Find out how you can accelerate the growth of muscle mass in bodybuilding and maximize recovery time without using anabolic steroids. Everyone knows that EPA / DHA is essential in bodybuilding and in everyday life. These abbreviations mean two fatty acids belonging to the omega-3 group, namely eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) fatty acids.
These acids are also important for the reason that they are part of cell membranes, the lipoprotein complex of the brain, heart and other organs, and also act as precursors of a large number of substances. At a low concentration of EPA / DHA, the body replaces them with other substances, which can lead, say, to a decrease in the elasticity of blood vessels or membranes of the cellular structures of the brain.
For the body to function properly, it is necessary to maintain the correct concentration of EPA and even more DHA. In this regard, it becomes quite interesting how the population of some regions of the planet, without direct access to sources of EPA / DHA, can live long enough and not experience serious problems.
The evolutionary path of EPA / DHA
The structure of alpha-linoleic acid molecules, as well as the mechanisms of its conversion to EPA / DHA, are quite complex and their detailed description will take a long time. We can only say that the process of conversion to more saturated fatty acids occurs in the course of numerous reactions, the task of which is chain lengthening, desaturation and beta-oxidation. These processes are controlled by enzymes encoded in the fatty acid desaturase genes (FASD1, 2, 3). Also note that the FASD2 gene controls two of the most serious reaction sites:
- Activation of the initial stage of conversion of omega fatty acids.
- Final conversion of EPA to DHA.
The more active FASD2 is, the more efficient the final conversion will be. In other words, the alpha-linoleic acid that enters the body will be converted into DHA, which is most effective in those people who have high gene activity.
Scientists believe that people settled on the planet from Africa, and when they began to hunt and cultivate the land, the number of sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids increased significantly. It is assumed that the first people mainly had genotype D (predetermines high activity of FASD2) or mixed A and D (high activity of FASD1 and 2). In the second case, a person has the ability to "switch" these modes. At the same time, there were very few people with genotype A (high FASD1 activity).
As a result, it turned out that the population of those regions of the planet, which does not have good access to seafood and fish, has a high ability to high-quality conversion of alpha-linoleic acid into more saturated ones, and this allows them to maintain the minimum required concentration of EPA / DHA.
Current situation with EPA / DHA
In addition to the genetic predisposition to an improved mechanism for converting EPA / DHA from plant alpha-linoleic acid, there are some exceptions, again associated with the compensatory capabilities of our body.
The first of these exceptions applies to vegans. They ideally do not consume food of animal nature, which can be sources of EPA / DHA, and despite this, they have a minimum allowable concentration of these fatty acids in their bodies, which as a result does not cause a deficiency of substances. This topic is still poorly understood, and it is difficult to talk about exact compensation mechanisms, but there is no doubt about their existence.
It is also difficult to talk about the negative impact on their health of low EPA / DHA content, but already now we can talk about some risks:
- There is a clear link between EPA / DHA consumption and the risks of heart and vascular disease.
- Insufficient EPA / DHA intake during pregnancy may result in poor fetal development.
The second exception applies when the concentration of DHA can be increased due to an inadequate intake of omega fatty acids due to the intake of supplements containing alpha-linoleic acid. By and large, here we can talk about one of the variants of the compensation mechanism (classical feedback loop), when the body, with a deficiency of a certain substance, begins to synthesize it from other sources.
It should also be noted that the process of converting EPA to DHA in the body of women is more active in comparison with men. These processes are especially active during pregnancy and lactation, so that it becomes possible to provide the developing fetus with EPA / DHA at least in the minimum acceptable amount.
In most developed countries, the problem of EPA / DHA deficiency is solved by fortifying food with these substances. For example, special animal feed can be used for this, or omega fatty acids can be added directly to food, such as flour. The human body has powerful adaptive abilities and can adapt to a deficiency of various substances. An example of this work of the body is the compensatory mechanism for the conversion of alpha-linoleic acid into EPA, and then into DHA.
This ability was acquired in the course of a long evolution and is developed in all peoples in different ways. In some cases, these mechanisms can function more efficiently. This is greatly influenced by various factors, for example, gender, nutrition, etc. artificial fortification of foodstuffs with the necessary elements is also increasingly used now.
From this it can be concluded that under ideal conditions, a young and healthy body that is not exposed to intense physical exertion when eating foods artificially fortified with EPA / DHA is able to function normally. However, the question remains whether this will be possible at a more mature age. Thus, before starting to work out during a workout session, you need to make sure that you are consuming enough of all the essential nutrients.
Learn about the main source of essential fatty acids EPA and DHA in this video:
