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Homocysteine, cardiovascular disease risk
factor?
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Functions:
- Fundamental component of lipids and fats
- Important structural components of membranes
- Helps transport fat-soluble nutrients, including
vitamins such as vitamin D
and vitamin A
across the cell membrane as
well as in the
blood.
- Important for brain development
- Important for growth
- Important for energy production
- Important for healthy skin
- Serve as precursors for a number of potent
biological compounds including
the prostaglandins,
prostacyclins and leukotrienes.
These substances
play a number of important
roles, including
temperature regulation, labour
induction,
pain sensitivity, inflammatory
responses,
neurotransmitter regulation,
immune function,
muscle function, blood clotting.
Disease Implications:
The most important disease implications
for
fatty acids is the role they
play in heart
disease:
- An increased risk of heart disease is associated
with high dietary intakes of
saturated fats.
Saturated fats increases blood
triglyceride
and cholesterol levels, which
is a predisposing
factor for heart disease and
strokes.
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids (particularly
the omega-3 fatty acids) protect
against
development of heart attacks
and strokes,
by lowering the level of cholesterol
and
LDL (low density lipoprotein)
levels.
- Omega-3 fatty acids known to decrease cancer
growth in some cell lines.
- Frank deficiencies are rare. Symptoms include:
lesions in the skin, headaches,
lowering
of blood pressure, kidney problems.
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Vitamin Guide
Fatty Acid Guide
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