Are Essential Fatty Acid Supplements Really Essential?

Essential fatty acids are needed for many aspects of how our body works, however essential fatty acid supplements may not be.  They regulate membrane fluidity, which has an impact on nutrient absorption, and utilization, and they have impacts on prostaglandin production which affects pain and inflammation.  Yet, haphazard supplementation with these fats can come with difficulty.  Fish oils are prone to rancidity, and some evidence suggests that without proper process and cofactors, excessive and long term supplementation with fish oil may, in fact, cause issues with inflammation.  Seed oils too can be rancid causing damage to the cells.  So, what does one do to maintain cellular membranes and keep damage at bay?

Supplementing with essential fats may not be the key.  A body in homeostasis, which is regulating cellular and metabolic functions well, does not need supplementation of essential fats.  Fish consumption is not compulsory, evidenced by many world populations who have never consumed.  Essential fats are found in many foods, but sadly those highest have all but disappeared from our modern diet including buckwheat, puselane and ancient varieties of wheat.  Fish oils have popped up everywhere and it seems like everyone has added them to their routine as a preventative action.  However, much of the oil being consumed was rancid before being encapsulated, meaning that cellular damage is all but guaranteed.  Studies have also indicated that animals fed fish oil experience degeneration of spleen cells resulting in premature death of red blood cells.  Add to this the fact that substances like cod liver oil act as PUFA’s (polyunsaturated fatty acids) in the body, meaning that they contribute directly to lowered oxygen saturation and to oxidative damage to essential tissues.  I know, many will say, what about their benefit at preventing heart disease?  What about their effects at reducing inflammation? 

Those effects may not be what they are touted to be.  As far as inflammation goes, supplemental essential fatty acids reduce prostaglandins.  Prostaglandins have many body functions, PG2 contributes to inflammation, however, PG1 and PG3 are involved in many processes which impart anti-inflammatory action as well as hormonal balance.  Yet, fish oils lower all prostaglandins, meaning that while they may cause a temporary and rather immediate decrease in pain and inflammation, their long term use can exacerbate disease patterns.

Seed oils have the same oxidation and rancidity issues that fish oils do, and in the body they have oxidizing effects which cause mitochondria, the cell’s energy powerhouse to diminish inactivity.  They also have destructive effects on vitamin E.  Consequently, in food, cooking and supplementation, seed and often nut oils are best avoided.  However, there is one exception to this rule, and it is a very specific one.  Flax oil that has been cold-pressed when emulsified with organic, lactic acid fermented cottage cheese-like Nancy’s brand has stabilizing effects on cell membranes and does not act in an oxidizing fashion.  The varied effect here is due to the emulsification of flax oil into the cottage cheese, making the oil water-soluble, and binding it to the high valence sulphur proteins in the cottage cheese.  Flax oil taken on its own does not have this effect.  The only other potential addendum to the understanding of oils and oxidation maybe with the original recommendations of Dr. Weston Price, in which cod liver oil was consumed fermented in combination with high vitamin butter oil from grass-fed cows.

Omega fats must be found in the body for normal biochemistry to function.  However, supplementation is not useful if the substances being supplemented cannot be utilized by the body for proper function.