EFA -- Loooonnnnnggg Response

[Guest guest]

Dear Elena:

This is going to be long folks ... all of this information is available on

the internet I've just tried to put it together cohesively. It's by no means

comprehensive, but for those of you not inclined to research what EFA's are

here's the absolute bare bones basics (anyone feel free to add anything I

missed):

Evening primrose oil (EPO), as well as the fish oil supplements (EPA/DHA) are

part of the family of essential fatty acids. Basically, there are two types

of fats, good fats and bad fats. Generally speaking, bad fats are a)

saturated fats which you can only get by consuming animal products and;

hydrogenated fats, which is normally liquid fat generally vegetable oils,

that have been exposed to hydrogenation, which completely changes the

molecular structure. Our bodies do not need the bad fats and generally what

they do to our bodies is raise our cholesterol, damage our arteries and make

us fat.

Essential fatty acids are the good fats that are, for the most part, found in

plants. The EFA's in fats and oils have two physiological functions: 1) They

can be " burned " for energy; 2) They can be used as building blocks " for

chemical regulators and tissues. All fatty acids can be burned for energy.

But only a few can function as building blocks. Of those that do function

this way, your body can manufacture all but two -- ALA (alpha linolenic acid)

and LA (linoleic acid). These two must come from food which is why they are

called " essential " fatty acids. Generally speaking Flaxseed oil can provide

ALA and Safflower oil (among others) can provide the LA.

Linoleic acid is also the primary precursor to the biologically important

substances collectively known aseicosanoids, of which prostaglandins are one.

Okay, there are two types of prostaglandins, one of them actually causes

inflammatory responses and the other one suppresses inflammatory responses.

Gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which is what you get from Evening Primrose, is

what is responsible for the anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. In a perfect

world, a healthy body can use some of the linoleic acid it gets in the diet

to produce GLA. But, the unfortunate truth is most of us don't properly

utilize linoleic acid. There are a number of dietary and lifestyle factors

inhibiting the conversion of linoleic acid to GLA: sugar consumption,

smoking, alcohol, chemical carcinogens, aging and illnesses (viral

infections, cancer, diabetes, hypothyroidism, cardiovascular disease,

cholesterol, and hormonal fluctuations).

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are long-chain,

polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish and fish oils. The intake of

dietary EPA/DHA is enhanced by eating coldwater fish regularly, such as

salmon, herring, mackerel, or sardines that feed on certain plankton, or by

taking additional oil supplements. Since studies on the health of Greenland

Eskimos in the 1970s, these compounds have been purported to have many health

benefits when included in ones diet on a regular basis. The Eskimos eat large

amounts of DHA and EPA in their diets. As all natural fish and fish oils

contain both substances, learning which of them are the major contributors to

the health benefits claimed for fish or fish oil has been hard, or if both

are needed to produce these benefits. Epidemiological evidence suggest that

populations consuming marine diets rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) have a

low incidence of cancer. A potential anti-cancer activity of EPA is further

supported by in vitro and in vivo experimental studies. These lipid-lowering

effects, along with some benefits in reducing platelet aggregation and

clotting potential, make the use of EPA/DHA very important in the treatment

or prevention of cardiovascular disease or in anyone with high blood fats or

low HDL. The decreased blood viscosity and lower fat levels help reduce the

risk of heart attacks. The mild anti-inflammatory effects, possibly a result

of increased PGE1 and PGE3 prostaglandins, may also be helpful and has

suggested the possible use of EPA/DHA in arthritis and other inflammatory

conditions. In rheumatoid arthritis, for example, EPA/DHA supplementation has

been shown to reduce joint stiffness and soreness and to improve flexibility.