Omega 3 Fatty Acids: 'The Nutritional Missing Link'
Essential Fatty Acids
Fats in feed supply essential fatty acids which are fatty acids that are necessary in the diet since the body cannot produce them independently and yet cannot do without them. The amount of essential Fatty Acids (EFA) needed is small. But even though it is small, under many conditions, some animals still do not get an adequate amount of all essential fatty acids. It is generally accepted that linoleic, linolenic, and arachiconic acids are dietary essentials.
Because corn and other vegetable oils used in typical animal diets are particularly rich in linoleic acid, it is easy to get enough of this essential fatty acid in the regular ration. There is another type of EFA, the Omega-3 EFA, that is not always in sufficient amounts in many animal diets.
The general importance of essential fatty acids in animals is as follows:
- Essential to young animals for proper growth.
- Needed to prevent abnormal drying and flaking of skin and non-specific dermatitis. (itching, flaking, peeling skin, hair loss)
- Used to perform various metabolic roles.
- Indispensable in the structure and functioning of cell membranes.
- Raw material for hormone-like substances regulating nearly all body processes.
Prostaglandin's are extremely active biological substances made from EFA, that regulate nearly every body function. Prostaglandins are just EFA with knots in their carbon chains. Prostaglandin's help control the inflammatory process, the healing and repair process, the immune system, the neural circuits in the brain, the cardiovascular system, the digestive and reproductive systems, and thermo-regulation and calorie loss
A deficiency of EFA causes a variety of disorders. Some of those recognized classically are:
• Neurological disorders, restlessness, and general weakness.
• Easy bruising, pain, inflammation, and swelling of joints.
• Infertility, abortion, and Kidney problems
What is Omega-3 EFA?
Most vegetable oils used in animal diets have a high content of the group of polyunsaturated fats called Omega-6 Fatty Acids. But most of the vegetable oils have very little Omega-3 polyunsaturated fat.
The work that is done by EFA in the body by both Omega-6 and Omega-3 EFA's. It now appears that for many purposes Omega-3 EFA actually do a much better job than Omega-6. The best job is done when they are combined in the right proportions.
The difference between the Omega-3 and Omega-6 EFA is that the EFA belonging to the Omega-3 family are more polyunsaturated than those belonging to those belonging to the Omega-6 family. (Omega, the last letter in the Greek alphabet, refers to the last carbon in the chain).
An Omega-3 essential fatty acid is one in which the unsaturation (indicated by a double bond between two carbons) begins only three carbons in from the Omega carbon, while an Omega-6 EFA is one in which the unsaturation begins six carbons from the end. As a result, the Omega-3 EFA have more regions of unsaturation along the chain than do the Omega-6 EFA. In fact, the lowest member of the Omega-3 family, called alpha linolenic acid, has three regions of unsaturation or double bonds. Other Omega-3 members have four, five (EPA, or eicosapentaenoic acid), and six (DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid). In contrast, the lowest member of the Omega-6 family, called linolenic acid, has only two regions on unsaturation, while the other members have three (GLA, or gamma linolenic acid) and Four (AA, or arachidonic acid).
Why use Linseed Oil for Omega-3?
Even though fish oils are an excellent source of Omega-3 EFA, EPA and DHA, fish oils do not supply the simple alpha linolenic acid, which has special functions. Nutritional linseed oil, made from flax seed is very high in Omega-3 EFA and especially alpha linolenic acid, ALA. Alpha linolenic acid is the basic Omega-3 EFA -- the body cannot make it-- and the only one affecting certain enzymes regulating the production of specific types of prostaglandins. From the ALA the body can then normally make the EPA and DHA found in fish oils.
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