PUFA’s for better (mental) health

PUFA’s or poly-unsaturated fatty acids for better mental health, specially the ones termed essential such as DHA and EPA, aka omega-3 fatty acids from cold water fish, are incredibly important in overall health and in lowering chances of a cardiac event or stroke.  PUFA’s have also been found to lower the chances of Parkinson’s disease since they are a powerful anti-oxidant as well as an essential component of nerve cells.   PUFA’s are reduced in brain autopsy tissues of people with moderate to severe depression!

Essential fatty acids for better (mental) health are called essential for a reason:  they are.  Must be attained thru diet as they are not synthesized by the body.

A recent study found that EPA and DHA (1) helps with anxiety, as well as borderline personality disorder, obsessive compulsive (2), and helps even for depression (3).  In order for the brain to work properly, a fatty organ with many types of specialized cells studded with receptors of all sorts on their surface, the binding of ligand to its receptor must be precise and unhindered and this just isnt the case when one is deficient in these fatty acids.   These lipids are incorporated into the membrane of neurons (and other cells) and allow for correct fluidity and movement of membranes and the receptors that stud its surface.  If we are deficient in these lipids, the cells wont bind their ligands (key and lock) correctly and the cells can misfire, or not fire when they are supposed to.

In order for DHA to help with anxiety or depression, the tissue levels of this lipid have to reach the correct concentration thru supplementation and or a better diet.

DHA and other PUFA’s that are essential to correct functioning of the immune system and the skin and the cardio vascular system and the nervous system can help to correct an auto-immune disease such as ulcerative colitis a well.

Not only is DHA anti-inflammatory, it also contributes to lowering the incidences of any cardiac event, as well as lowering the chances of a stroke.  All this is accomplished by making the plaques in our arteries that we all get as we get older more stable and therefore less likely to break off and cause serious complications.

Essential fatty acids such as DHA and EPA are another example of the important role that diets play in our well being.