Virtually Zero Oxidation Seed Oils

What Are Essential Fatty Acids?

They are chains of carbon atoms, surrounded by hydrogen and some oxygen. They have three or more openings on the 18-carbon chain, making them polyunsaturated. They are liquid a room temperature and are made up of triglycerides. 

A triglyceride is formed from three fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule. They are found in the highest concentrations in seeds and nuts and also occur in the fats of animals fed grass as a staple in the diet. Why are they called essential fatty acids? Because they cannot be made in the body, therefore they must be included in the diet on a regular basis. The EFA’s are linoleic acid aka omega 6 and alpha-lenolenic acid aka plant derived omega 3. Additionally there are several other conditionally essential fatty acids. 

The conditionally essential fatty acids are gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Cells in the body can make all four of these fatty acids, but there are a number of interfering factors. Excess amounts of Omega 9 fats in the diet, like Olive oil, Trans fats; and Genetic defects can cause a diminished production of these conditional EFA’s; Illness, heavy metals, or other toxins can cause genetic damage that limits the production of these conditionals EFA’s. [1]

Essential Fatty Acids, How Important Are They?

In a 1992 study on cell cultures, it was shown that EPA and DHA inhibited cancer caused by radiation when given two weeks prior, during and two weeks after radiation treatment, by 65% to 93%. [2]

In 1939 the American Journal of Cancer stated that processed cottonseed oil was associated with increased risk of skin cancer. 

In 1975 the medical journal “Cancer Research” implicated distorted trans fats linked to cancer.

Fatty acids alone can affect numerous cellular signaling and metabolic pathways, in addition to playing important roles in immune responses and inflammatory processes.[3]

Shorter Telomeres Are Associated With Bad Diet, Diseases and Early Death: Telomeres, are the caps found at the ends of chromosomes, they are essential for chromosomal stability and replication; the enzyme telomerase is important for telomere formation, maintenance, and restoration. Studies link shorter telomeres with, age related diseases, and earlier death. Telomeres can be maintained or lengthened by telomerase, an intra-cellular enzyme that adds telomeric DNA to shortened telomeres. Telomere length is also linked to, and likely regulated by, exposure to proinflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress. Inflammation triggers causing T-cell proliferation is one known cause of telomere shortening. Oxidative stress promotes telomere erosion during cellular replication in vitro and also stimulates the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines. 

In our recent randomized controlled trial, fish oil derived omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation lowered the concentration of serum proinflammatory cytokines. This study assessed whether omega-3 supplementation also affected white blood cell telomere length, telomerase, and oxidative stress. In addition to testing for group differences, changes in the continuous omega-6 to omega-3 ratio were assessed to account for individual differences in adherence, absorption, and metabolism. 

The double blind 4-month study included 106 healthy sedentary overweight middle-aged and older adults who received 2.5-g/day omega-3 in the first group, 1.25-g/day omega-3 in the second group, or placebo capsules for the third group, that mirrored the proportions of fatty acids in the typical American diet. Supplementation significantly lowered oxidative stress in the two supplemented groups by 15% compared to the placebo group. Changes in the omega -6 to omega-3 plasma ratios helped clarify that the telomere length increased with decreasing omega-6 to omega-3 ratios. The data suggest that lower omega-6 to omega-3 ratios can impact cell aging. The triad of inflammation, oxidative stress, and immune cell aging represents important pre-disease mechanisms that may be alleviated through correct oil supplementation. 

This four-month study showed that the group of people that received the higher dosage of EPA and DHA had their telomeres as measured in their white blood cells increase in length by 50 base pairs. The low dose group had an increase of 21 base pairs; the group that got the placebo had a decrease of 43 base pairs. [4]

Flaxseed Oil has been proven to lower inflammation over time.[5] Flax seed naturally contains alpha-Lenolenic acid (omega-3) & linoleic acid (omega-6).  Most of Flaxseed oils benefits are a function of its alpha Lenolenic acid (ALA), and when your body is healthy the ALA can be converted into EPA—the same omega-3 found in fish oil.  As a matter of fact research has found that supplementation with Flax seed oil can effectively increase EPA concentrations in tissues. Studies involving Flax seed have been conducted on its anti-inflammatory properties, its phytoestrogenic/anti-cancer properties, its anti-lupus properties, its cardiovascular enhancing properties, and its prostate supporting properties.[6]

To Be Continued...

The proinflammatory eicosanoids prostaglandin Eicosanoid (2) Prostaglandin E₂

and leukotriene B (4) are derived from the omega-6 fatty acid, arachidonic acid (AA), which is maintained at high cellular concentrations by the high omega-6 and low omega-3 polyunsaturated