Hormones are chemical messengers that influence the proteins making machinery by genetic stimulation or by altering cell components that resulting in cellular changes. Fats have a huge impact on hormones and hormones have an effect on fats. The unsaturated fats are needed for hibernation and slow down your metabolic rate.
The results of the present study support the view that unsaturated lipids in tissues and membranes of mammals are important for successful hibernation.[1]
With the understanding that unsaturated fats slow down the mitochondria to preserve energy, we can see that the hormones act accordingly. Due to the fragility of the unsaturated fatty acids, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) are increased. These ROS shut down or limit your mitochondria.
How Do Hormones Influence Fats and Vice Versa
In short, unsaturated fats increases hormones that increase the unsaturation of fatty acids. One example is estrogen. Estrogen increases the enzymes that make fatty acids more unsaturated. In turn, unsaturated fatty acids increase the estrogen levels in an organism. Estrogen in turn, increases lipid peroxidation, which in turn, increases estrogen.
Furthermore, the majority of studies show that fish oil lowers
- testosterone
- progesterone
- pregnenolone
- DHEA
- DHT
One of the main mechanisms by which fish oils lower the steroid hormones is by lowering cholesterol. From cholesterol (with the help of thyroid and vitamin A) pregnenolone is produced.
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[1] Biochimica 159 et Biophysics Acta, 1046 (1990) 159-166 Elsevier BBALIP 53482 Influence of polyunsaturated and saturated dietary lipids on adipose tissue, brain and mitochondrial membrane fatty acid composition of a mammalian hibernator Fritz Geiser Department of Zoology University of Washington, Seattle, WA (U.S.A.)