While omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acid are deemed essential for humans, a “deficiency” in these lipids seem to have some advantages. It would almost be impossible to exclude some forms of omega 3 from the diets. Even the food items like red meat and green leafy vegetables contain alpha-lipoic acid.
When polyunsaturated fats are replaced by limited saturated fats or excluded from the diet, the body can make its own saturated or unsaturated fats, these are mostly saturated palmitic and stearic acid and the unsaturated mead acid (omega 9).
Palmitic inhibits nitric oxide[1], stearic acid can inhibit carcinogenesis[2] and the mead acid (inhibit cancer[3]) will increase after essential fatty acids deficiency (EFAD). A deficiency in the essential acids was found to be more anti-inflammatory than the anti-inflammatory omega 3[4] as EFAD cells are very limited in their ability to produce lactic acid and lipid peroxidation[5]. When mice were raised with an essential fatty acid deficiency, it became impossible to produce obesity even on a high-fat diet[6], furthermore, it was found that mice had long term protection against diet-induced liver steatosis and hypercholesterolemia[7], decreased anxiety in adult life[8], lower inflammation[9], and are not/less susceptible to diabetes or poisons in different models[10][11][12][13]. EFAD protects against glomerular macrophage infiltration and the ensuing proteinuria[14], possibly lupus[15][16], thermal injury[17], reduces tissue damage[18], nitric oxide[19]endotoxins[20][21] and by depriving prostaglandins from being formed is a valid model for studying anti-inflammatory mechanisms[22].
When the EFAD is studied when infused with sugar it seems to shows increased uptake of sugar resulting in hypoglycemia and high circulating insulin levels[23] (possibly meaning that less insulin is needed and/or works better, this is supported by the fact that EFAD increases the metabolic rate[24]). Other studies point to the fact that essential fatty acids (EFA) are important for development of tumors. As one group of researchers noted;
“These findings demonstrate that physiological levels of EFA are important for a tumor to metastasize in secondary organs”[25]
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[1] Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. 1997;105 Suppl 2:78-80. Palmitic acid but not stearic acid inhibits NO-production in endothelial cells.Moers A1, Schrezenmeir J.
[2] Br J Cancer. 1987 Oct;56(4):455-8. Stearic acid and carcinogenesis. Habib NA1, Wood CB, Apostolov K, Barker W, Hershman MJ, Aslam M, Heinemann D, Fermor B, Williamson RC, Jenkins WE,
[3] Oncol Rep. 2014 Oct;32(4):1385-94. doi: 10.3892/or.2014.3390. Epub 2014 Aug 7. Mead acid inhibits the growth of KPL-1 human breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Kinoshita Y1, Yoshizawa K1, Hamazaki K2, Emoto Y1, Yuri T1, Yuki M1, Shikata N3, Kawashima H4, Tsubura A1.
[4] J Immunol. 1990 Sep 1;145(5):1523-9. Manipulation of the acute inflammatory response by dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid modulation. Lefkowith JB1, Morrison A, Lee V, Rogers M.
[5] Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1993 May;120(1):72-9. Essential fatty acid deficiency in cultured human keratinocytes attenuates toxicity due to lipid peroxidation. Wey HE, Pyron L, Woolery M.
[6] Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2011 Mar-Apr;84(3-4):85-92. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2010.11.002. Epub 2010 Dec 21. Postnatal deficiency of essential fatty acids in mice results in resistance to diet-induced obesity and low plasma insulin during adulthood. Palsdottir V, Wickman A, Andersson N, Hezaveh R, Olsson B, Gabrielsson BG, Strandvik B.
[7] Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2011 Sep-Oct;85(3-4):179-88. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2011.05.002. Epub 2011 Jun 12. Postnatal essential fatty acid deficiency in mice affects lipoproteins, hepatic lipids, fatty acids and mRNA expression. Palsdottir V1, Olsson B, Borén J, Strandvik B, Gabrielsson BG.
[8] Behav Neurosci. 2012 Apr;126(2):361-9. doi: 10.1037/a0027161. Epub 2012 Feb 20. Long-term effects of perinatal essential fatty acid deficiency on anxiety-related behavior in mice. Palsdottir V1, Månsson JE, Blomqvist M, Egecioglu E, Olsson B.
[9] Metabolism. 2012 Mar;61(3):395-406. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2011.07.017. Epub 2011 Sep 23. Arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid supplemented to an essential fatty acid-deficient diet alters the response to endotoxin in rats. Ling PR1, Malkan A, Le HD, Puder M, Bistrian BR.
[10] Acta Diabetol. 1995 Jun;32(2):125-30. Essential fatty acid deficiency prevents multiple low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetes in naive and cyclosporin-treated low-responder murine strains. Wright JR Jr1, Fraser RB, Kapoor S, Cook HW.
[11] Pancreas. 1995 Jul;11(1):26-37. Essential fatty acid deficiency prevents autoimmune diabetes in nonobese diabetic mice through a positive impact on antigen-presenting cells and Th2 lymphocytes. Benhamou PY, Mullen Y, Clare-Salzler M, Sangkharat A, Benhamou C, Shevlin L, Go VL.
[12] Am J Physiol. 1989 Oct;257(4 Pt 2):H1192-9. Lung injury caused by cobra venom factor is reduced in rats raised on an essential fatty acid-deficient diet. Morganroth ML1, Schoeneich SO, Till GO, Pickett W, Ward PA.
[13] J Appl Physiol (1985). 1989 Aug;67(2):811-6. Essential fatty acid-deficient rats are resistant to oleic acid-induced pulmonary injury. Ball HA1, Cook JA, Spicer KM, Wise WC, Halushka PV.
[14] J Immunol. 1990 Aug 15;145(4):1238-45. Mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory effects of essential fatty acid deficiency in experimental glomerulonephritis. Inhibited release of a monocyte chemoattractant by glomeruli. Rovin BH1, Lefkowith JB, Schreiner GF.
[15] J Invest Dermatol. 1981 Nov;77(5):381-4. Beneficial effect of an essential fatty acid deficient diet in NZB/NZW F1 mice. Hurd ER, Gilliam JN.
[16] Beneficial Effect of an Essential Fatty Acid Deficient Diet in NZB/NZW F1 Mice. Eric R. Hurd, M.D. 1, James N. Gilliam, M.D
[17] J Burn Care Rehabil. 1996 Sep-Oct;17(5):465-70; discussion 464. Modulation of immune response in thermal injury by essential fatty acid-deficient diet. Penturf ME1, McGlone JJ, Griswold JA.
[18] J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1995 Jan;272(1):469-75. Acetic acid-induced colitis in normal and essential fatty acid deficient rats. Mascolo N1, Izzo AA, Autore G, Maiello FM, Di Carlo G, Capasso F.
[19] Kidney Int. 1994 Nov;46(5):1280-6. Fish oil supplementation and essential fatty acid deficiency reduce nitric oxide synthesis by rat macrophages. Boutard V1, Fouqueray B, Philippe C, Perez J, Baud L.
[20] Circ Shock. 1979;6(4):333-42. Resistance of essential fatty acid-deficient rats to endotoxic shock. Cook JA, Wise WC, Callihan CS.
[21] J Lipid Mediat Cell Signal. 1994 Mar;9(2):145-53. Essential fatty acid-deficient diet modifies PAF levels in stomach and duodenum of endotoxin-treated rats. Autore G1, Cicala C, Cirino G, Maiello FM, Mascolo N, Capasso F.
[22] Agents Actions Suppl. 1977;2:77-83. Effects of anti-inflammatory drugs on the carrageenin-induced hind paw inflammation of rats deprived of endogenous precursors of prostaglandins. Bonta IL, Bult H.
[23] Metabolism. 1990 Aug;39(8):871-5. Pancreatic function in the essential fatty acid deficient rat. Hjelte L1, Ahrén B, Andrén-Sandberg A, Böttcher G, Strandvik B.
[24] MITOCHONDRIAL CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH ESSENTIAL FATTY ACID DEFICIENCY IN RATS* BY ELINOR LEVIN,? RALPH M. JOHNSON, AND S. ALBERT (From the Detroit Institute of Cancer Research, and Wayne State University College of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan) (Received for publication, March 1, 1957)
[25] Invasion Metastasis. 1992;12(3-4):233-40. Reduction of the metastatic potential of a RSV-transformed fibroblastic line (B77-AA6 cells) upon transplantation in essential fatty acid-deficient mice. Calorini L1, Ruggieri S.