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FATS AND HORMONES
EFA's are used to build hormones and hormones regulate practically every biochemical
process (see insulin, HGH, Thyroid and sex hormones) therefore EFS's are a crucial
part of human nutrition. A deficiency of EFA's leads to sterility and miscarriage,
skin problems, growth problems etc. Undernourishment, especially of the correct
fats, at a young age, affects the human bodys ability to grow and develop properly
and to its full genetic potential later on in life.
Although all fats produce 9 calories of energy per gram, our body prefers to
save the important w3 and w6 essential fats for vital hormone like functions.
Your body can lengthen unsaturated fats and insert more double bonds (something
that cannot be done with saturated fats, saturated already with hydrogen atoms
and so useless for the body other than for creating greater levels of fat storage)
- highly unsaturated molecules which serve functions in our cells and are especially
key in the most active tissues of our body - the brain, sense organs, adrenal
glands and testes.
Palmitoleic acid (a monounsaturated fatty acid) occurs in large quantities
in milk and coconut oil and an excess of this can lead to interference with
chemical conversions of essential fats into hormone like prostaglandins.
Female hormones that are responsible for the extra fat that women carry, also
protect women from the deleterious cardiovascular effects of fats.
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