Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Omega 6 fatty acids summary

Polyunsaturated fatty acid Acid- Arachidonic acid Function- important in the brain but detrimental if there is too much (pro-inflammatory) Eicosenoid produced- Thromboxane- increased blood clotting

Arachidonic acid is a major player in....

the inflammatory response

Anemia

1950s It was discovered when making baby formulas and they forgot to put these essential fatty acids and the babies had trouble with their skin, clotting and many other problems

Omerga 6 fatty acids may be responsible for...

increasing inflammatory diseases in general (debated)

Signs and symptoms of essential fatty acids deficiency

Flaky, itchy skin Diarrhea Infections Retarded growth and wound healing Anemia

Enzymes converted to different signaling molcules (eicosanoids) such as..

One signals pain so you can stay off your know and don't cause further damage Another signals for more blood clotting so you don't bleed to death (thromboxane) One calls for immune cells to start repair

Omega 3 fatty acids summary

Polyunsaturated fatty acid Acid: EPA (fish shell fish, marine) --> DHA acid Function: Important in the brain (anti-inflammatory) Eicosenoid produced: eiconsenoid (prevents clotting)

Arachidonic acid (high amount)

When there is a high amount of arachidonic acid in the phospholipids of the membrane and the cell is damaged, a signal to activate phospholipase A2 is sent and this enzyme starts to breaks PLs in the membrane This produces free arachidonic fatty acid molecules which are converted to active eicosanoid signaling molecules These eicosanoids cause pain, stimulate immune cells, cause platelets to clot, and cause all sorts of repair processes to start (good after car crash)

In a high omega 6 polyunsaturated fat diet...

Cells receive the omega 6 fatty acids and make arachidonic acid (more saturated)

Diseases (related to inflammatory response)

Coronary artey disease Asthma Inflammatory bowel disease Osteoporosis Alzheimer's disease All of these are multi-factorial

If there is a over-response of eicosanoids...

Then the "repair" cane, over time, do more damage than what was originally there Cortisone inhibits phospholipase A2 and slows the release of arachidonic acid and decreases in inflammation Arachidonic acid is a major player in the inflammatory response

Essential fatty acids are needed in diet by everyone because...

They are needed for immune function, vision, cell membrane formation and maintenance and production of hormone-like compounds (called ecisenoids) Body can make double bonds only after the 9th carbon from the omega end so we need to get more unsaturated fatty acids from the diet

Omega 3 fatty acids

Double bond 3 carbons from methyl group Linolenic acid (18:3, ω-3) can be made into EPA and DHA (also found in fish oils) Better to get EPA and DHA from diet because only 9% of alpha linoleic is converted to DHA Lowers blood lipids Anti-inflammatory Helps prevent clotting

Omega 6 Fatty acids

Double bond 6 carbons from methyl group Linoleic acids (18:2, ω-6) can be made into arachionic acid (20:40) Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde fatty acid: important in the brain but also pro-inflammatory

How can you get enough omega 3 acids?

Eat fish twice a week Take a 1 gram fish oil capsule once a day Canned salmon is a good source

Eicosenoids

Help you, call for help Pain, blood clotting and immune cell response Hormone-like compounds Regulate blood pressure, childbirth, clotting, immune responses, inflammatory responses and stomach secretions Sometimes bypass the blood stream and work in area of origin

Free arachidonic acid

Important signaling molecules When you are hurt, cells are damaged and arachidonic acid in the membrane PLs are even more exposed Pospholipase A2 cleaves arachidonic acid off the PL and now it is a substrate for additional enzymes The enzymes convert it to different dignaling molcules (eicosanoids)

Arachidonic acid

Needed in the brain but too much is not good either

In general, Omega 3 acids make?

Omega 3 fatty acids make eicosanoid signaling molecules that counteract the effects of signaling molecules from arachidonic acid (think ying/yang) Makes them an anti-inflammatory

Injection of cortisone to athlete

inhibits phospholipase A2, lowering available arachidonic acid and therefore decreases inflammation Lowers pain so the athlete can continue playing Slows healing

Examples of two polyunsaturated fatty acids

linoleic and alpha linoleic acids