NUTRITION LAB products that contain SUPERFATS Omega 3,6,9 is:

SUPERFATS

- Muscle and Mental Super Food -

Words by Ian Roothman, BSc (Biochem)(Phys), MCSD. Owner The Nutrition Lab Brand - MAT-Rx.com Nutrition Systems www.mat-rx.com Ó 2004, Ian Roothman Enterprises. Printed by permission.

 

 

 

FAT – This is probably the biggest swearword in the Body Building, Fitness and health conscious community. Everyone involved in the fitness industry knows that this is probably the single most important physical component a person wants to eliminate or get rid of when they start on a fitness program while wanting to obtain a well sculpted and aesthetically pleasing physique. But then, is it really such a bad word, or is it just the perception being created or the context in which it being used in. Well yes, when it is mentioned in the context of a person that is overweight and is thus carrying an excess amount of fat cells, then yes, it should be considered a swearword. Not only is carrying excess body fat very unhealthy and have been linked to various life threatening diseases, it also destroys the aesthetics of what is considered a fit and athletic physique. But when referred to in the context of nutrition, then NO, it should not be. If we take into consideration the latest scientific findings about certain fatty acids (also classified as fats), then what I am about to explain is actually a revelation. In this article I am going to discuss the importance of fat as part of a healthy diet and the important role it plays in muscle physiology and psychological biochemistry. Let’s talk SUPERFATS, muscle building and mental super food.

 

Balancing Physical Stress and Mental Focus

 - How does Fatty Acids exert its positive effect on Muscle Building?

 

Fatty acid consumption has been linked to reduced insulin resistance and improved insulin sensitivity. Improved insulin sensitivity may significantly contribute to reducing body fat and improving muscle tone. If insulin resistance is reduced it means that the muscle cells will also be sensitized towards insulin activity and thus there will be an improved and more effective uptake of amino acids into the muscle cells, better blood sugar regulation, leading to better recovery and improved muscle building and fat burning capabilities. Insulin resistance is a common phenomenon in aging and in simple overweight people and plays an enormous important role in fatty acid and sugar (blood glucose) biochemistry. It is a primary factor in the so called metabolic syndrome X and is strongly linked to the development of a cluster of common age-related disorders including type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and heart disease. Insulin resistance is found in approximately 25% of apparently healthy humans.

 

- What does Insulin Resistance mean?

Insulin resistance means that body cells (including muscle) are desensitized to insulin signalling that normally leads to glucose uptake. The body then tries to compensate for these higher levels of circulating glucose by further increasing insulin production. When this temporary compensatory mechanism fails, the glucose levels stay elevated, leading to diabetes and other degenerative complications. Research has now shown a strong connection between the intake of essential fatty acids, in particular GLA and DHA, and improved insulin

sensitivity (reduced insulin resistance).

In both human and animal studies it was shown that a dietary intake of EFAs both increases the unsaturated fatty acids in membrane phospholipids and makes the individual more insulin sensitive.

 

Until recently, however, scientists did not understand the deeper mechanisms behind the influence of EFAs on insulin resistance. The discovery of a fundamental mechanism for the regulation of fat metabolism in the body has shed light on the effect of EFAs: the nuclear receptors and transcription factors called peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors or PPARs. If you want more information on this topic, I have explained this mechanism in detail in previous publications of Muscle Evolution and it can be found on the Nutrition Lab website on the latest research link or you can order your copy of that issue of Muscle Evolution magazine. [Visit www.mat-rx.com or www.thenutritionlab.com for more comprehensive information on the PPARs system].

 

- Fatty Acids help maintain normal brain function and reduce the negative effects of physical (weight training etc.) and mental stress

 

EFA’s and especially DHA have been discovered to be of major importance for the development and maintenance of brain function, both in young and old individuals. Repeated exposure to psychosocial and physical stressors as well as exaggerated reactivity to stress has been implicated as factors in the development of hypertension and heart disease. In addition, chronically elevated levels of stress-related hormones (catecholamines and glucocorticoids) are known to inhibit the activity of an enzyme called D6D, which is needed for the metabolism of Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s).

 

Several early studies on rats found that dietary omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids reduced the cardiovascular reaction to stress. Hence it is not surprising that both GLA and DHA have been found to reduce blood pressure and heart rate responses to psychosocial stress in humans. The Life Extensions Foundation reported that scientific studies extended findings to humans in a four-week study on 30 male university students. Three different treatment groups were given either borage oil (1.3g/d), fish oil (1.6 g/d) or olive oil (as placebo). Borage oil significantly reduced stress-induced systolic blood pressure and heart rate after four weeks of supplementation, whereas olive oil and fish oil were without effect. Task performance was also significantly improved in the borage oil group, while un-changed by olive oil and fish oil, in a test that required a high level of attention and was designed to measure the cardiovascular response to psychological stress.

 

As a follow-up to earlier findings that DHA intake prevents the accumulation of stress related substances from increasing at times of mental stress, scientists conducted an excellent double-blind study to test the effect of DHA intake on the level of stress hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine in 1999. Fourteen science students were studied over a stressful nine-week period when they underwent over 20 final exams. The participants in the DHA group were given 1.5 g DHA/day, while the control group members were given a mix of plant oils, all in capsules taken with meals. The norepinephrine levels were high in both groups at the beginning of the study, since the students had already been under stress for some time, preparing for the exams. At the end of the test period the DHA group showed significantly reduced (-31%) norepinephrine levels, which is believed to be protective and beneficial for the cardiovascular system. In the control group the norepinephrine levels were still high. Epinephrine and cortisol showed no significant changes in either group. Elevated norepinephrine levels are associated with chronic stress, while epinephrine increases in situations of acute “survival” stress. Interestingly, the students were under considerable stress even long before the testing begun, and the baseline levels of norepinephrine were already high at the start. This means that DHA was able to modulate catecholamine metabolism (epinephrine and norepinephrine) even after the appearance of stress. This is a noteworthy point when applying these results to daily life, as we usually do not try to counteract stress until after it starts.

 

Similar findings of reduced norepinephrine levels related to EFA intake have been reported by biochemists 1994. In a study on 47 hypertensive individuals, norepinephrine levels were reduced 80% after treatment with omega-3 fatty acids compared to the control groups. The study showed that norepinephrine levels of men who died from cardiovascular disease were significantly higher than

those of survivors. These results were similar to findings in earlier animal studies and suggest that borage oil supplementation is effective in reducing cardiovascular reactions to stressors of all kinds, of both short- and long-term, psychological and physical nature.

 

- NOT all fats are the same

 

Not all fats are equal and this scientific fact was clearly brought to our attention through an epidemiological survey of chronic diseases in Greenland in 1950 to 1974. In spite of a diet very high in fats the Greenlanders had an extremely low frequency of both cardiovascular disease (~5%) and diseases such as diabetes, asthma, MS and psoriasis.

Essential fatty acids and the kind of fatty acids in the fats consumed turned out to be the primary factor. The traditional food in Greenland comes to a large extent from fish and whales and contains a high percentage of essential fatty acids. In contrast, the average western diet, also high in total fat, is very low in essential fatty acids. Accordingly, a high fat diet is not necessarily bad, provided it contains a sufficient proportion of EFAs. Similarly, a low fat diet is not necessarily good if it does not provide the body with a sufficient amount of essential fatty acids. A fat-restricted diet will actually lead to an unwanted stimulation of lipid peroxidation and formation of pro-inflammatory substances, involved in the development of chronic degenerative diseases such as atherosclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Not only do we need a sufficient amount of EFAs, however, we also need the right EFAs in a balanced proportion (see www.mat-rx.com – The Nutrition Lab). In short, we need to reduce the intake of omega-6 oils, except GLA, and increase

omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA.

- Dietary sources of essential fatty acids

A good source of essential fatty acids is Wild game and free-range animals, cold-water fish (salmon), nuts and seeds provide a balanced mix of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The lowest rate of heart attacks in the world is found in island cultures, where the population still uses mainly unprocessed food from nature.

- Omega-6 Oils

When processed in the wrong way, these processes will cause these right fats to undergo degenerative effects. This is unfortunately the case with many omega-6 oils, including safflower, sunflower, sesame and corn oils. These oils have been popular and in demand for quite a few years. In their natural unprocessed state these oils are good for us in moderate amounts. Unfortunately, due to their double bonds, they are unstable and vulnerable to heat and light and quickly go rancid from lipid peroxidation. Therefore, most of these oils are processed to increase shelf life. In this process they undergo hydrogenation and trans-configuration and then they lose their beneficial effects, behave like saturated fats and make matters even worse by inhibiting the incorporation of good EFAs into cell membranes. So make sure to only purchase products that are natural and haven’t been processed in any way. Look for Organic Foods, they usually comply with these requirements, but you still have to check the label to make 100% sure.

 

 

 

 

- Degenerative processes to make natural oils have a longer shelf life

 

Hydrogenation is a drastic but common way of changing natural oils to more solid fats with longer shelf life and profoundly altered biochemical properties. Valuable EFAs are destroyed by trans-fatty acid production and saturation with hydrogen.
In this process hydrogen gas is bubbled through the heated oil in the presence of a nickel catalyst. Double bonds are either saturated or turned from cis- to trans-configuration. Trans-fatty acids are produced through rotation of the molecule in high temperature around the double bonds, flipping the hydrogen atoms on the carbons involved onto the opposite side of the molecule. Trans-fatty acids have many detrimental effects on the body due to the fact that they act as antagonists to essential fatty acids and interfere with the production of good prostaglandins. It has been shown in some studies that trans-fatty acids increase total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol even more than saturated fats. Partially hydrogenated products rich in trans-fatty acids are margarines, shortenings and hydrogenated oils.

- Oils for cooking

For cooking the best oils are canola and olive oil. These oils are composed mainly
of the monounsaturated oleic acid and are therefore more stable than the
unsaturated oils.

Mental Super food

- Fatty Acids play an Important Role in Brain Development

The Life Extensions Foundation reported in recent studies that DHA has been discovered to be of major importance for the development and maintenance of brain function, both in young and older individuals. As the major structural and functional EFA of the central nervous system, including the retina of the eye, it constitutes as much as 30% to 50% of the total fatty acid content of the human brain and is essential for optimal neurological function. Part of the reason for this unique function is the role of DHA in the synthesis of phospholipids in nerve cell membranes.

Nothing can be more important than an adequate supply of DHA at the beginning of life, since it is essential for the growth and functional development of the brain in infants. DHA deficiencies in infancy have been associated with visual impairment and the later development of disorders including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities and aggressive behaviour. DHA is also required for the maintenance of normal brain function in adults, for learning and for memory, and low levels have been shown to be a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Experimental studies on mice and rats have been conducted to clarify the effects of DHA on learning and memory. These studies clearly indicate that DHA deficiency is associated with a loss of discriminative learning ability while omega-3 enriched diets increase learning ability in elderly animals.

Supplementation of Essential Fatty Acids

- Balance is the key

Keep in mind that too much of a good thing is not always good. With all these benefits of GLA and DHA it is important to remember that balance is the key, in this case between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. The easiest and safest way to accomplish this balance is by taking a high quality combination supplement (ideally in the 2:1 range), while reducing dietary intake of saturated and

hydrogenated fats.

A SUPERFAT Conclusion

 

Through the simple and safe procedure of supplementing your diet with a balanced combination of GLA and DHA it seems evident from current research that you have the chance to prevent a significant portion of the age-related degenerative diseases and it will ease your bodies’ response to stress and may even help you escape degenerative brain diseases. From these findings it is also clear that it is not very wise and does not make any sense to cut out fats entirely from your diet, even if you do want to reduce body fat and sculpt a lean a healthy body. Instead, it makes better sense to incorporate beneficial and highly nutritious fats into your diet in a balanced way and they will eventually play a very important role in achieving your goal. Improving mental focus and offsetting the effects of physical and psychological stressors will only contribute to a well balanced body with improved recovery capabilities. This will eventually lead to more effective training sessions, better results and a more energetic lifestyle. In fact, sculpting that lean body will mean nothing if you cannot keep a strong mental focus and healthy brain function. Looking like a Greek God and having no or a poor mental capacity is not what I think anyone will constitute as an ideal situation. In fact, it is down right stupid! Yeah stupid, I am sure you get the picture here. So, get down to it and indulge in those SUPERFATS – in a balanced way!

 

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