COURSE III: Fats in Our Biology

This lesson is an immersion into the nomenclature, form, and function of fats. We learn about their place in the body’s gross structure, cell membranes, and brain, as well as their key role as Eicosanoids – biochemical precursors in inflammation and its resolution. The complex and often misunderstood biochemistry of the Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids is explored in depth. This then enables an appreciation of these Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) – what makes them both essential and what makes them harmful. We learn about the degradation of the fats in the cell membrane through lipid peroxidation – a major contributor to meta-inflammation. The lesson concludes by bringing together the important clinical considerations when assessing the balance of the body’s fats.