What Is Alpha-Linolenic Acid?

A lpha-linolenic acid is an essential (need/can’t make) polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid that must be obtained in the diet. Alpha-linolenic acid is found in plant sources only.

Alpha-linolenic acid is required for normal brain function and nervous system health. It is an important building material for the eicosanoids.

Q: What are eicosanoids?

A: Eicosanoids are a large group of highly bioactive hormone-like substances including prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and thromboxanes that are involved in blood clotting, inflammation, and vasoconstriction (constriction of blood vessels).

Alpha-linolenic acid is a “parent” fatty acid because if sufficient amounts are present in the body, it can be used to produce both eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), two other critical omega-3 fatty acids.¹ However, this conversion is limited. In healthy individuals, the conversion rate of ALA to EPA is less than 5 to 10% and ALA to DHA is only 2 to 5%.

Additionally, a deficient level of the mineral selenium can interfere with the conversion of alpha-linolenic acid into EPA and DHA. Also, folic acid supplement has been shown to increase omega-3 status and, conversely, to decrease omega-3 when folic acid is in deficient in animal models.

What Is Alpha-Linolenic Acid Deficiency?

Sources:

1. Richardson AJ. The importance of omega-3 fatty acids for behavior, cognition, and mood. Scandinavian Journal of Nutrition. 2003; 47(2):92-8 [↩]

What Is DHA?

D ocosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an essential omega-3 fatty acid that is abundant in the brain, being crucial in brain structure. As such DHA is a key component of neuronal membranes together with arachidonic acid (a major opposing omega-6 fatty acid), making up 15-20% of the brain’s dry mass.

This polyunsaturated fatty acid is obtained from fish sources of food.

In healthy human volunteers, positron emission tomography (PET) has shown that the normal human brain consumes 4.6 mg/day of DHA.¹

DHA is particularly concentrated in highly active membranes such as nerve synapses (junctions) and photoreceptors in the eye (retina).

Q: How much DHA is in the retina?

A: DHA makes up more than 30% of the retina.²

In other roles, DHA is an  important building material for the eicosanoids, a large group of highly bioactive hormone-like substances including prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and thromboxanes that are involved in blood clotting, inflammation, and vasoconstriction.

DHA has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity as opposed to the opposite problem of insulin resistance, to improve muscle mass, and protect against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.³

Egert et al. in a study of people aged 19 to 43 years with normal cholesterol showed that DHA intake significantly increased serum HDL (good) cholesterol. Also, DHA significantly decreased fasting serum triglycerides.⁴

What Is DHA Deficiency In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:

1. Rapoport SI. Brain arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acid cascades are selectively altered by drugs, diet and disease. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2008 Sep-Nov;79(3-5):153-6. Epub 2008 Oct 29. [↩]
2. Richardson AJ. The importance of omega-3 fatty acids for behavior, cognition, and mood. Scandinavian Journal of Nutrition. 2003;47(2):92-8 [↩]
3. Espinosa A, Valenzuela R, González-Mañán D, D’Espessailles A, Guillermo Gormaz J, Barrera C, Tapia G. Prevention of liver steatosis through fish oil supplementation: correlation of oxidative stress with insulin resistance and liver fatty acid content. Arch Latinoam Nutr. 2013 Mar;63(1):29-36. [↩]
4. Egert S, Kannenberg F, Somoza V, et al. Dietary alpha-linolenic acid, EPA, and DHA have differential effects on LDL fatty acid composition but similar effects on serum lipid profiles in normolipidemic humans. J Nutr. 2009;139:861–868. doi: 10.3945/jn.108.103861 [↩]

What Is Arachidonic Acid?

A rachidonic acid is a major essential (must have/can’t make) omega-6 fatty acid.

Structurally, arachidonic acid is a key component of nerve membranes, together with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a major opposing omega-3 fatty acid, making up 15-20% of the brain’s dry mass and more than 30% of the retina.

In healthy human volunteers, positron emission tomography (PET) has shown that the normal human brain consumes 17.8 mg/day of arachidonic acid.¹

Arachidonic acid is particularly concentrated in highly active membranes such as nerve synapses (junctions) and in photoreceptors in the eye retina.²

Arachidonic acid is an important building substance for the eicosanoids.

Q: What function do the eicosanoids have that are derived from arachidonic acid?

A: Eicosanoids are a large group of highly bioactive hormone-like substances including prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and thromboxanes that are involved in blood clotting, inflammation, and vasoconstriction. Eicosanoids derived from arachidonic acid are pro-inflammatory, pro-blood clotting, and constrict blood vessels in opposition to those derived from the omega-3 fatty acids which do the opposite in order to keep a balance in the body.

What Is Arachidonic Acid Deficiency In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:

1. Rapoport SI. Brain arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acid cascades are selectively altered by drugs, diet and disease. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2008 Sep-Nov;79(3-5):153-6. Epub 2008 Oct 29. [↩]
2. Richardson AJ. The importance of omega-3 fatty acids for behavior, cognition, and mood. Scandinavian Journal of Nutrition. 2003;47(2):92-8. [↩]

What Is Linoleic Acid?

L inoleic acid is an essential omega-6 fatty acid that comes from plant sources. Essential means the body must have it to maintain health and life sustaining functions. Omega-6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated.

Among its many vital roles in the body, linoleic acid composition of intestinal membranes is important for epithelial cell function and disturbances may contribute to the pathophysiology of celiac disease.¹

Q: What are epithelial cells?

A: Epithelial cells make up the surface mucosa of the digestive tract and also the respiratory tract, urinary tract and genital tract.

Linoleic acid is an important building material for the eicosanoids, a large group of highly bioactive hormone-like substances including prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and thromboxanes that are involved in blood clotting, inflammation, and vasoconstriction.²

What Is Linoleic Acid Deficiency in Celiac Disease?

Sources:

1. Steel DM, Ryd W, Ascher H, Strandvik B. Abnormal fatty acid pattern in intestinal mucosa of children with celiac disease is not reflected in serum phospholipids. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2006 Sep; 43(3):318-23. [↩]
2. Richardson AJ. The importance of omega-3 fatty acids for behavior, cognition, and mood. Scandinavian Journal of Nutrition. 2003; 47(2):92-8 [↩]

What Is Copper Deficiency?

C opper is an essential trace element that is required for a number of enzymes which are necessary for normal metabolic function.

In the body almost all the copper is present as a component of copper proteins which are produced and controlled by the liver.

Q: How does the liver control copper?

A: The liver maintains proper copper balance by binding free copper to proteins and by excreting excess copper as part of bile that is then emptied into the intestinal tract and excreted in stool.

Metabolic balance studies have demonstrated that daily copper losses are approximately 1.3 mg/day.¹

Among its specific functions listed below, copper is essential for energy production, blood and nerve functions, blood components, immunity, and collagen tissue. The copper enzyme, lysyl oxidase, is involved in the cross-linking of collagen in forming the framework for depositing calcium and other minerals to build and repair bone.

Animal studies suggest that adequate copper levels during pregnancy are critical to development of higher brain function in the offspring.²

What Is Copper Deficiency In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:

1. Williams DM. Copper deficiency in humans. Semin Hematol. 1983 Apr; 20(2):118-28. [↩]
2. Fisgin T, Yarali N, Duru F, Usta B, Kara A. Hematologic manifestation of childhood celiac disease. Acta Haematol. 2004;111(4):211-4. [↩]

What Is Chromium?

C hromium is a mineral that the body absolutely requires in trace amounts for normal metabolism, meaning the physical and chemical processes by which energy is produced and used.

Chromium is especially involved in the use of glucose sugar and lipids such as cholesterol and the effectiveness of insulin hormone.

Q: How is chromium involved in the use of glucose?

A: Very small amounts of chromium are required to enable insulin to move glucose from the bloodstream into cells for use as energy.

Insulin is a hormone that controls the use and storage of glucose in two ways: 1) lowers a rise of glucose in blood after meals by moving it out of the bloodstream into body cells, especially muscle cells and 2) limits the release of glucose from the liver between meals. Insulin is produced by beta cells on the surface of the pancreas.

To date, the molecular mechanism by which chromium affects glucose and lipid metabolism is still unclear.¹

What Is Chromium Deficiency In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:

1. Lewicki S, Zdanowski R, Krzyżowska M, Lewicka A, Dębski B, Niemcewicz M, Goniewicz M. The role of Chromium III in the organism and its possible use in diabetes and obesity treatment. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2014 Jun 10;21(2):331-335. [↩]

What Is Magnesium?

M agnesium is an essential mineral predominantly found in the body within cells, where it is vital for their functions.

Here is a summary of what magnesium does in our body:

1. Co-factor for over 300 enzymes involved in the metabolism of food components and synthesis of many compounds.
2. Required for nerve transmission.
3. Required for muscle activity (acts to relax muscles in opposition to calcium which acts to contract).
4. Acts to maintain heart rhythm.
5. Required for membrane transport and interactions.
6. Required for glucose metabolism and energy production within cells.
7. Component of bone mineralization and tooth formation.
8. Plays a key role in calcium and phosphorus metabolism and management by parathyroid hormone.
9. Maintains the structural and functional integrity of vital eye tissues such as lens.¹

Only 1% of magnesium is found in blood, but the body must keep blood levels of magnesium constant.

What Is Magnesium Deficiency In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:

1. Agarwal R, Iezhitsa I, Agarwal P, Spasov A. Magnesium deficiency: does it have a role to play in cataractogenesis? Exp Eye Res. 2012 Aug; 101:82-9. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2012.05.008. [↩]

What Is Phosphorus?

P hosphorus is an essential mineral present in every cell of the body mostly in the form of phosphate.

About 85% of phosphorus is present in bone making up a major component of bone formation. As a component of calcium phosphate, phosphorus constitutes 45% of skeletal bone weight while calcium constitutes 40% to support the body.¹.

Phosphorus is required for normal tooth development. Inadequate phosphorus in early childhood development makes for defective tooth enamel in permanent teeth.

Phosphorus is crucial for the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), a molecule within cells that the body uses to store energy, and is required for production of phosphocreatine to power muscles.  Functions are more fully described below.

One gram of protein in food provides approximately 15 mg of phosphorus. In an adult, the body content of phosphorus ia about 700 grams.

What Is Phosphorus Deficiency In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:

1. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002424.htm [↩]

What Is Selenium?

S elenium is a mineral that is required by the body  in trace amounts for a healthy immune system, normal thyroid function, and antioxidant protection.

Selenium is absolutely required in the production of at least 30 selenoproteins in the body. First, selenium is joined to the amino acids cysteine as selenocysteine and to methionine as selenomethionine before being used as components for selenoproteins. Many selenoproteins are important antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase.

Q: How does glutathione peroxidase work?

A: Glutathione peroxidase activity helps the recycling of vitamins C and E in optimizing the performance of the antioxidant system. The antioxidant properties of selenoproteins help prevent cellular damage from free radicals. Free radicals are natural by-products of oxygen metabolism that may contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

In the immune system, selenium stimulates immune properties of lymphocytes (white blood cells) by contributing to higher natural killer lymphocyte activity. Natural killer lymphocytes have the ability to destroy cancer cells and bacterial and viral agents.

Other selenoproteins help protect the thyroid gland from anti-oxidants and regulate thyroid function. Specifically, selenium plays an integral role in thyroid gland metabolism.¹ Functions are more fully described below.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations, approximately 30 percent of tissue selenium is contained in the liver, 15 percent in kidney, 30 percent in muscle, and 10 percent in blood plasma.

What Is Selenium Deficiency In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:

1. Stazi AV, Trinti B. Selenium status and over-expression of interleukin-15 in celiac disease and autoimmune thyroid diseases. Ann Ist Super Sanita. 2010;46(4):389-99.DOI: 10.4415/ANN_10_04_06. [↩]

What Is Zinc?

Z inc is an essential trace mineral that is involved in numerous aspects of cellular metabolism, being essential for activation of almost 200 enzymes that have vital roles in the body.

Q: What happens when enzymes do not get activated?

A: When enzymes do not get activated, they cannot perform their necessary functions which, in turn, damages health.

Zinc promotes healthy skin, hair, immunity, fertility, and growth.

A daily intake of zinc is required to maintain a steady state because the body has no specialized zinc storage system.¹ Functions are more fully described below.

What Is Zinc Deficiency in Celiac Disease?

Sources:

1. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/ [↩]