Good Fat Bad Fat

There are a few things that can go a long way to helping one have the best chance possible at living a long healthy life. One would be, to get plenty of rest. Second would be, stay well hydrated. Third would be eat healthy and this includes getting all the essential minerals, vitamins and fats necessary. In general I believe that our medicine is food and food should be our medicine. Whenever possible I try to incorporate a varied and seasonal diet to provide for all the necessary nutrients the body needs throughout life. When this is not possible, or a particular condition arises where there needs to be a therapeutic level of a nutrient introduced, I will recommend supplementation.This brings me to essential fats. There are many nutrients that are essential, meaning, humans cannot produce them and they must be ingested. Among the fats there are two, ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) and LA (linoleic acid). ALA is what is called an omega-3 fatty acid and LA is an omega-6 fatty acid. The human body lacks the necessary enzyme to make these two fats but it can make several other different fats from them.

• ALA (α-linolenic acid) omega-3 → EPA and DHA 
• LA (linoleic acid) omega-6 → DGLA (Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid) and AA (Arachadonic acid)

 As a society here in the west we generally have no shortage of the omega-6 fats. Sources of LA include:

• corn oil
• safflower oil
• cottonseed oil 
• soybean oil
• sunflower oil

Generally, we do not find the same prevalence of ALA. Sources of this fat include:

• Cod liver oil
• Salmon
• Mackerel
• Herring
• Sardines
• Krill
• most oily cold water fish
• Flax seed oil
• Walnut oil
• Hemp seed oil

Now, why is this important? One of the most important thing that research has revealed to date is that the concentrations of each, omega-6 to omega-3, matters a great deal. Research shows that here in the west, people consume what amounts to around 20x more omega-6 than the omega-3. Historically this ratio was around 1:1, for tens of thousands of years, not 20:1 as is the case today. The shortage is in the omega-3's.  With the prevalence of processed foods, many of which use the above omega-6 acids, it is easy to see why this imbalance is present. Lets not take a look at how the presence or absence of these two fats effects the body.

Omega-3's
ALA, is converted in the body to EPA and DHA

EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) for the heart:

• Lovers blood pressure
• Prevents platelets from sticking together
• Reduces depression
• Lowers cholesterol
• Reduced heart disease risk

DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) for the brain:

• Deficiency likely causes decreased adult mental function
• Cancer inhibtion
• Development of brain cells and vision in infants.

Omega 6's
  LA is converted to DGLA and AA in the body.

DGLA (Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid) from borage seed:

• anti-inflammatory
• tumor inhibition 

AA (arachadonic acid) from fatty red meat:

• Pro-inflammatory
• muscle regeneration 

Now that we know what each of the above do, generally, lets talk about how the ratios affect our health outcomes.

If we move this ratio closer towards 1:1 there is a whole host of health benefits. In general we do not need to attain a 1:1 ratio, of omega-6 to omega-3, as ideal as that may be. Most of the health benefits can be attained with a 2:1 or even 4:1 omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. When we do reach 2:1, through supplementation for example, the following health benefits have been shown:

• Dramatic reduction in cardiovascular mortality ( around 70%)
• Reduced chances of cancer (lung, breast, and colorectal)
• Reduction in asthma symptoms
• Reduction in incidence of diabetes
• Reduction is arthritis symptoms (rheumatoid)
• Reduction in overall bodily inflammation

Depending on your diet and health picture it may be necessary to modify your diet and even supplement omega-3's. Most people fall somewhere within the 2 gram range but may go as high as 10 grams or higher of needed supplementation of ALA (EPA & DHA). It is important to note that these fats affect how the body undergoes blood clotting and any individuals who are on anti-platelet or anti-clotting medication for any reason need to exercise extreme caution and seek close supervision by your physician. As with all supplements and medications please consult with your doctor before making any changes.
All comments are welcome and as always, be healthy and happy.