Under severe conditions of EFA deprivation, mammals will elongate and desaturate oleic acid to make mead acid, (20:3, n−9).[1] This also occurs to a lesser extent in vegetarians and semi-vegetarians.[2]
Potential negative health effects
Oleic and monounsaturated fatty acids were positively associated with breast cancer risk. The saturation index was inversely associated with breast cancer risk [declining with saturation increase]. Monounsaturated fats and saturation index in erythrocyte membranes are predictors of postmenopausal breast cancer. Both of these variables depend on the activity of the enzyme 9-d delta 9 desaturase.[3]
List of n−9 fatty acids
See also
References
- ^ Lipomics. "Mead acid". http://www.lipomics.com/resources/fatty_acids/20_3n9.htm. Retrieved February 14 2006.
- ^ Phinney, SD, RS Odin, SB Johnson and RT Holman (1990). "Reduced arachidonate in serum phospholipids and cholesteryl esters associated with vegetarian diets in humans". http://intl.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/51/3/385. Retrieved February 11 2006.
- ^ Valeria Pala, Vittorio Krogh, Paola Muti, Véronique Chajès, Elio Riboli, Andrea Micheli, Mitra Saadatian, Sabina Sieri, Franco Berrino (2001). "Erythrocyte Membrane Fatty Acids and Subsequent Breast Cancer: a Prospective Italian Study". JNCL 93. PMID 11459870. http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/93/14/1088. Retrieved 2008-11-30.
Additional references
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