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Dr.
Ruth Bradley
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[Why essential fatty acids are important
to our health and well-being.]
Q: I know I need an essential fatty acid supplement, but when I
started reading the labels, I got so confused I didn’t buy anything.
Do I need Omega-3 or Omega-6, flax or fish oil, ALA, (Alpha-Linolenic
Acid) or LA (Linoleic Acid) as the main ingredient for this type of
supplement?
A: I sympathize with you. Just going to a health food store makes
me dizzy. With so many products, you almost have to have a degree
in organic chemistry to understand labeling. I’ve tried to create
a roadmap for you that I hope will help you navigate through the maze
of initials and letters and numbers. We know that the experts acknowledge
the absolute importance of these essential fatty acids (EFA’s),
so hang in there and I promise you that your trip through this topic
will be well worth the effort.
Q: Why are the essential fatty acids (EFA’s), Omega-3 and
Omega-6, so essential?
A: Simply put, the two families of EFA’s, Omega-3 and Omega-6,
cannot be made within our bodies, so it is essential to our health
that we get them from foods or in supplemental form. They are polyunsaturated
fats, one of the four fats we get from our food, the other three being
cholesterol, saturated fats and monounsaturated fats. Omega-3 and
Omega-6 are important for converting food substances into usable energy
and transporting that energy through our bodies. They also make up
a part of every cell wall and membrane in our body.
One of the most important functions of EFA’s is to keep our
cell walls flexible and more elastic so the good stuff can get in
and the bad stuff can get out. If toxins can’t get out and they
build up in our cells, our joint coverings become rigid, our nerve
membranes become frayed and our nervous system and brain don’t
function well. Words like “arthritis,” “fibromyalgia”
and “chronic pain syndrome” become part of our vocabulary.
Another primary function of EFA’s is the production of prostoglandins,
hormonal substances that regulate many of our body functions, including
heart rate, blood pressure and blood clotting. Prostoglandins also
play a role in immune functions because of the way they regulate inflammation,
which is the cause of many immune disorders. Prostoglandins both encourage
the body to fight infection and keep the inflammatory response from
getting out of control. EFA’s are also natural blood thinners,
as they reduce the stickiness in the blood.
Q: What is the best source of Omega-3 fatty acid and Omega-6 fatty
acid?
A: Omega-3 is found primarily in oily, cold-water fish, such as tuna
and salmon, and in their oils, in the form of EPA and DHA. Omega-3
is also found in flax seed oil and dark green, leafy vegetables in
the form of ALA which, once in the body, can be converted to EPA and
DHA. These two forms of EPA and DHA are most readily used in the body
to help regulate inflammation, fight infection and reduce pain. The
tricky part in supplementation is that a person has to take two times
more fish oil as flax seed oil to get the same amount of EPA and DHA.
The slightly down side to fish oil capsules may be a fishy aftertaste.
The upside is that fish oil has a more immediate effect on pain caused
by inflammation. Fish oil is also better for type 2 diabetics because
they are not able to convert ALA to the EPA, DHA form. Also, flax
oil has an added benefit of being rich in Ligens, which are anti-cancer
agents and help reduce hot flashes. Both of these, flax and fish oil,
help weight loss, lower bad LDL cholesterol, increase good HDL cholesterol
and lower triglyceride levels (fatty material that circulates in the
blood).
Omega-6 is found as Linoleic Acid (LA) in common vegetable oils such
as corn and safflower oil. We have an abundance of these oils in our
diets because it is the primary ingredient added to most processed
foods to increase shelf life and taste. They are also made into soft
margarine and shortening, through a process called hydrogenation,
which has a very bad effect on the oil because it turns the fatty
acids into trans fatty acids, which are very harmful in the body.
Research has implicated trans fatty acids as a factor in cardiovascular
disease, diabetes and cancer. So, processed foods are just plain bad
for you.
The breakdown of oils is from LA (Linoleic Acid) to GLA, then to AA
(Arachadonic Acid). The downside of too much AA (which can be obtained
directly from eating meats) is that it creates inflammation in the
body, which can lead to many disease processes. The best source of
supplemental Omega-6 is from Borage and Primrose oil, and GLA that
bypasses the AA stage, so it has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Q: Is it better for me to take more Omega-3 or more Omega-6 fatty
acids?
A: Nutritionists have come to recognize the importance of balancing
Omega-3 fatty acids and Omega-6 fatty acids in the diet. Because most
people on a typical American diet consume far more Omega-6 rich foods
(including cereals, whole grain bread, baked goods, fried foods, margarine
and others), the ratio is out of balance for almost everyone. We typically
consume 20 times the healthy amount of Omega-6’s. Therefore,
for most Americans, the emphasis must be on increasing Omega-3’s
by adding flax oil – 1-2 tablets per day, or fish oil –
3-6 capsules per day, to make the ratio more even.
Dr. Ruth Bradley has practiced
chiropractic in St. Petersburg since 1984. She is clinic director
for Millennium Medical, a holistic healthcare facility specializing
in the integration of medical and alternative practices. (727) 541-2675.
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
2004
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FEATURE ARTICLES
Holistic
Health Q & A
by Dr. Ruth Bradley
Why essential fatty acids are important to our
health and well-being..
What
is Detoxification?
by Beth Golden
Because of increased exposure
to toxic substances, our bodies need extra help to eliminate
them.
Financial
Planning
by Jim Goeke
How
to live a long, healthy and productive life with streams
of income to handle all your needs.
Click
here for more articles on the theme Healthy
Relationships
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