Re: PUFA Report: How Essential Are the Essential Fatty Acids?

[Guest guest]

Does this mean we shouldn't take much cod liver oil? How much should we

take. First I hear on Sally's tape that we should all take clo with

butter oil an K2. Now we shouldn't take much at all. Very confusing.

On Apr 9, 2008, at 6:46 PM, Masterjohn wrote:

> My PUFA report is finally done!

>

> Here is the link to purchase it and also the free abstract:

>

> http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/PUFA-Special-Report.html

>

> How Essential Are the Essential Fatty Acids?

> The PUFA Report Part 1: A Critical Review of the Requirement for

> Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids

>

> Cholesterol-And-Health.Com Special Reports Volume 1 Issue 2. 25 pages,

> 3 figures, 114 references.

>

> Abstract

>

> Current reviews and textbooks call the omega-6 linoleic acid and the

> omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid " essential fatty acids " (EFA) and cite

> the EFA requirement as one to four percent of calories. Research

> suggests, however, that the omega-6 arachidonic acid (AA) and the

> omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are the only fatty acids that are

> truly essential. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) occurs in fish products

> but is probably not a normal constituent of the mammalian body and in

> excess it interferes with essential AA metabolism. The EFA requirement

> cited in the scientific literature is inflated by several factors: the

> use of diets composed mostly of sucrose, glucose, or corn syrup; the

> use of diets deficient in vitamin B6; the use of purified fatty acids

> instead of whole foods; the use of questionable biochemical markers

> rather than verifiable symptoms as an index for EFA deficiency; and

> the generalization from studies using young, growing animals to

> adults. The true requirement for EFA during growth and development is

> less than 0.5 percent of calories when supplied by most animal fats

> and less than 0.12 percent of calories when supplied by liver. On

> diets low in heated vegetable oils and sugar and rich in essential

> minerals, biotin, and vitamin B6, the requirement is likely to be much

> lower than this. Adults recovering from injury, suffering from

> degenerative diseases involving oxidative stress, or seeking to build

> muscle mass mass may have a similar requirement. For women who are

> seeking to conceive, pregnant, or lactating, the EFA requirement may

> be as high as one percent of calories. In other healthy adults,

> however, the requirement is infinitesimal if it exists at all. The

> best sources of EFAs are liver, butter, and egg yolks, especially from

> animals raised on pasture. During pregnancy, lactation, and childhood,

> small amounts of cod liver oil may be useful to provide extra DHA, but

> otherwise this supplement should be used only when needed to obtain

> fat-soluble vitamins. Vegetarians or others who eat a diet low in

> animal fat should consider symptoms such as scaly skin, hair loss or

> infertility to be signs of EFA deficiency and add B6 or animal fats to

> their diets. An excess of linoleate from vegetable oil will interfere

> with the production of DHA while an excess of EPA from fish oil will

> interfere with the production and utilization of AA. EFA are

> polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) that contribute to oxidative

> stress. Vitamin E and other antioxidant nutrients cannot fully protect

> against oxidative stress induced by dietary PUFA. Therefore, the

> consumption of EFA should be kept as close to the minimum requirement

> as is practical while still maintaining an appetizing and nutritious

> diet.

>

> Chris

>

> ------------------------------------

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

> Does this mean we shouldn't take much cod liver oil? How much should we

> take. First I hear on Sally's tape that we should all take clo with

> butter oil an K2. Now we shouldn't take much at all. Very confusing.

I think it depends on your own situation. If you are getting lots of

D from sunshine, and you are getting A from liver, I wouldn't bother

with the cod liver oil. If you hate liver and never eat it, or it is

the winter and you can't get vitamin D from sunshine where you are,

you should take more cod liver oil.

I am not ready to say yet that the PUFA from CLO is particularly

dangerous -- that is the type of the thing that will primarily be

addressed in the PUFA Report Part 2. But my point here is that there

is no need to take the CLO specifically for the DHA if you are an

adult, unless you are aging and might be vulnerable to memory loss or

other neurological issues, then a small amount (maybe half tsp or full

tsp) is in order for the DHA.

Chris

[Guest guest]

I just figured I'd chime in to say that I give this report my very

highest-grade seal of approval. It's superlative work, and IMO it's

incumbent upon anyone who cares about his or her own health -- or that

of a friend or loved one -- to read it. The abstract is a generous

overview of the work within, but frankly a summary can hardly even

scratch the surface.

> Here is the link to purchase it and also the free abstract:

>

> http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/PUFA-Special-Report.html

>

> How Essential Are the Essential Fatty Acids?

> The PUFA Report Part 1: A Critical Review of the Requirement for

> Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids

[Guest guest]

On Apr 9, 2008, at 7:24 PM, Masterjohn wrote:

> I am not ready to say yet that the PUFA from CLO is particularly

> dangerous -- that is the type of the thing that will primarily be

> addressed in the PUFA Report Part 2. But my point here is that there

> is no need to take the CLO specifically for the DHA if you are an

> adult, unless you are aging

yep, that's me (63)

> and might be vulnerable to memory loss

Yep again

> or

> other neurological issues,

Yep, winged scapula, painful leg ligament

> then a small amount (maybe half tsp or full

> tsp) is in order for the DHA.

Parashis

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