Health effects of imbalanced omega-6 to omega-3 fat Intake

Health effects of too much omega-6

• INCREASES INFLAMMATION;

• Excessive Omega-6 fat Suppresses the Immune Sysytem.    In the 1970's, sunflower oil (naturally high in omega-6 linoleic acid) emulsified with water was given as an intravenous injection to kidney transplant patients to prevent rejection - that is until an excess of cancer deaths was reported. Using excessive PUFAs in foods has the same harmful effect on the immune system.

• Anti-thyroid effect.    PUFAs block thyroid hormone secretion, its movement in the circulatory system, and the response of tissues to the hormone. Research shows that polyunsaturated vegetable oils promote weight gain. In the late 1940s, it was found that corn and soy beans have an anti-thyroid effect, enabling animals to be fattened at low cost. These PUFAs are now fed to animals, e.g. pigs, to fatten them and cause their usually, predominantly saturated fat to become polyunsaturated.

• Increases vasoconstriction, platelet stickiness (i.e. blood clotting);

• INCREASES PAIN;

• Decreases oxygen flow, Increases cellular proliferation (think cancer);

• Constricts airways / muscles

• Decreases endurance

• Decreases urinary output (i.e. fluid retentive)

• Responsible for softer/less stable membranes as excess PUFAs replace saturated fats in the cell membrane.    Cell walls are responsible for allowing nutrients into cell, but keeping out toxins. Cholesterol is used by the body to "stiffen" the membranes after consumption of PUFAs , and removed after SFA consumption, explaining why blood cholesterol drops and rises in response to our diet.

• Increases damaging free radicals in the body.   Since Polyunsaturated fatty acids are prone to oxidation, which produces free radicals and leads to oil becoming rancid, especially when subjected to processing /cooking temperatures >320 ºF.

• High intake of Linoleic Acid leads to obesity and osteoporosis.   Causes mesenchymal stem cells to become adipocytes (fat cells) instead of osteoblasts (bone-making cells).

Health functions of sufficient omega-3 Fat

♪ “You don't know what you've got 'til its gone!”♪ ♫

Imbalanced omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in cell membrane produce imbalanced eicosanoids

Eicosonoids can increase or decrease inflammation and pain, raise or lower blood pressure, control uterine contractions, dilate/constrict vessels, relax/contract muscles, and affect immune response, blood clotting, insulin regulation, nerve impulses, body temperature and fluid levels.

Eicosonoids are families of short-lived, hormone-like signals that ensure that cells of a tissue or organ have an appropriately balanced response to trauma or "happenings" just outside the cell

Two eicosanoids you may be familiar with are prostaglandins and leukotrienes - Prostaglandins PG-1. PG-3 and leukotrienes LT-5 derived from fatty acids DGLA or EPA, work in opposition to eicosanoids PG-2 and LT-4 produced by AA.

For more detail on the health-necessity of balancing Omega-6 / Omega-3, see:

EFAs - Local Hormones“ (Eicosanoids) -“First Response” Team