EFAs

S

semajes

New Member
I've read of the benefits of EPA and DHA, and all the EFAs a million times, but what is it that makes them essential?

For instance, in the FAQ there is a section about losing fat, and several times it is mentioned that any diet MUST start with adequate protein and EFAs.  Adequate protein makes sense, but what will happen if a person is dieting without the efas?
 
Fatty Acids are important to many functions in the body. Without them we can not live.

What makes EFA's essential, our bodies can not produce them. They must come from outside the body.

EPA/DHA are not essential, they can be converted from other fatty acids.

This is the same for Essential Amino Acids, we can not produce them ourselves internally.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (dkm1987 @ Aug. 03 2005,7:53)]EPA/DHA are not essential, they can be converted from other fatty acids.
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I hope I'm not hijacking this thread or taking it in a direction you didn't intend semajes, but after all the recent EFA threads I'm more confused than ever and your question is exactly what I've been pondering too!
Dan, did you mean converted "to" rather than "from" ? If "from", why do we take the fish and other oils? Is there no source of "EFA's" that don't need conversion?
And I'm probably going to get an explaination over my head, but then what exactly are the EFA's? I gather EPA/DHA, which we're recommened to get a gram of, are not actually what we after.
 
all this stuff has been posted 10000 times. EPA and DHA are technically not essential, since they can be formed from other fatty acids, ones that ARE essential. However, the conversion is extremely inefficent, so it is best to take an EPA/DHA supplement.

The EFA's are alpha linoleic acid (an omega 3) and linoleic acid (an omega 6). Your body can't make them, therefore, they are essential.

EPA and DHA ARE what we are after, because this is where the real magic happens.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (BoSox @ Aug. 03 2005,1:42)]The EFA's are alpha linoleic acid (an omega 3) and linoleic acid (an omega 6).  
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I think Bosox meant
Alpha-linolenic and linoleic.
 
hey give me a break, the rest was factually flawless and grammatically beautiful.
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Got it, just wondering why we can't get them "directly" in supplement form rather than relying on fish oils with their EPA/DHA to be converted ?

Having said that I do enjoy my tuna / walnuts etc. and the really technical explaination would probably be over my head, but I keep feeling like I'm missing a trick on this whole EFA thing :)
 
Other than cold water species of fish, fish oil supplements are the easiest way of getting epa/dha. One exception is DHA in mother's milk, but I doubt many ladies will let you suckle for purely supplemental reasons.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Smee @ Aug. 03 2005,4:56)]Got it, just wondering why we can't get them "directly" in supplement form rather than relying on fish oils with their EPA/DHA to be converted ?
the really technical explaination would probably be over my head, but I keep feeling like I'm missing a trick on this whole EFA thing  :)
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See, you are confused. EPA/DHA in fish and fish oils don't need to be converted. EFAs, do not generally contain high content of EPA/DHA. So without fish or fish oil supplements the body would need to convert ALA, LA to derive the EPA/DHA, which from what I've seen our bodies do not do all that efficiently.

Anyway, a better thread to read would be here. Maybe you won't be so confused afterwards.

Dan
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (dkm1987 @ Aug. 03 2005,6:12)]One exception is DHA in mother's milk, but I doubt many ladies will let you suckle for purely supplemental reasons.
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hahahhaha... wow that was so funny
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[b said:
Quote[/b] (dkm1987 @ Aug. 03 2005,6:20)]Anyway, a better thread to read would be here. Maybe you won't be so confused afterwards.
Dan
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Thanks Dan / BoSox
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, got it straightend out now. Boy did I really have the bull by the udder on this thing
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Now that the detour is over, perhaps somebody could comment on the original question - what happens if you aren't getting enough in your diet?
PS. This help put things in perspective a little for me - Fat.
 
Thanks, smee. That is what I was after: Can anyone tell me what happens if one is not consuming adequate EFAs -- particularly with regards to a hypocaloric diet?
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (semajes @ Aug. 04 2005,5:09)]Can anyone tell me what happens if one is not consuming adequate EFAs -- particularly with regards to a hypocaloric diet?
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A lot of things can happen and way too many to list here. Just an example, the n-6 and n-3 acids are also precursors for many other fatty acids all which do their own things. Skin function, gene expression, cellular growth, inhibiting neurological abnormalities among others. So to give a generic rundown would be nearly impossible without going into great detail about all the other derivitives.

If you are truly interested in knowing then ask Aaron for a rundown on what each Fatty Acid does. But be prepared for a long laundry list.

Now even on a hypocaloric diet one can still receive enough EFA. I wouldn't worry too much about it.
 
But getting inadequate amounts of EFAs won't inhibit one's ability to either lose fat or gain muscle, correct?

Thanks, by the way, DKM. You've been very helpful.
 
well it might... I know EPA has a favorable effect on partitioning. Don't EPA and DHA help mobilize fat, or something along those lines?
 
I think it helps partitioning, but then again p-ratio is like 75% genetically determined. You can only do so much after calories are established.
 
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