Essential Fatty Acids are Called Essential Because You Need to Get Them From Your Diet

Essential fatty acids ("EFAs") (also known as Vitamin F) are the fatty acids--basic building blocks of which fats and oils are composed--that the body cannot make.  EFAs are required for maintaining the structure of cell membranes and the permeability of the skin.  Some of the major functions of EFAs are:  

There are two EFAs in the human diet: alpha-linolenic acid (the parent fatty acid of the Omega-3 family)  and linoleic acid (the parent fatty acid of the Omega-6 family).  Omega-6 is the class of EFAs found most commonly in the American diet, but Omega-3 is sorely lacking in many diets.  
 

Eczema and EFAs

The National Institute of Health ("NIH") sent me a draft of their Handout on Atopic Dermatitis for my comments.  It states ...

"Biochemical Abnormalities:  Scientists suspect that changes in the skin's protective barrier make people with atopic dermatitis more sensitive to irritants.  Such people have lower levels of fatty acids (substances that provide moisture and elasticity) in their skin, which causes dryness and reduces the skin's ability to control inflammation ....  Scientists are focusing on identifying new treatments for atopic dermatitis including ... fatty acid supplements ...."        

It further states ...

"In people with atopic dermatitis, monocytes appear to play a role in the decreased production of an immune system hormone called interferon gamma ("IFN-y"), which helps regulate allergic reactions.  This defect may cause exaggerated immune and inflammatory responses in the blood and tissues of people with atopic dermatitis."

"Researchers also think that an imbalance in the immune system may contribute to the development of atopic dermatitis.  It appears that the part of the immune system responsible for stimulating IgE is overactive, and the part that makes IFN-y and handles skin viral and fungal infections is not working sufficiently.  Indeed, the skin of people with atopic dermatitis shows increased susceptibility to skin infections.  This imbalance appears to result in the skin's inability to restrain dermatitis, or inflammation, even in areas of skin that appear normal."

NIH's final copy of their handbook on atopic dermatitis is out, and you can see it here. 

Technically Speaking (See Detailed EFA/Enzyme Conversion Chart)

Flaxseed favorably influences immune response. The flaxseed component alpha-linolenic acid ("ALA") alters membrane phospholipids, inhibits arachidonic acid biosynthesis from linoleic acid, inhibits the production of proinflammatory eicosanoids from arachidonic acid, and suppresses lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production.  Flaxseed lignans are potent inhibitors of platelet-activating factor, a mediator of inflammation. Through these effects, flaxseed has the potential to be used for the treatment of disorders characterized in part by activated lymphocytes and a hyper-stimulated immune response. Such disorders include rheumatoid arthritis, eczema, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus.  

Omega-3 fatty acids modify immune and inflammatory reactions. The key to a healthy immune system is found in EFAs.  EFAs common to flaxseed oil are ultimately converted to hormone-like substances known as prostaglandins, and are important for the regulation of a host of bodily functions including: 

Excellent article on the Benefits of Omega 3's from World's Healthiest Foods.

See, also, the Phospholipid, Lecithin and Flaxseed web pages. 

Great Smokies Diagnostic Laboratory has an Essential and Metabolic Fatty Acids Analysis web page.  

Links

Essential Fatty Acid Metabolism and its Modification in Atopic Eczema (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)

Increased Requirements for Essential Fatty Acids in Atopic Individuals: A Review With Clinical Descriptions

From the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, see this article: "Metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids by skin epidermal enzymes: generation of antiinflammatory and antiproliferative metabolites."

Three Notes

1.  To help you get the most out of flaxseed oil, try to limit the refined oils you consume.  This includes hydrogenated oils.  These oils are metabolized in the same pathways as the natural oils and can block their functions. 

2.  There are special proteins in yogurt or cottage cheese (non-fat or low-fat) that enhance the properties of the EFA's; so, mixing the oil with either one is beneficial. Since oil tastes a little gross, this is how I do it: I don’t breath through my nose during the whole process, I just breathe through my mouth and put it on top of vanilla yogurt on a spoon and then chase it with more yogurt before I breathe through my nose again.  (Same concept has holding your nose when you take medicine.)

3.  Vitamins A, C, E, B-2, B-3, B-6, Pantothenic acid, B-12, biotin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium, sulfur, and zinc are all involved in EFA metabolism.  Zinc seems necessary for at least two stages in EFA metabolism, the conversion of linoleic acid to gamma-linolenic acid, and the mobilisation of dihomogammalinolenic acid (DGLA) for the synthesis of 1 series PGs. 

Here's a good references on sources of essential fatty acids.

Since fish is on the list of foods that may cause a reaction in adults, what about fish oil supplements?