6. D-PUFAs may help hold inflammation at bay
How do D-PUFAs reduce inflammation?
D-PUFAs gently downregulate COX and LOX enzymes by making arachidonic acid harder to oxidize. This reduces the production of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids (prostaglandins, leukotrienes) without the harsh side effects of NSAIDs like aspirin.
Everybody knows that prolonged inflammation is all-around bad. A recent term describes it well: inflammaging. The body on fire, and the older we are, the hotter the flames smoulder.
The COX & LOX pathway
Several mechanisms control the process. One of them kick-starts inflammation by employing several enzymes, such as cyclooxygenases (COX) and lipoxygenases (LOX), to convert a particular PUFA, known as arachidonic acid, into a smorgasbord of oxidised derivatives known as eicosanoids.
The group of eicosanoids includes prostaglandins, thromboxanes, leukotrienes, and many more.
Why a gentle nudge beats a hard block
But we do not want to nip all inflammation in the bud: after all, it evolved for a good reason! We want to softly nudge it down, rather than stop it altogether.
So, when aspirin physically kills a cyclooxygenase molecule by irreversibly reacting with it, this is not good.
Further, specific inhibitors of various COX and LOX enzymes may inadvertently disturb the fine balance of various eicosanoids, causing trouble, such as Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease.
And judging by various animal models, D-PUFAs may help here, by softly and reversibly downregulating COX and LOX enzymes.
Consult Book Chapter 4.9. for more detail.
Want the full picture?
This article covers just one piece of the puzzle. The book connects all the dots: from the chemistry of aging to the deuterium approach.