Essential Fatty Acids

The body cannot synthesize these fatty acids and nor can the body breakdown food in order to obtain them for various biological processes. They are more commonly known as EFAs. Alpha linolenic acid and linoleic acid are the 2 fatty acids that are mainly considered to be EFAs. EFAs are important because they are required by h body not just as a source of fuel and energy but also for various biological processes.

Humans and other mammals are unable to unsaturate fatty acids which have single bonds after carbon 9 and carbon 10. Hence linolenic acid cannot be saturated and neither can linolenic acid. Arachidonic acid is another fatty acid that is actually synthesized from linoleic acid. Hence for some time, arachidonic acid was also considered to be essential as it was derieved from an EFA.

But off late the definition of EFA cannot be applied to arachidonic acid simply because the body can synthesize it. Lack or imbalance of EFAs can cause a wide variety of illnesses as they are involved in numerous processes in the body that are all linked together through various pathways. One of the major roles that EFAs play is in the metabolic processes of the body.

Osteoporosis is one of the most common results of lack of EFAs. This disease is most likely to affect women as they get older. Hence it is always recommend that the diet be well balanced. Low concentration of these fatty acids has also been known to cause depression amongst many people.

It is suggested that one of the most common causes of depression is the lack of these EFAs in the diet. Hence one way to treat depression is to administer a diet that is rich in omega 3 fatty acids. They are also known to affect other mood disorders.

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