrients. Research suggests that a lack of essential fatty acids, ordinarily found abundantly in flaxseed oil and other unrefined polyunsaturated vegetable oils, plays a significant role in the development of such chronic degenerative diseases as heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

Many experts estimate that approximately 80 percent of the American population consumes an insufficient quantity of essential fatty acids. This dietary insufficiency presents a serious health threat to Americans. In addition to providing the body with energy, the essential fatty acids-linoleic and linolenic acid-function in our bodies as components of nerve cells, cellular membranes, and hormone-like substances known as prostaglandins. Prostaglandins and the essential fatty acids play an important role in keeping the body in good working order, such as

• producing steroids and synthesizing hormones
• regulating pressure in the eye, joints, or blood vessels
• regulating response to pain, inflammation, and swelling
• mediating immune response
• regulating bodily secretions and their viscosity
• dilating or constricting blood vessels
• regulating collateral circulation
• directing endocrine hormones to their target cells
• regulating smooth muscle and autonomic reflexes
• being primary constituents of cellular membranes
• regulating the rate at which cells divide (mitosis)
• maintaining the fluidity and rigidity of cellular membranes
• regulating the in-flow and out-flux of substances into and out of the cells
• transporting oxygen from red blood cells to the tissues
• maintaining proper kidney function and fluid balance
• keeping saturated fats mobile in the blood stream
• preventing blood cells from clumping together (conglomeration-the cause of atherosclerotic plaque and blood clots, a cause of stroke)
• mediating the release of pro-inflammatory substances from cells that may trigger allergic conditions
• regulating nerve transmission
• stimulating steroid production
• being the primary energy source for the heart muscle

As well as playing a critical role in normal physiology, essential fatty acids are shown to be therapeutic and protect against heart disease, cancer, autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, many skin diseases, and others.

Causes of Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency

The adulteration of polyunsaturated oils caused by mass commercial refinement of foods containing fats and oils has effectively eliminated the essential fatty acids from our food chain. In addition, there has been a tremendous increase in the amount of unnatural fats and oils added to the diet in the form of trans fatty acids and partially hydrogenated oils. Trans fatty acids result when polyunsaturated oils are subjected to excessive heat, light, oxygen, or other refining methods.

The term trans literally means that the formerly C shaped (cis) polyunsaturated fatty acid is (trans)formed to an unnatural straight-shaped fatty acid molecule. Hydrogenation is caused when liquid polyunsaturated fatty acids are infused with hydrogen molecules causing an occupation of the formerly unsaturated bond with hydrogen. The result is a semisolid or solid fat substance not duplicated anywhere in nature. Margarine is the ultimate representation of a hydrogenated fat substance containing both hydrogenated and trans fatty acids.

Early in the twentieth century, Americans consumed about 125 grams of fat a day. Today, the consumption is closer to 175 grams, a 40 percent increase, or about 50 extra pounds a year. Proportionally our ingestion of saturated fats has remained relatively stable. Our ingestion of unrefined polyunsaturated oils rich in the disease-preventing essential fatty acids has decreased dramatically.

Conversely, our ingestion of refined, adulterated polyunsaturated oil products has risen sharply, correlating with the dramatic rise in many degenerative conditions including cancer, heart disease, and stroke. These refined and processed compounds actually inhibit the body's ability to use the essential fatty acids that are consumed. And because synthetic fats have been prevalent in the diet for only about a hundred years, our bodies have not yet had time to evolve to the point where they can handle these deadly compounds.

There are three primary factors contributing to our current essential fatty acid deficiency.

• Unavailability of quality oils rich in essential fatty acids because of mass commercialization and refinement of fats and oils.
• Transformation of healthful omega-3 and omega-6 oils into toxic compounds (hydrogenated and trans isomers).
• Metabolic competition between hydrogenated and trans fatty acids with the essential fatty acids.

 Recognizing Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency

 The signs and symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency may be overt or chronically nagging, ranging from mild fatigue to a fatal heart attack. Most orthodox health care practitioners will never make the association between a health problem and essential fatty acid deficiency because they are not trained in nutrition, and the laboratory analysis to measure essential fatty acid deficiency is not widely available or appreciated. In addition, the symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency are not as obvious as with many other nutrient deficiencies. The consequences of this lack of knowledge can be deadly. And even if an essential fatty acid deficiency were recognized, few orthodox clinicians would know how to treat it.

The symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency can be so vague and broad that they are usually written off as having some other cause. Surveys suggest that most Americans are obtaining only about 10 percent of what they need for optimal health. This is why the authors believe that everyone, regardless of health status, should take essential fatty acid-rich flaxseed oil. The following guidelines should help you recognize your personal essential fatty acid (EFA) status.

 Signs and symptoms typical of, but not exclusive to, EFA deficiency:

• aching joints
• angina; chest pain
• arthritis
• constipation
• dry, lifeless hair
• dry mucous membranes, tear ducts, mouth, vagina
• dry skin
• fatigue; malaise; lackluster energy
• forgetfulness
• frequent colds and sickness
• high blood pressure
• history of cardiovascular disease
• immune weakness
• indigestion; bloating
• lack of endurance
• lack of motivation

 Sources of Essential Fatty Acids

 Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are abundant in many foods, including nuts, seeds, fish, and oils. Physicians agree that the best way to incorporate EFAs in your diet is to get them from foods rather than supplements; when you eat whole foods you also get healthy amounts of vitamins, minerals,  and other essential nutrients.

However; if you find it difficult to eat enough foods that contain EFAs, or if you have a health condition that requires larger amounts, your may try to get them in supplement form. Flaxseed Oil is among the best sources of EFAs as a supplement.

Randy Hatcher

Whole Health Consultant