Travis Stenersn
04-08-2002, 07:58 AM
This was written by John Gunns.
I edited it. It's good stuff, check it out and let me know what you think, I'll pass it on to him. He is out of the country and unable to get to a computer, and asked me to post it on his behalf.
<B><font color=Red size=5> Dietary Fats and Essential Fatty Acids</font></b>
For years fats have been looked at as the cause of obesity, and up until recently, all the 'fad' diets have revolved around cutting your dietary fat intake as low as possible. It is evident, now, that fats are very important, especially those which are referred to as Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), and this is probably why all those High Carb, Low Fat diets were about as good for us as a trip to McDonald's. It is necessary for our success as bodybuilders that we gain a basic understanding of fats and how they affect our body. I have written this article to do just that. Here is an introduction to the complex subject of Essential Fatty Acids!
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Fats are structures made of oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon. They are as important as any other macronutrient. Unfortunately, not all fats are good. Fatty acids can be divided into two subcategories: the saturated fats(generally bad) and the unsaturated fats( generally good). Fatty acids are the long carbon chains that are the main components of dietary fats.
Saturated fats have no double bonds along their carbon chains, meaning that they are saturated with hydrogen atoms. Those saturated fatty acids lower HDL (good cholesterol) and raise LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. HDL has been called "good cholesterol" because it can pick-up excess fats and carry them back to the liver. LDL (and especially VLDL) has been called "bad cholesterol" because it can become so overloaded with fats that the fats are dropped on blood vessel walls rather than carried to the cells where they are needed.
Unsaturated fats, also called Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's), are needed to be provided by our diet, since they cannot be manufactured by our body. The difference between unsaturated and saturated fats is the number of hydrogen atoms along the carbon chain. The more unsaturated a fatty acid is, the less hydrogen atoms are attached to the carbon chain, and the more carbon-carbon double bonds exist somewhere in the chain. These fats are known to lower your LDL levels (low-density lipoprotein a.k.a. bad cholesterol) and raise your HDL levels (high-density lipoprotein a.k.a. good cholesterol). Unsaturated fats can be made saturated through a reaction termed hydrogenation, where hydrogen is bonded to the carbon double bonds(breaking those bonds). This process is responsible for giving foods more texture and flavor. Most dietary fat in America is hydrogenated, which is bad, as it only increases LDL levels, makes people fat, and decreases HDL levels.
Unsaturated fats can be further divided into two groups: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Mono-unsaturated fats are distinguished by a single carbon-carbon double bond anywhere in the fatty acid, having space for one more pair of hydrogen atoms. If we add the hydrogen atoms in it, it is going to become a saturated fat. Poly-unsaturated fats are distinguished by more than one carbon-carbon double bond along the chain, leaving more than one space for hydrogen atoms to attach to the carbon chain. Linoleic acid (LA) (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (LNA) (omega-3) are both examples of poly-unsaturated fatty acids. They aid in skin growth, blood vessels, and exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. The modern diet does not provide for enough Omega 3 fatty acids(such as LNA), and gives too many Omega 6 fatty acids(such as LA). Good sources of mono-unsaturated fats are almond oil, olive oil, and canola oil. Sources of poly-unsaturated fats are sunflower and safflower oils, peanut butter, and corn. Omega 3 fatty acids are predominantly found in flax oil and fish oil, and it is a good idea to supplement with either of these products.
LNA can be metabolized to EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) or DHA (decosahexaenoic acid), by increasing the length of the chain and further desaturating it. Those two acids can prevent heart attack, depression, and cancer. Eicosapentaenoic acid and decosahexaenoic acid are both omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils. It is a poly-unsaturated acid which was shown to help reduce cardiovascular disease too, decrease LDL levels, and raise HDL levels. After EPA and DHA are metabolized, they can be converted into prostaglandin PG(E3) series. Prostaglandin (PG) are hormone substances in our body that have various effects on muscle and inflammatory processes. E3 series seem to be anti-inflammatories, and appear to reduce the cholesterol levels.
Other series of Prostaglandin hormones exist*, they are referred to as PG-E2 and PG-E1. PG-E1 series are created through a series of steps involving fatty acids. Linoleic acid(omega 6) is metabolized into gamma linolenic acid from which comes* dihomogamma linolenic acid and finally arachidonic acid (AA). AA is converted into the PG-E1 series of hormones. E2 series are high-inflammatories, and may lead to high blood pressure and cancer. E1 series are mild inflammatories. Studies show that a good ratio of omega-6 acids to omega-3 acids is 15:1. You may get omega-6 from vegetable oils while you can get omega-3 from flaxseed oil and canola oil.
---------------------
It is evident that unsaturated fats provide many benefits to your health. It is essential to get sufficient amounts of these fats in your diet. By not doing so, you limit your potential as a bodybuilder and risk health problems later in life.
I edited it. It's good stuff, check it out and let me know what you think, I'll pass it on to him. He is out of the country and unable to get to a computer, and asked me to post it on his behalf.
<B><font color=Red size=5> Dietary Fats and Essential Fatty Acids</font></b>
For years fats have been looked at as the cause of obesity, and up until recently, all the 'fad' diets have revolved around cutting your dietary fat intake as low as possible. It is evident, now, that fats are very important, especially those which are referred to as Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), and this is probably why all those High Carb, Low Fat diets were about as good for us as a trip to McDonald's. It is necessary for our success as bodybuilders that we gain a basic understanding of fats and how they affect our body. I have written this article to do just that. Here is an introduction to the complex subject of Essential Fatty Acids!
-------------------
Fats are structures made of oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon. They are as important as any other macronutrient. Unfortunately, not all fats are good. Fatty acids can be divided into two subcategories: the saturated fats(generally bad) and the unsaturated fats( generally good). Fatty acids are the long carbon chains that are the main components of dietary fats.
Saturated fats have no double bonds along their carbon chains, meaning that they are saturated with hydrogen atoms. Those saturated fatty acids lower HDL (good cholesterol) and raise LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. HDL has been called "good cholesterol" because it can pick-up excess fats and carry them back to the liver. LDL (and especially VLDL) has been called "bad cholesterol" because it can become so overloaded with fats that the fats are dropped on blood vessel walls rather than carried to the cells where they are needed.
Unsaturated fats, also called Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's), are needed to be provided by our diet, since they cannot be manufactured by our body. The difference between unsaturated and saturated fats is the number of hydrogen atoms along the carbon chain. The more unsaturated a fatty acid is, the less hydrogen atoms are attached to the carbon chain, and the more carbon-carbon double bonds exist somewhere in the chain. These fats are known to lower your LDL levels (low-density lipoprotein a.k.a. bad cholesterol) and raise your HDL levels (high-density lipoprotein a.k.a. good cholesterol). Unsaturated fats can be made saturated through a reaction termed hydrogenation, where hydrogen is bonded to the carbon double bonds(breaking those bonds). This process is responsible for giving foods more texture and flavor. Most dietary fat in America is hydrogenated, which is bad, as it only increases LDL levels, makes people fat, and decreases HDL levels.
Unsaturated fats can be further divided into two groups: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Mono-unsaturated fats are distinguished by a single carbon-carbon double bond anywhere in the fatty acid, having space for one more pair of hydrogen atoms. If we add the hydrogen atoms in it, it is going to become a saturated fat. Poly-unsaturated fats are distinguished by more than one carbon-carbon double bond along the chain, leaving more than one space for hydrogen atoms to attach to the carbon chain. Linoleic acid (LA) (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (LNA) (omega-3) are both examples of poly-unsaturated fatty acids. They aid in skin growth, blood vessels, and exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. The modern diet does not provide for enough Omega 3 fatty acids(such as LNA), and gives too many Omega 6 fatty acids(such as LA). Good sources of mono-unsaturated fats are almond oil, olive oil, and canola oil. Sources of poly-unsaturated fats are sunflower and safflower oils, peanut butter, and corn. Omega 3 fatty acids are predominantly found in flax oil and fish oil, and it is a good idea to supplement with either of these products.
LNA can be metabolized to EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) or DHA (decosahexaenoic acid), by increasing the length of the chain and further desaturating it. Those two acids can prevent heart attack, depression, and cancer. Eicosapentaenoic acid and decosahexaenoic acid are both omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils. It is a poly-unsaturated acid which was shown to help reduce cardiovascular disease too, decrease LDL levels, and raise HDL levels. After EPA and DHA are metabolized, they can be converted into prostaglandin PG(E3) series. Prostaglandin (PG) are hormone substances in our body that have various effects on muscle and inflammatory processes. E3 series seem to be anti-inflammatories, and appear to reduce the cholesterol levels.
Other series of Prostaglandin hormones exist*, they are referred to as PG-E2 and PG-E1. PG-E1 series are created through a series of steps involving fatty acids. Linoleic acid(omega 6) is metabolized into gamma linolenic acid from which comes* dihomogamma linolenic acid and finally arachidonic acid (AA). AA is converted into the PG-E1 series of hormones. E2 series are high-inflammatories, and may lead to high blood pressure and cancer. E1 series are mild inflammatories. Studies show that a good ratio of omega-6 acids to omega-3 acids is 15:1. You may get omega-6 from vegetable oils while you can get omega-3 from flaxseed oil and canola oil.
---------------------
It is evident that unsaturated fats provide many benefits to your health. It is essential to get sufficient amounts of these fats in your diet. By not doing so, you limit your potential as a bodybuilder and risk health problems later in life.