Fatty Acids: Part 1

Published on September 17, 2008 in Nutrition, Omega-3 and Vitamins: General. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

We have all heard of the importance of Omega-3 Fatty Acids and that we should all be eating two servings of fish every week in order to obtain those all important Omega-3s. But do you know what an omega-3 fatty acid is or why you are supposed to include them in your diet? You’ve probably also heard of the bad Omega-6 fatty acids that you are supposed to stay away from. What I bet you haven’t heard is that Omega-6 fatty acids also play a very important role in our bodies and immune system. While it is true that too many omega-6 fatty acids can be bad for you, what is more important is the ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids. In part one, I am going to cover that basics of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids… starting with what exactly an omega acid is.

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are named after their chemical structure. Below are two diagrams of fatty acids:

omega_acids.gif

While they look similar, there are huge differences both in structure and function. Both Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids are named for where the first double bond is located on the carbon chain. For example, on the left (arachidonic acid) the first double bond is located after the 6th carbon from the end. On the Right (EPA) the first double bond is located after the 3rd carbon from the end. Hence, omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. The real big difference, however, is what happens once these fatty acids are in your body.

You may have heard in the past that Omega-6 fatty acids are bad for you. Well, that isn’t really true. In fact, they are considered an essential fatty acid (meaning your body can not produce it and must be obtained through diet), play an important part in our bodies immune response, and a deficiency can cause “growth retardation, skin lesions, reproductive failure, fatty liver, and polydipsia” (Mahan 55).

We obtain omega-6 fatty acids in our diet by eating grains, vegetable oils, grain fed meats and dairy products. Once in our body, the omega-6 acids are transformed through a series of chemical reactions into a group of substances called eicosanoids which includes the sub groups: prostaglandins, thromboxanes and leukotrtienes. Together, these substances work in a variety of ways to promote blood clotting, vasodilatation and constriction which are important in an inflammatory response, and even are involved in ovarian and uterine function, bone metabolism, nerve and brain function and smooth muscle regulation (Champe 211-12). The reason Omega-6 acids have gotten a bad name is because the typical North American diet consumes way too many omega-6 acids and way too few omega-3 which acts almost as a counter to the omega-6 effects.

Omega-3 acids are natural anti-inflammatory substances. Also an essential fatty acid, some of the best sources are fish which provide us with the omega-3 acids EPA and DHA. These omega-3 fatty acids help counter act the omega-6 effects and help lower heart disease, thrombosis and inflammation. This is such an important concept, that the pharmaceutical industry has made billions of dollars and an enormous amount of drugs to do the exact same thing.

Over the counter drugs such as aspirin and Tylenol, and prescription drugs such as Celebrex and Vioxx (now off the market) inhibit the production of eicosanoids and their inflammatory effects. The problem with Vioxx was that it also inhibited the good effects of the omega-6 acids and caused people to have massive heart attacks. Possibly by blocking the smooth muscle regulation functions of eicosanoids which helps moderate heart function. A much safer and natural way to reduce inflammation in your body is to stay away from foods that contain omega-6 fatty acids and eat more foods with omega-3 fatty acids. There are also some great omega-3 fatty acid supplements out there. A ratio of one omega-3 for every one omega-6 you ingest is ideal, however, realistically if you can keep it to a ratio of one omega-3 for every 3 omega-6, you will be ahead of the game and feeling much better. In part 2 I am going to talk about sources of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. I think what you see might surprise you, so be sure to come back. Your heart will thank you.

References:

Champe, Pamela C., Richard A. Harvey, and Denise R. Ferrier. Biochemistry. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2004.

Mahan, L. Kathleen, and Sylvia Escott-Stump. Krause’s Food and Nutrition Therapy. Philadelphia: Saunders, 2007.

The Dangers of Acetaminophen and Alcohol

Published on September 9, 2008 in Allopathic Treatments, Antioxidant and Drug Interactions. 5 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Tylenol, Excedrin and other acetaminophen containing drugs do warn of of mixing acetaminophen with alcohol:

Alcohol Warning: If you consume 3 or more alcoholic drinks everyday, ask your doctor whether you should take acetaminophen and asprin or other pain relievers/fever reducers. Acetaminophen and asprin may cause liver damage and stomach bleeding.

What the bottle doesn’t tell you is what “liver damage” is and that all it takes is one night of drinking and the recommended therapeutic dose of acetaminophen to treat that headache the next morning for “liver damage’ to occur. In fact, taking acetaminophen hours after alcohol consumption has stopped is worse than taking it during or directly after consumption. The process all begins with an enzyme found in the liver called cytochrome P450 2EI, or CYP2E1 for short.

CYP2E1 helps break down a certain class of chemicals called xenobiotics (meaning “foreign to life”), and is the first step in the break down of acetaminophen. When CYP2E1 works to break down acetaminophen, a new compound is formed called N-acetyl-p-benzoquinoneimine (NAPQI for short). Normally, NAPQI interacts with an antioxidant called glutathione (GSH for short), which turns NAPQI into a non-toxic metabolite that is excreted harmlessly from the body.

Alcohol, a substrate for CYP2E1, increases the amount of the enzyme in the liver which also increases acetaminophen metabolism. As little as one bottle of wine (or 6 twelve-ounce cans of beer) has been found to increase the CYP2E1 levels sufficiently enough to increase acetaminophen metabolism by 22 percent.  While this may sound like a good thing, it is actually very bad if you are a liver cell. Faster acetaminophen metabolism means that it is broken down to NAPQI faster. If there is enough of the antioxidant GSH, NAPQI is still broken down and excreted. However, if there is not enough GSH present, the NAPQI instead interacts with proteins in liver cells and causes those cells to die.

acetaminophen_metabolism.gif

The liver is one of the few internal organs of humans that has the capacity to regenerate, however frequent liver damage can result in loss of liver function and ultimately death. In fact, thousands of people in the United States die each year from using over the counter and prescription Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (Unnecessary Prescribing of NSAIDs). So, next time you wake up with a headache from a few drinks the night before, think twice before you run to the medicine cabinet and down a few pills. Try to avoid any acetaminophen containing pain relievers, or, better yet, just sleep it off… given the chance, your body will take care of itself!

Resources:

American Gastroenterological Association

Champe, Pamela C., Richard A. Harvey, and Denise R. Ferrier. Biochemistry. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2004.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism:
Alcohol Alert No. 27 & Alcohol Alert No. 35

Stryer, Lubert, Jeremy M. Berg, and John L. Tymoczko. Biochemistry. Boston: W. H. Freeman & Company, 2002.

Just an aside…

Published on September 6, 2008 in Nutrition. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.

Then using God’s great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream and Krispy Creme Donuts. And Satan said, “You want chocolate with that?“ And Man said, “Yes!” and Woman said, “and as long as you’re at it, add some sprinkles.” And they gained 10 pounds. And Satan smiled.

And God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that Man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 6 to size 14.

So God said, “Try my fresh green salad.” And Satan presented Thousand-Island Dressing, buttery croutons and garlic toast on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast.

God then said, “I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them.” And Satan brought forth deep fried fish and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.

God then created a light, fluffy white cake, named it “Angel Food Cake,” and said, “It is good.” Satan then created chocolate cake and named it ”Devil’s Food.”

God then brought forth running shoes so that His children might lose those extra pounds. And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering blue light and gained pounds.

Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds.

God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald’s and its 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then said, “You want fries with that?” And Man replied, “Yes! And super size them!” And Satan said, “It is good.” And Man went into cardiac arrest.

God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.

Then Satan created HMOs.

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Satan may have also created spiders to hide inside your grapes. I found this one yesterday:

spider.jpg

Vitamins: The Basics

Published on September 1, 2008 in Vitamins: General. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

Look at any nutrition aisle in your local grocery store and you’ll be amazed by the variety you see. A literal alphabet of pills: A, B, Calcium, D & E, Fish Oils, Glucosamine, Huperzine A, Iron, Joint Support, Vitamin K, Lecithin, Magnesium, Nettle (of the stinging variety), Oregano, Potassium, Quercetin, Rose Hips, Saw Palmetto, Tocotrienol, Ubiquinone, Vitamin C, Whey, Yohimbe Bark and Zinc.

Alright… so I couldn’t find an X but I think you get the idea. There is a TON of stuff out there to spend your money on and it can all be a little overwhelming at times. However, once you filter out all the herbs, minerals and snake oil cures, you are left with the essential Vitamins: A & the Carotenoids, B, C, D, E and K.

Vitamins are organic compounds that are involved in every day bodily functions including: growth, metabolism and maintenance of health. While humans do synthesize small amounts of some vitamins, most are obtained exclusively through our diet. Those vitamins that are synthesized in our body, such as biotin (B7) made by the flora in our digestive tract, are made in such small amounts that dietary sources are still necessary for optimal amounts.

The word “vitamine” was first used in the early 20th century by Casimir Funk who isolated an amine substance from rice polishings that worked as an antiberiberi agent. Soon, other “accessory growth factors” were discovered like fat soluble A which became known as Vitamine A to distinguish it from Funk’s substance which became known as Vitamine B. Each Subsequent Vitamine discovered was given a letter designation and eventually, due to only a few of the substances being amines, the “e” was dropped and we were left with Vitamin A, B, C, D, E, and K.

Each vitamin is then categorized into water soluble or fat soluble varieties. B and C vitamins are water soluble, so daily intake of them is important as they are not stored within the body (with minor exceptions). Deficiencies in the fat soluble vitamins: A & Carotenoids, D, E and K are much less common since they are found and stored in many tissues throughout the body.

Each vitamin was originally thought to provide one specific activity. However, it is now known that they are active in many bodily functions. Niacin (B3) alone is used by over 200 enzymes throughout the body. New evidence also shows that Vitamin D, originally thought to be involved mainly in bone growth and strength, is important in many other aspects including inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. I will cover many of these functions in future posts specific to each individual vitamin, but for now, that is the short of it.


Greetings & Salutations

Published on August 29, 2008 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

I’ve never had a blog before, which people who know me might find strange since I usually have an opinion and something to say on just about any topic. So, I’m hoping to give the world wide web something a little different from what is out there. I’m an ex-graphic designer turned chiropractic student, which helps gives me a unique perspective that I want to share with you. My goal of this blog is to provide nutrition information that you may not have ever heard before. We all know that good nutrition is important for good health, but do you know why? Do you know why you are taking that multi-vitamin every morning or what your body is doing with it? Do you know which cholesterol is the good, which is the bad… and which is the ugly? Oh yeah… cholesterol gone bad gets real real ugly.

I’m hoping to give you this information and much more. Information you need to help make informed nutrition decisions. At times it may get a bit scientific and involve some biochemistry and complex chemical reactions, but my graphic design experience has given me the tools needed to help display complex information in an easy to understand manner. Whenever possible, I will also list other resources and links to help expand your knowledge in-case you are looking for more detailed information.

I’ve always been interested and passionate about nutrition, but now I have the knowledge base necessary to be able to talk about it. I also like saving money, so I plan on talking a lot about absorption, bio-availability and doses of different vitamins and minerals, because there is no point spending good money on vitamins that end up passing right through you. If wasting money was the goal, it’d be easier just flushing your money down the drain. I hope you find it useful and informative, but above all, I hope it helps lead you to being the healthiest, happiest person you can be. So keep on reading and let me know what you think. My email address can be found on the home page and I welcome any comments, questions or ideas for topics you might want to see.

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