What is the Role of Fatty Acids in the Body?
Fatty acids are crucial components in the human body, playing diverse roles beyond simply providing energy. They act as building blocks for cell membranes, influence metabolism, and affect how cells respond to hormones and other signals.
- Energy Source: Fatty acids are a primary energy source, used when glucose (sugar) is unavailable. Nemours KidsHealth highlights this function, emphasizing their importance in energy storage. The human placenta, for instance, relies heavily on fatty acids as fuel throughout pregnancy. sciencedirect.com
- Membrane Constituents: They are essential structural components of cell membranes, influencing membrane fluidity and function. PMC describes them as "building blocks" of cell membranes.
- Metabolic Regulators: Fatty acids significantly impact cell and tissue metabolism, affecting how the body processes nutrients and energy. Their influence extends to how cells respond to hormones and other signals. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Specific Fatty Acid Roles:
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: These "healthy fats" support heart health and help lower triglycerides. Cleveland Clinic
- Omega-6 Fatty Acids: Research explores their potential role in conditions like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Mount Sinai
- Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs): Produced by gut microbiota, SCFAs influence metabolic, endocrine, and immune processes. Frontiers
Fatty Acid Transport and Metabolism:
Free fatty acids (FFAs), also known as non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), travel in the bloodstream bound to albumin, a carrier protein, because they are insoluble in water. rep.bioscientifica.com The body utilizes fatty acid oxidation in multiple cellular locations to break them down for energy. NCBI Bookshelf Abnormal fatty acid metabolism can contribute to health issues. For example, research indicates that targeting fatty acid synthesis could be a treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). NCBI
