Category Archives: Arachidonic Acid

Imbalances in Essential Fatty Acids

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Robert Barrington

The essential fatty acids (EFAs) linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 (n-6)) and α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3 (n-3)) can be metabolised to other more unsaturated, long-chain fatty acids by the insertion of additional double bonds during consecutive elongation and desaturation reactions. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Arachidonic Acid, Dihomo Gamma Linolenic Acid, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Fatty Acids, Fish, Fish Oils, Gamma Linolenic Acid, Inflammation | Comments Off on Imbalances in Essential Fatty Acids

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and PPAR

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Robert Barrington

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) family are ligand-activated nuclear transcription factors involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism through gene expression of peroxisome number. It is thought that the PPAR are activated by C18 to C22 n-3 and n-6 fatty … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Arachidonic Acid, Cancer, Dihomo Gamma Linolenic Acid, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Gamma Linolenic Acid, Inflammation, Linoleic Acid, Omega 3, Omega 6, Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids | Comments Off on Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and PPAR

GLA and EPA Interaction

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Starflower (borage) and evening primrose oils are good sources of the n-6 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid γ-linolenic acid (GLA, C18:3 (n-6)). In humans GLA is converted to dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA, C20:3 (n-6)) which is subsequently converted to the anti-inflammatory … Continue reading →

Posted in Arachidonic Acid, Dihomo Gamma Linolenic Acid, Eicosanoids, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Gamma Linolenic Acid, Inflammation | Comments Off on GLA and EPA Interaction

More on GLA and Inflammation

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Robert Barrington

The essential fatty acids α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18 (n-3)) and linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 (n-6)) play an important role in the formation of eicosanoids. Eicosanoids are 20-carbon chemicals that act as local hormones to regulate cellular inflammation. Eicosanoids can be … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Arachidonic Acid, Dihomo Gamma Linolenic Acid, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Fatty Acids, Fish Oils, Flax Oil, Gamma Linolenic Acid, Inflammation | Comments Off on More on GLA and Inflammation

Important Long Chain Fatty Acids

Posted on January 8, 2012 by Robert Barrington

There are a number of long chain fatty acids that are important to human health (figure 1). The essential fatty acids alpha-linolenic (ALA, C18:3 (n-3)) acid and linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 (n-6)) cannot be synthesised by humans but are vital … Continue reading →

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Long Chain Fatty Acids in Skin

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Robert Barrington

The skin epidermis has some unique metabolic properties regarding the way it handles long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Deficiency in certain PUFA can lead to inflammation of the epidermal cells and result in a number of skin disorders. Arachidonic … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Arachidonic Acid, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Inflammation, Skin | Comments Off on Long Chain Fatty Acids in Skin

Meat, Fish and Dementia

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Fatty fish is high in the long chain fatty acids docosahexanoic acid (DHA, C22:6 (n-3)) and eicosapentanoic acid (EPA, C20:5 (n-3)) that have been shown to have health benefits. In particular, DHA and EPA are able to inhibit inflammation because … Continue reading →

Posted in Arachidonic Acid, Brain, Dementia, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Meat | Comments Off on Meat, Fish and Dementia

Fatty Acids and Cognitive Decline

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Robert Barrington

The essential fatty acid alpha linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3 (n-3)) is metabolised to the highly unsaturated fatty acids eicosapentanoic acid (EPA, C20:5 (n-3)) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA, C22:6 (n-3)). The brain preferentially accumulates DHA from plasma where it is incorporated … Continue reading →

Posted in Arachidonic Acid, Brain, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosanoids, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids | Comments Off on Fatty Acids and Cognitive Decline

Fish Oils and Cardiac Tissue

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Supplementation with fish oils has been shown to increase erythrocyte levels of eicosapentanoic acid (EPA, 20:5 (n-3)) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA, 22:6 (n-3)). Studies have also shown that supplementation of fish oils reduces cardiac deaths by 42 to 67 % … Continue reading →

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Decreasing Arachidonic Acid Levels

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Arachidonic acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) (AA, 20: 4 (n-6)) that is enzymatically converted to a number of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids. In particular, AA is converted via COX (cyclooxygenase) enzymes to the series 2 prostanoids (prostaglandins and thromboxanes) and … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Arachidonic Acid, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Fish Oils, Flax Oil, Inflammation | Comments Off on Decreasing Arachidonic Acid Levels