THE OMEGA FACTOR

THE OMEGA FACTOR

The term ‘omega’ refers to the chemical bond found in these fats. The first fatty acid I am going to look at here is Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA). This is an essential omega-3 fatty acid found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, swordfish and mackerel as well as seed oils and nuts. Alpha Linolenic Acid cannot be synthesized by the body and must be consumed in the diet. It can be incorporated into the membrane of cells, converted into other fatty acids or used for hormone production. Alpha Linolenic Acid converts, in part, to EPA and DHA, the omega – 3 fatty acids found in fish oil. This fatty acid is of importance to athletes due to its positive influence on damaged muscle cell membranes, assisting in their repair following exercise. Omega 3 fats also increase insulin sensitivity and provide the building blocks for important prostaglandins and growth factors.
Linolenic Acid (LA) is an omega-6 fatty acid found in seed oils (e.g. sunflower, safflower, and sesame). However, it is also prevalent in many other sources and, for that reason, deficiency states rarely occur. As with Alpha Linolenic Acid, Linolenic Acid can be incorporated into cell membranes and converted into other fatty acids. Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA) is one important byproduct of this conversion. Found in evening primrose oil, GLA converts to prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) which has potent anti-inflammatory properties and serves as a blood thinner and blood vessel dilator.
Another fatty acid worthy of your attention is Oleic Acid (OA) this is an omega-9 fatty acid found predominantly in olive oil. Olive oil is metabolized differently from other fats and is more rapidly converted for energy use. Recent studies have found that olive oil can actually increase resting metabolic rate. Long-term consumption of olive oil may also decrease blood vessel inflammation, promote blood vessel health, reduce the risk of some types of cancer and lower levels of proteins that accumulate in Alzheimer’s disease. In addition it contains phenols that fight free radicals linked to aging and assists in the lowering of bad cholesterol (LDL).

THE ARRIVAL OF…THE BIG MAC!

Sorry hamburger lovers, we are not talking ‘MacDonald’s’ here, but we are talking about something just as exciting when it comes to fatty acid supplementation!
This time the ‘Big Mac’ in question is Macadamia Nut Oil. This truly healthy oil has become famous among chefs across the world. The chefs are using the oil due to its superior taste and significant health benefits. It is extremely versatile and can be used for preparing omelets, pancakes and baked goods. It is also great when used in salads. As the oil is derived from nuts it boasts an extremely high essential fatty acid content. It also boasts a higher smoke point than olive oil, which means that these essential fats remain intact during cooking.
Macadamia Nut Oil is also processed by utilizing a specialized mechanical extraction system in which the oil is extracted in a no-oxygen, light free environment. The expellers are kept at very low temperatures, using equipment that is made from non-reactive metals such as stainless steel. This process ensures that the fatty acid and anti-oxidant content remains intact.
Macadamia Nut Oil consists of 80% mono-saturated fats, has no trans-fatty acids and the rate of saturated fat is comparatively low. It also contains naturally occurring vitamin E, carotenes, chlorophyll, phytosterols and phospholipids like lecithin.
In addition to benefiting the nervous and cardiovascular systems, this oil has proved very helpful in regulating blood sugar levels and controlling diabetes. Given all these facts, there is no doubt that Macadamia Nut Oil holds a very important place when it comes to fatty acid supplementation and should definitely be included in your diet for muscle growth and health.
Which leads us nicely on to the subject of….

ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS AND MUSCLE GROWTH

When it comes to recovery from strenuous workouts essential fatty acids hold a very important place. In fact, it has been noted that when there is a deficiency of any of the EFA’s a decrease in muscle synthesis and repair will be observed. Although protein has always been considered to be the primary factor involved in muscle repair and growth, the presence of EFA’s is also vital to this process. When muscle cells are broken down due to weight training it is not just the internal protein content that is affected, the fatty cell membrane (comprised of essential fatty acids) also needs to be repaired. The failure to ingest adequate EFA’s along with protein will seriously impair the growth process.
Now at this point many bodybuilders may claim to have built a significant amount of muscle without the presence of fat in their diet. What they don’t realize is that along with all the protein they are consuming they are also obtaining essential fats. These essential fats are integral to the muscle building process. However, it has to be said that diets that are extremely high in protein can also be very taxing on the body. So, with this in mind, perhaps it would be much healthier to cut back on the protein and add a supplementary source of essential fatty acids.

FATTY ACIDS AND FAT LOSS

To mention fat loss and fatty acids in the same sentence would at one time have been deemed crazy. However, times have changed, and the consumption of fatty acids is now considered essential to the whole process of fat loss. This is of particular importance when it comes to optimizing the loss of body fat during contest preparation. Many studies have been conducted into the metabolic enhancement provided by omega-3 fatty acid consumption. This is probably due to the fact that diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids protect against metabolic disturbances. When there is a sufficient intake of these nutrients fat mobilization is enhanced, insulin sensitivity is increased and there is also a notable improvement in the function of cellular mitochondria (the energy machinery of the cell).
It also appears that the consumption of essential fatty acids has a positive effect on appetite control. Omega-3 fats seem to have a greater hunger satisfying effect resulting in a greater ability to stick to calorie-restricted diets and a lower tendency to ‘impulse eat’.

PRE-CONTEST PREP…FOR WOMEN ONLY!

When it comes to the last few days before a show most women follow the traditional process of “carbing-up”. However, this may not always be the smartest move. No one is better qualified to provide insight and guidance in this respect than Dave Palumbo who recently stated…
“ I have found that most women are so carb-sensitive that even a small amount can cause water retention and the dreaded ‘spill-over’ on contest day. In order to fill out the muscles from the many weeks of dieting, I add fat back into the diet. This provides just enough ‘fullness’ to the muscles while eliminating any spillover from carb manipulation. In a woman’s body, consumption of extra oils will serve to fill up depleted intramuscular fat stores. This particularly applies to the typical figure competitor who doesn’t (proportionally) carry the muscle that a physique competitor does and doesn’t have the capacity to handle carb loading.”

SUPPLEMENTATION IS KEY

When it comes to getting all the essential fats you require to accelerate your recovery and growth from strenuous workouts you can’t always rely on your diet alone. This is where Essential Fatty Acid supplements are highly recommended. With this in mind your task is to seek out the highest quality products you can find and make them an integral part of your supplementation program. The good news is that I am going to make that task a whole lot easier for you by recommending a truly state-of-the-art supplement called OMEGALYZE available exclusively from SPECIES NUTRITION. In addition to this, SPECIES have also recently added MACADAMIA NUT OIL to their product range, proving once again that they truly are “The Home Of Evolutionary Nutrition!”