What happens if the diet is void of linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid?

• A. Increased synthesis in liver.
• B. Essential fatty acid deficiency can ensue resulting in metabolic complications.
• C. No effect due to alternative fats.
• D. Improved renal function.

Answer: (B)

Linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid must come from the diet because the body cannot synthesize them. They are foundational building blocks for cell membranes and serve as precursors to longer-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and signaling molecules that regulate inflammation and metabolism.

If these essential fatty acids are absent from the diet, essential fatty acid deficiency can develop, leading to metabolic complications and a range of clinical signs. Tissues lose proper membrane fluidity and function, and the production of important signaling molecules is impaired, which can result in dermatitis, poor wound healing, growth impairment, and immune dysfunction.

Other fats cannot fully substitute for these essential fatty acids in their structural and signaling roles, and the body does not compensate by increasing hepatic synthesis of EFAs.