Essential Fatty Acids
2.5g daily of EPA/DHA equals 20% less anxiety and 14% less inflammation
Uses
Omega oils create a variety of chemicals called “eicosanoids,” which are body regulators. One of the most important groups of eicosanoids is prostaglandins.
Brain Fog - animal studies show fish oil improves mild cognitive impairment (but not Alzheimers) (source - People's Pharm article)
Controversy over fish/plant based oils. Fish oils highly processed, easily degraded, doing more harm than good? Preference for plant based ALA, body converts to EPA. Conversion Processes of alpha linolenic acid (LNA) Omega 3 and linoleic acid (LA) Omega 6 and detailed info here.
Both EPA and DHA necessary - both are equally effective in reducing triglyceride levels, equally effective in making powerful anti-inflammatory eicosanoids known as resolvins.
If your goal is reducing cellular inflammation, then you probably need twice as much EPA than DHA.
Brain Fog - animal studies show fish oil improves mild cognitive impairment (but not Alzheimers) (source - People's Pharm article)
Controversy over fish/plant based oils. Fish oils highly processed, easily degraded, doing more harm than good? Preference for plant based ALA, body converts to EPA. Conversion Processes of alpha linolenic acid (LNA) Omega 3 and linoleic acid (LA) Omega 6 and detailed info here.
Both EPA and DHA necessary - both are equally effective in reducing triglyceride levels, equally effective in making powerful anti-inflammatory eicosanoids known as resolvins.
If your goal is reducing cellular inflammation, then you probably need twice as much EPA than DHA.
EPA
article epa vs dha http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-the-zone/201204/what-are-the-real-differences-between-epa-and-dha
EPA - critical for reducing cellular inflammation
Eicosanoids derived from Arachidonic acid (AA), an omega-6 fatty acid, are the primary mediators of cellular inflammation --> causing inflammation. EPA becomes the most important of the omega-3 fatty acids to reduce cellular inflammation. EPA inhibits the enzymes that produce AA (DHA is too large to fit on receptor -- EPA and AA are same size and compete) This is why measuring the AA/EPA ratio is such a powerful predictor of the state of cellular inflammation in your body.
EPA is key for reducing neuro-inflammation by competing against AA. Once EPA enters into the brain it is rapidly oxidized. This is not the case with DHA. The only way to control cellular inflammation in the brain is to maintain high levels of EPA in the blood. This is why all the work on depression, ADHD, brain trauma, etc. have demonstrated EPA to be superior to DHA
EPA - critical for reducing cellular inflammation
Eicosanoids derived from Arachidonic acid (AA), an omega-6 fatty acid, are the primary mediators of cellular inflammation --> causing inflammation. EPA becomes the most important of the omega-3 fatty acids to reduce cellular inflammation. EPA inhibits the enzymes that produce AA (DHA is too large to fit on receptor -- EPA and AA are same size and compete) This is why measuring the AA/EPA ratio is such a powerful predictor of the state of cellular inflammation in your body.
EPA is key for reducing neuro-inflammation by competing against AA. Once EPA enters into the brain it is rapidly oxidized. This is not the case with DHA. The only way to control cellular inflammation in the brain is to maintain high levels of EPA in the blood. This is why all the work on depression, ADHD, brain trauma, etc. have demonstrated EPA to be superior to DHA
DHA
DHA takes up takes up a lot more space than does EPA in the membrane. It does a great job of making membranes (especially those in the brain) a lot more fluid as the DHA sweeps out a much greater volume in the membrane than does EPA. This increase in membrane fluidity is critical for synaptic vesicles and the retina of the eye as it allows receptors to rotate more effectively thus increasing the transmission of signals from the surface of the membrane to the interior of the nerve cells.
This constant sweeping motion of DHA also causes the breakup of lipid rafts in membranes. Disruption of these islands of relatively solid lipids makes it more difficult for cancer cells to continue to survive and more difficult for inflammatory cytokines to initiate the signaling responses to turn on inflammatory genes. The greater spatial characteristics of DHA increase the size of LDL particles, compared to EPA. As a result, DHA helps reduce the entry of these enlarged LDL particles into the muscle cells that line the artery thus reducing the likelihood of developing atherosclerotic lesions.
caution - with high DHA --> reduces the production of dihomo gamma linolenic acid or DGLA. This can be a disaster as a great number of powerful anti-inflammatory eicosanoids are derived from DGLA. If you use high-dose DHA it is essential to add back trace amounts of GLA to maintain sufficient levels of DGLA to continue to produce anti-inflammatory eicosanoids.
This constant sweeping motion of DHA also causes the breakup of lipid rafts in membranes. Disruption of these islands of relatively solid lipids makes it more difficult for cancer cells to continue to survive and more difficult for inflammatory cytokines to initiate the signaling responses to turn on inflammatory genes. The greater spatial characteristics of DHA increase the size of LDL particles, compared to EPA. As a result, DHA helps reduce the entry of these enlarged LDL particles into the muscle cells that line the artery thus reducing the likelihood of developing atherosclerotic lesions.
caution - with high DHA --> reduces the production of dihomo gamma linolenic acid or DGLA. This can be a disaster as a great number of powerful anti-inflammatory eicosanoids are derived from DGLA. If you use high-dose DHA it is essential to add back trace amounts of GLA to maintain sufficient levels of DGLA to continue to produce anti-inflammatory eicosanoids.
Related
Its cofactors are Vitamins B3, B6, C, magnesium, and zinc and deficiencies of these nutrients can mimic an EFA deficiency, required for prostaglandin production.
Phosphatidyl choline is also very effective in protecting DHA/EPA from free radical oxidative stress..... another good reason to take it. In my experience DMAE is especially effective for increasing acetylcholine levels in the brain, since it passes the blood/brain barrier & converts to choline. I like to use this for overmethylated persons who have excessive dopamine and norepinephrine levels. However, enhancing acetylcholine activity must be avoided in persons who genetically are overloaded in this NT. Choline, DMAE, and phosphatidyl choline can cause nasty symptoms in these persons (about 10% of the population).
Persons with innately high acetylcholine levels tend to be very tense and sometimes nearly catatonic. They have very high anxiety, but usually keep it inside. They also usually have a history of seasonal allergies, perfectionism, and OCD tendencies. Increasing acetylcholine activity can be a disaster for them.
Those deficient in acetylcholine usually present with nervous legs, are prone to pacing, and are quite voluble. Their misery is plain to everyone. Therapies to increase acetylcholine activity can be extraordinarily helpful for this population. (March 6, 2003)
Phosphatidyl choline is also very effective in protecting DHA/EPA from free radical oxidative stress..... another good reason to take it. In my experience DMAE is especially effective for increasing acetylcholine levels in the brain, since it passes the blood/brain barrier & converts to choline. I like to use this for overmethylated persons who have excessive dopamine and norepinephrine levels. However, enhancing acetylcholine activity must be avoided in persons who genetically are overloaded in this NT. Choline, DMAE, and phosphatidyl choline can cause nasty symptoms in these persons (about 10% of the population).
Persons with innately high acetylcholine levels tend to be very tense and sometimes nearly catatonic. They have very high anxiety, but usually keep it inside. They also usually have a history of seasonal allergies, perfectionism, and OCD tendencies. Increasing acetylcholine activity can be a disaster for them.
Those deficient in acetylcholine usually present with nervous legs, are prone to pacing, and are quite voluble. Their misery is plain to everyone. Therapies to increase acetylcholine activity can be extraordinarily helpful for this population. (March 6, 2003)
Deficiency
LNA (O3's) deficiencies include: growth retardation, weakness, visual impairment and learning ability, motor incoordination, tingling sensations in arms and legs, behavioral changes, high blood pressure, sticky platelets, tissue inflammation, edema, dry skin, mental deterioration, low metabolic rate, some immune dysfunction, and high triglycerides (not considered classic but responds well to fatty acid treatment. Triglycerides store the extra essential fatty acids, but an excess can increase the risk of heart disease. They are produced by overeating and by diets high in refined sugars and fats with too few antioxidants).
LA (O6's) deficiencies include: eczema-like skin erruptions, hair loss, liver degeneration, behavioral disturbances, kidney degeneration, excessive sweating accompanied by thirst, the glands dry up, more susceptible to infections, wound healing failure, male sterility, female miscarriages, arthritis-like conditions, heart and circulatory problems, growth retardation, and depression.
LA (O6's) deficiencies include: eczema-like skin erruptions, hair loss, liver degeneration, behavioral disturbances, kidney degeneration, excessive sweating accompanied by thirst, the glands dry up, more susceptible to infections, wound healing failure, male sterility, female miscarriages, arthritis-like conditions, heart and circulatory problems, growth retardation, and depression.
Sources
Food
Supplements
best absorbed
worst
doses
worst
doses
Problematic/Watch for...
Vitamin E deficiency in liver and plasma with fish oil and other DHA and EPA supplements causing oxidation of lipids. Not seen with high intakes of ALA from plant-based oils.
An excess of AA (O6s) ultimately leads to inflammation and increases blood clotting, which can cause heart attack, stroke, or embolism.
An excess of AA (O6s) ultimately leads to inflammation and increases blood clotting, which can cause heart attack, stroke, or embolism.
Resources
Vitamin E with DHA/EPA http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201103/your-brain-omega-3