Page 17 - Winter2008

every farmer embraces, beginning with the this article I will discuss how arachidonic acid cooperates with vitamins
very simple understanding that the fruits of the A and D to promote mental health by regulating the adrenal hormone
harvest can never be sold before the soil is tilled cortisol and the neurotransmitter dopamine through the potent central
and the seeds are planted. As we teach people nervous system regulators known as endocannabinoids (See Figure 1).
to put aside a portion of their time to invest in Arachidonic acid is a 20-carbon omega-6 fatty acid found primarily
healthy eating now so their vibrant years can in eggs and liver and in smaller amounts in all other animal fats includ-
extend decades into the future, we teach people to ing butterfat. It is generally considered a “bad fat” because certain highly
become more future-oriented. The lesson of fu- regulated enzymes can convert it into inflammatory compounds, but it is
ture-orientation is brought home to us regularly nevertheless necessary for healthy hair and skin, ovulation, and thus fertil-
on a smaller scale as we observe how much more ity. Researchers from Harvard School of Public Health followed almost
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delicious and satisfying an overnight bone broth 20,000 women for over eight years and found that the more high-fat dairy
is than a soup taken out of a can, or how several the women ate the less likely they were to have problems with ovulation,
weeks of aging can make all the difference in the while the more low-fat dairy the women ate the more likely they were to
flavor and aroma of homemade sauerkraut. fail to ovulate and thus be infertile. These data suggest that many people
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At the same time, the traditional diets we in the general population may not obtain adequate amounts of arachidonic
embrace provide the fat-soluble nutrients nec- acid.
essary to give us freedom from depression and While we obtain preformed arachidonic acid from animal fats, healthy
anxiety and to support the motivation we need to adults can also synthesize small amounts from omega-6 linoleic acid, found
sustain focused, goal-oriented effort over time. in both plant oils and animal fats. Vitamin A, however, is necessary for
this conversion (see Figure 2) and, as we shall see, also helps carry out
THE FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS dopamine signaling more directly. Vitamin A is present in large amounts in
Vitamins A, D, E, and K are the four tra- liver and cod liver oil and in small amounts in eggs and butterfat. Healthy
ditionally recognized fat-soluble vitamins. The adults can convert beta-carotene and other carotenoids present in fruits
essential fatty acids arachidonic acid and DHA, and vegetables to vitamin A, but this conversion is generally inefficient.
however, are needed in similarly small amounts Half of Americans consume less than the RDA for vitamin A and over
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and fulfill similar functions. While all of these a quarter of Americans consume less than half this amount. 15
nutrients are important to the nervous system, in Vitamin D directly interacts with vitamin A in many contexts and

FIGURE 2: VITAMIN A IS NECESSARY FOR THE CONVERSION OF LINOLEIC ACID TO ARACHIDONIC ACID

Linoleic Acid (C18:2n-6)

Via Delta-6 Desaturase (requires B , possibly vitamin A)
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GLA (C18:3n-6)

Via Elongase (requires Biotin)

DGLA (C20:3n-6)

Via Delta-5 Desaturase (requires vitamin A)
Arachidonic Acid (C18:4n-6)

Although arachidonic acid can be supplied directly in the diet, the body can also make it from linoleic acid. Vitamin A
directly stimulates the production of the delta-5 desaturase enzyme and appears from unpublished data generated by
our laboratory at the University of Connecticut to at least indirectly stimulate the production of delta-6 desaturase. These
enzymes also require vitamin B and biotin.
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WINTER 2008 Wise Traditions 17