Essential fatty acid

Essential fatty acid
An unsaturated fatty acid that is essential to human health, but cannot be manufactured in the body. There are three types of essential fatty acids (EFAs): arachnoidic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid. When obtained in the diet, linoleic acid can be converted to both arachnoidic and linolenic acid. It is commonly found in cold-pressed oils, and is particularly high in oils extracted from cold-water fish and certain seeds. Recent research has explored the role of EFAs in the nervous system health. Supplementation with certain EFOs appears to be useful as a treatment for certain neurological disorders. However, arachnoidic acid may lower the seizure threshold. For that reason, always consult a knowledgeable physician before starting a program of EFA supplementation.

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(EFA) any fatty acid that cannot be synthesized by the human body and must be obtained from dietary sources, e.g., linoleic acid and linolenic acid.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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