EFA conversion to eicosanoids chart
See how omega-3 is needed to balance omega-6
Factors affecting fatty acid conversions
Δ6D and Δ5D desaturase enzymes (insert a double bond and remove 2 H atoms) are inhibited by: dietary imbalance of omega-6 to omega-3, toxic fats, cholesterol, excessive long-chain SFAs* (in meat and dairy), age>30, sugar, stress, drugs, alcohol, toxic chemicals, caffeine, High INSULIN, excessive palmitoleic acids (Eg in coconut oil), lack of required conversion minerals/vitamins (see chart)
*The Saturated fats in grass-fed AA-rich meat and fat-containing dairy down-regulate Δ6D, to slow down conversion of LA to AA. (A good reason why drinking fat-free milk isn’t a good idea). Also, omega-6-rich grain fed to animals in confined animal farming operations (CAFOs) produce meat with a lower SFA content.
(See abbreviations and color coding below chart)
| OMEGA-6 FAMILY |
OMEGA-3 FAMILY |
||||
| LA (Linolenic Acid) 18:2w6 In Soybean oil, Nut and seed oils (Safflower, Sesame, Cottonseed, Sunflower, Corn, Hemp, Blackcurrant (32-55%), Canola, peanut), animal fats (especially grain-fed), walnuts, almonds, legumes, wheatgerm oil, wild salmon |
ALA (α-Linolenic Acid) 18:3w3) In Seed Oils: Flax (50%), Chia (30%), Hemp (20%), Blackcurrant (12-14%) Canola (up to 10%), Walnuts (~6%), Dark green leaves, Grass-fed animal fats |
||||
| Pathway Competing for: Δ6D enzyme Requires B6, Magnesium, Zinc |
|||||
| ⇓ | ⇓ | ||||
| GLA (Gamma-linolenic Acid) 18:3w6 In Blackcurrant (min. 15%), Borage & Evening primrose oils |
SDA (Stearidonic Acid) 18:4w3 In Blackcurrant (2-4%) & other wild seed oils |
||||
| Elongase 5 Enzyme (Adds 2 carbon atoms) ⇓ |
Elongase 5 Enzyme (Adds 2 carbon atoms) ⇓ |
||||
| DGLA (Dihomo-γ-linolenic Acid) 20:3w6 In Breast Milk |
Eicosatetraenoic Acid | ||||
|
↙ ↙ |
Pathway Competing for: Δ5D enzyme (Requires Vitamin C, B3, Zinc) |
||||
| Inhibited by EPA [Reference] ⇓ |
Preferred pathway. ⇓ |
||||
|
Blocks
Most potent |
AA (Arachidonic Acid) 20:4w6 (abundant in body’s immune cells, skeletal muscle, brain, liver, spleen, retina) In Meat, Farmed salmon, Eggs (not much) Most potent inflammatory pathway |
EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) 20:5w3 EPA (and DHA) in: Fish oil, Grass-fed animal and poultry, Land animals’ brains, testes, adrenals, eyeballs. Brown/red algae |
|||
| Pathway Competing for: COX1 or COX2 |
Pathway Competing for: COX1 or COX2 |
Pathway Competing for: 5-LOX Enzymes |
Pathway Competing for: COX1 or COX2 |
Pathway Competing for: 5-LOX Enzymes |
⇓ Elongase DPA (Docosa-pentaenoic Acid) ⇕Δ4D |
| ↓↓ |
↓↓ PGG2 |
↓ | ↓↓ | ↓ |
DHA (Docosa-hexanoic acid 22:6w3) For brain, nerves, eyes (10-20% of brain’s fats) |
| PGH1 ↓ |
PGH2 ↓ Isomerases & Tissue specific synthases |
(DGLA derivative: 15- hydroxyl blocks LT-4 Belch, 2000) |
PGH3 ↓ |
↓ | Pathway Competing for: 5-LOX Enzymes ↓ |
PG1Prostaglandins PGB1 PGC1 PGD1 PGE1 PGF1α PGI1 TX1Thromboxanes TXA1 TXB1 (PGE1 |
PG2Prostaglandins PGI2 (Prostacyclin) |
LT4Leukotrienes EX4Eoxins (From 14,15-LOX) LX4Lipoxins |
PG3Prostaglandins TX3Thromboxanes |
LT5Leukotrienes RVsResolvins PDsProtectins |
RVsResolvins PDsProtectins PD1 |
PG2Prostaglandins PGD2 PGE2 (via PGE synthase) PGF2α TX2Thromboxanes TXA2 Thromboxane TXB2 |
|||||
Abbreviations / Color Coding
Enzymes: COX1 (Cycloxygenase enzyme 1; COX2 (Cycloxygenase enzyme 2) LOX (Lipoxygenase enzymes) – 5-LOX, 14-LOX, 15-LOX.
Eicosanoids: color-coded according to their usual type of activity. They are not necessarily differentiated as good and bad. Hot “Pink” represents a “call-to-action” effect altering the status quo, some increasing inflammation.“Aqua green” represents a “calming down” / “back-to-normal” action / resolving any inflammation.
Fatty acid Notation: E.g. 18:2 w6 – denotes a fatty acid with 18 carbon chains and 2 unsaturated double carbon bonds. The w6 (Omega-6) refers to the position of the first double carbon bond. In this example, it is 6 carbons away from the head of the fatty acid. EFAs have 18, 20 or 22 carbon atoms in their body.
