Understanding Fats
Before
we discuss the benefits of EPA,
it is important to understand
the whole concept of body fats.
Fat is
what makes us human, it is also
an integral and dominant part of
our brain. The human brain's dry
weight is more than 60% fat. As
you may have learned in your
science classes, it is fat that
maintains the integrity of our
nerves (the correct amount of
fat ensures that the brain sends
the right messages to other
parts of our body) and it also
maintains the connections
between nerves so that
information is processed
properly by the brain.
Depending on the function, the
body needs specific types of fat
to keep cell membranes “well
lubricated.” For example,
medical experts say that the fat
in our brain has to be firm or
rigid because they insulate
cells, ensuring that brain
messages are not distorted as
they are transmitted. On the
other hand, the fat in the
retina of the eye has to be non
rigid; that is, more fluid, so
that visible information caught
by the human eye can be passed
on to the brain.
We also
learned that inside our bodies,
many types of fat exist. They
can be saturated fats,
monounsaturated, or
polyunsaturated fats.
What makes
fat saturated, monounsaturated
or polyunsaturated?
The
answer lies in the number of
double bonds that fat contains.
The more double bonds a fat has,
the more unsaturated it becomes
(it is more fluid). But note
that when fat is unsaturated,
there's a strong likelihood of
it being attacked by free
radicals.
Let's
now take fish oil.
Fish oil generally has large
amounts of polyunsaturated fat.
Polynunsaturated fats are of two
types:
The
factor that determines these fat
designations is the position of
the double bonds in the fat. But
Omega-3 and
Omega-6 have one thing in
common: both are what
researchers call long-chain fats
and it is this very
characteristic that enables them
to produce eicosanoids
- substances or agents that
control health.
So when
a person has a good balance of
good eicosanoids, that person's
health is assured.
Omega-3 fatty acids also
have EPA (eicosapentaenoic
acid) and DHA
(docosahexaenoic acid). EPA is
the good fat for overall health
and preventing
inflammation, while DHA
is the good fat for the brain.
Fish
Oil Supplements Have EPA and DHA
This is
what makes fish oil vital. It
has high levels of EPA
that help balance the good and
bad eicosanoids. Note that it is
normal to have bad eicosanoids.
Without them we'd probably die.
The goal, however, is to keep
the good and bad balanced. This
is why manufacturers are making
high grade fish oils due to high
demand because of their EPA and
DHA content.
Benefits of EPA
Now that
you understand the EPA concept,
what benefits does EPA offer?
-
Natural anti-inflammatory
capabilities - this is
particularly true for people
who suffer from autoimmune
diseases like arthritis or
lupus.
-
Pain reduction - people who
suffer from chronic pain are
advised to take fish oil
supplements that may help
alleviate the severity of
the pain
-
Blood clot prevention - the
EPA in fish oils help
prevent the formation of
blood clots caused by the
accummulation of platelets.
-
Strengthening of immune
system - EPA helps to
enhance our immune defenses
and help us fight viral and
bacterial infections more
effectively.
Finally,
if we look at obesity, we know
that one possible reason people
are obese is their bodies
produce do much insulin. At
normal levels, insulin is
effective in regulating enzymes.
Too much insulin promotes bad
cholesterol levels, caused by
rising levels of bad
eicosanoids. Lowering insulin in
the body automatically
translates into lowering the
number of bad eicosanoids.
The good
eicosanoids are responsible for
decreasing the amount of insulin
in the pancreas. Without them,
our enzymes don't do the job
they're supposed to do and this
can cause long term damage to
our health. It is therefore
critical that people control
both their insulin and
eicosanoids for a healthier
body. One way of doing is to
take high quality fish
oil supplements that
contain EPA and
DHA.
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