Fats just do not get the respect they deserve and I admit that I have been in the disrespectful group up until recently. Over the years, fats have either been implicated as cardiovascular disease culprits or lauded as dietary miracles in the ketogenic world. They get attention but their contribution to health and disease reaches far beyond heart disease and dietary crazes. Looking beyond these simplistic views of fats in simple categories of cholesterol and saturated versus unsaturated fatty acids, we must acknowledge that phospholipids play central roles in the health of all organisms.
As the referenced article describes in great detail, phospholipids are molecules in which 1 or more fatty acids attach to some organic chemical backbone along with a phosphate group. These molecules comprise the basic foundation of all cell membranes as well as the walls of all organelles inside the cells. The varying mixes of different phospholipids affect the function of these membranes whether they are being used to produce energy in mitochondria, separate the inside of the cell from the outside, or to support proteins embedded in them for cellular function.
Beyond their structural contributions to cells, they also provide the building blocks for chemical messengers. The polyunsaturated Omega 3’s and Omega 6’s are released from the cell membranes, converted into immune messengers, and sent far and wide affecting inflammation and immune function.
Once we were able to measure the various concentrations of different phospholipids in these cell membranes, we came to realize that these phospholipids play a role in various disease conditions. These included not only genetic disorders affecting children, but metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity, cancer, neurologic disorders, immune function and more.
Once we learned this, we then began looking at targeting these phospholipids and their disease for therapy. Modifying one’s diet contributes to either restoration or deterioration of cellular health. Supplementing deficient fatty acids may improve health as much or more than taking the indiscriminate multivitamins. For more severe states, IV therapy can remove toxins that are harming the lipids or rebalance off kilter membrane fats.
As Sanctuary adds this tool to our functional medicine toolkit, we look forward to further research which focuses the therapy and sharpens its effects. We want to implement any and all beneficial therapies to help our patients find and enjoy their healthier more abundant life.
Reviewed Article:
Casares, Doralicia et al. “Membrane Lipid Composition: Effect on Membrane and Organelle Structure, Function and Compartmentalization and Therapeutic Avenues.” International journal of molecular sciences vol. 20,9 2167. 1 May. 2019, doi:10.3390/ijms20092167
Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.
Apparently fat does not make you fat. And the right kind actually does a lot of good.