First Semester Material
Micro Effects
Omega-3s decrease the chemical thromboxane, a natural anticoagulant, production in the liver.
Omega-3 decreases in the inflammatory response, therefore weakens immune system of the body.
Omega-3s have a significant impact on different cellular structures and chemical levels in the body.
Unsaturated fatty acids break up the tightly packed saturated fat phospholipids, loosening up the membrane and giving it more fluidity
Omega-3 has been found most beneficial to patients who has suffered from some kind of respiratory or cardiovascular disease, decreasing the fibrosis built up from the damage and also repairing the scarring tissues.
Omega-3 essential fatty acid family is made up of omega-3 fatty acids that humans cannot synthesize on our own.
Omega-3s fights off free radicals.
Free DHA molecules would help protect the brain and limit the damage of the brain injury.
Omega-3s can help maintain the synaptic integrity of an individual by utilizing endogenous signaling to prevent inflammation in the brain and induce cell survival.
The Omega-3 fatty acids can fuse with the membrane of the red blood cells allowing control and rebalance in antioxidant levels.
Macro effects
Consuming less fish has an increased risk of psychological diseases such as depression and bipolarism.
Rate limiting enzyme lowers the rate in which Serotonin is being produced and causes irregular neurological behavior.
Synaptic vesicles, made of mainly fatty acids, is responsible for the release of the neurotransmitters.
The transmitters flow across the synaptic cleft and bind with ligand-gated ion channels causes a change in potential, then they popped off.
This increased fluidity of neural membranes helps in allowing the synaptic vesicles to bind to the membrane easier the opening or closing of ion channels.
Children who took Omega-3 and Omega-6 supplement showed significant improvement in their reading ability compared to children who took a placebo.
People with hippocampus size in the lowest quartile had an omega-3 level of 3% less than highest quartile.
Taking Omega-3 pills increase the insulin and amino acid reaction allowing for a faster protein synthesis to occur.
Patients with ADHD and Alzheimer have less DHA, EPA and more oxidative damage in neuron.
Oxidative damage causes neuron-degeneration preventing neurons from absorbing chemicals normally.
Semester Two
Pollution and Other Contaminants and their Effects
Ellen:
POP(Persistent organic pollutants) are prevalent in farmed fatty fish because they are lipophilic. POPs have adverse effects on the body.
Dioxin: Affects AhR signalling cascade, GLUT proteins (isoforms 1&3) and the H+ gradient + ATP formation in mitochondria, lead to beta cell death.
Taylor:
Fish Carcinogenicity: 10 metals discovered as a result of bioaccumulation.
Wet season produced the worst fish to do agricultural waste, many fish exposed to arsenic.
Scombrotoxin: Temperature exposure causes flesh amino acids to convert to histamine.
Grass-fed Beef vs. Grain-fed Beef
Tessa:
Grass fed beef will have higher amounts of fatty acids in general, including N-6’s, N-3’s, ALA (Alpha Linoleic Acid), TVA (Vaccenic Acid), and Linoleic Acid.
ALA does not commonly convert to DHA because the western diet affects conversion rate. TVA converts to anti-carcinogen CLA in tissues of humans and the lumen in animals.
Nick:
N-3 levels of grass-fed cows will be higher than that of grain-fed cows. As a lower n-6:n-3 ratio is desired, leaner cuts such as strip loin provide a ratio of 3.35:1.
Grain-fed cows will have higher amounts of monounsaturated fatty acids. MUFA’s decrease the risk of type II diabetes, but the average n-6:n-3 ratio is 12:1.
Matthew:
Much of the DHA found in fatty fishes is found in algae. Algae then can be used for omega-3 supplements or can increase the n-3 levels of the livestock that eat it (still in early development). ALA can be converted to EPA and DHA, but only at a few percent efficiency. Interestingly, vegetarians can convert more efficiently.
Illness and Disease
Jack:
Omega-3’s increased the risk of type II diabetes in women. It is thought that the omega-3’s caused cells to oxidize, causing the cells to have pro inflammatory products.
Higher levels of omega-3’s have been associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer, but no concrete evidence has been discovered.
Anthony:
It is believed that Vitamin D. and Omega-3’s work in conjunction to lessen or prevent type I diabetes. There is a hypothesis that omega-3 supplementation can replace the role of insulin to sterilize RBC.
ApoE4 Gene
Charlie:
People with the ApoE4 gene do not perform well in cognitive tests because their brains take up less omega-3’s compared to other genotypes. (ApoE2 and ApoE3).
With DHA supplementation, the reaction time and memory improved, with women receiving greater benefits from supplementation.
Lauren:
ApoE4 is a susceptibility gene that increases a person’s chance of having Alzheimer’s because it impairs the body's antioxidant defence system, which cause more oxidative stress from the oxidation of DHA.
ApoE4 transports beta-amyloid less efficiently, which could lead to plaque build up in the brain. Beta-amyloid plaque has been shown to cause the cognitive deterioration in Alzheimer’s.
