LIPIDS

What are lipids?

 DEFINITION
• A group of greasy like substances that are
insoluble in water
 ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION
• Composed of C H O- though proportions are
different when compared to carbohydrates
• Lipids have much less Oxygen than
carbohydrates
 TYPES OF LIPIDS
• Simple lipids- these are made up of glycerol
and three fatty acids.
• Compound lipids- these have other
substances in them- e,g phosphates, protein
• Derived lipids- these are results of lipid
digestion- e.g monoglycerides
 Types of lipids
• The typical simple lipid is called a triglyceride
because it has three fatty acids in it.
• Phospholipids contain two fatty acids and the
third molecule is a phosphate
• Cholesterol is a complex type of lipid that is
regularly made and stored in the liver.
• All animals make cholesterol.
 LIPID COMPOSITION
• Closer look at simple lipids indicates the
presence of fatty acids and glycerol.
• How do these combine?
• Glycerol is a simple alcohol that has a shape of
an E, to which the fatty acids are linked.
• Fatty acids are organic acids that determine
the lipid at question.
 FATTY ACIDS
• Made up of a carbon chain whose length
depends on the fatty acid in view.
• They are also made up of carboxylic end
( COOH )
• General formular for fatty acids is therefore R-
COOH
• The R-represents the carbon chain.
GENERAL STRUCTURE-FATTY ACIDS

• O
• ||
• R- C- OH- hydrophillic end
• ^
• Hydrophobic tail
 CLASSIFICATION OF FATTY ACIDS
• Saturated Fatty acids- these have no double
bonds in the carbon chain
• Unsaturated fatty acids- these have double
bonds in their carbon chain
• Most fatty acids have an even number of
carbons
• Chains may be short ( between 2- 6), medium
( between 8- 12) and Long (between 14 and 24).
 CLASSIFICATION OF FATTY ACIDS
• The body digests medium chain triglycerides
much more easily than long chain triglycerides
• Unfortunately medium chain triglycerides are
laboratory manufactured and very expensive.
• Most naturally occurring triglycerides have
long carbon atoms.
 SATURATED FATTY ACIDS
• Unable to absorb hydrogen
• Usually stiff, hard fats
• For example CH3 ( CH2)6 COOH, has no room
for hydrogen to attach
• TRY TO SHOW AN OPEN STRUCTURE BELOW:
 UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS
• May have one or more points open to hydrogen.
• Those with one point open to hydrogen are called
monounsaturated
• Those with several points open to hydrogen are called
polyunsaturated fatty acids.
• Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated lipids are usually soft
or liquid at room temperature.
• Polyunsaturated lipids can be hydrogenated, making them
more saturated.
• Polyunsaturated lipids are known to lower the risk of heart
disease.
 UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS-
• Structural display
• CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH=CH-CH2-COOH-
octaenoic acid

• CH3-CH=CH-CH2-CH=CH-CH2-COOH-
octadienoic acid
 TRIGLYCERIDE FORMATION
• H O HHHHHH
• | || | | | | | |
• H-C- OH+ HO-C- C- C- C-C-C-C-CH3
• | | | | | | |
• H- C-OH+R HH HHHH
• |
• H-C-OH+R
• |
• H
 ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS
• These include linoleic, linolenic and
arachidonic
• The body cannot manufacture linolenic and
arachidonic, it is therefore essential that the
person acquires linoleic from the diet.
• Deficiency affects growth in children, apart
from the role associated with lowering
cholesterol levels in the body.
 CHOLESTEROL
• Only animal products contain cholesterol
• The body needs cholesterol for the brain and organ
functions.
• The liver manufactures cholesterol( about 80% of
cholesterol in the body)
• 20% comes from dietary sources ( egg yolk, liver, fatty
tissues and cheese)
• Too much cholesterol when combined with other factors
may play a role in the development of atherosclerosis- a
condition that could lead to heart attacks or stroke .
 CHOLESTEROL
• Cholesterol travels from the liver through the
bloodstream to the various tissues in the body
by means of a special class of protein
molecules called lipoproteins.
• The cells take what they need, and any excess
remains in the bloodstream until other
lipoproteins pick it up for transport back to
the liver
 LIPID DIGESTION
• Mechanical digestion occurs in the mouth and
stomach.
• In the small intestines bile helps break lipid into small
particles that can easily be absorbed.
• The pancreas and intestines also produce an enzyme
lipase that breaks down lipid into the basic forms
that are absorbed into the walls of small intestine
• Short and medium fatty acids go straight into the
blood and are carried to the liver.
 DIGESTION & ABSORPTION
• All other fatty acids are changed into a form
they can be carried in the blood, it is the form
of chyclomicrons
• After chyclomicrons have entered the liver,
they are converted into more soluble lipids
such as lipoproteins, or phospho-lipids
 LIPOPROTEINS
• Types of lipoproteins depend on their density,
• Very Low Density lipo-Proteins- lipids processed by
liver, they consist of 55%-65% triglycerides, 5-10%
Proteins,10-15% Cholesterol, 12-20% phospholipids
• Low Density lipo-Proteins- Produced from VLDL as
they leave their load in circulation. They consist of
10% triglycerides, 25% Protein,45% cholesterol, 22%
phospholipids, they increase the risk of heart
disease
 LIPOPROTEINS
• High Density Lipoprotein- made by liver and small amounts
by intestines. HDL reduce the risk of heart disease. HDL
consist of 40-50% protein, 20% cholesterol, 30%
phospholipids, 5% triglycerides.
• A set ‘safe level’ of both LDL and HDL combined as a total
serum cholesterol reading is at 200 milligrams per decilitre
of blood (mg/dl).
• A reading above 200 indicates an increased potential for
developing heart disease. A level of 200 to 239 is
borderline, and those with levels over 240 are considered
to be at high risk.
 Lipoproteins
• The normal HDL range for adult men is 45 to 50
mg/dl, and that for women is 50 to 60 mg/dl.
• It should be noted that women, probably because
of their higher oestrogen levels, have lower LDL
and higher HDL contents than men, accounting for
their lower incidence of arteriosclerosis.
• It is suggested that higher HDL levels, such as 70 or
80 mg/dl, may protect against heart disease.
 Lipoproteins
• An HDL level under 35 mg/dl is considered risky. So if you
have a cholesterol reading of 200, with HDL at 80 and LDL
at 120, you are considered at low risk for heart disease.
• On the other hand, even if you have a total cholesterol
level well under 200, you are still considered to be at
increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease if your
HDL level is under 35.
• In other words, as your HDL decreases, your potential for
heart problems intensifies, even if your total is on the low
• side.
 LIPOPROTEINS& CVD
• LDL correlate with cardiovascular disease
• HDL correlates with reduced risks of CVD.
• You can raise HDL through exercise, females
have higher levels, quit smoking.
 FUNCTIONS OF LIPIDS
• Energy provision
• Cushion delicate organs
• Carriers of fat soluble vitamins
• Provide satiety by delaying the emptying of
the stomach.
• They enhance palatability of foods.
• They form membrane of body cells ( plasma
membrane).
 DISEASES RELATED TO LIPID
Obesity
Coronary heart disease
 OBESITY
• This is the accumulation of fat deposits and it
is due to energy imbalance, caused by either
too food intake, or lack of physical activity.
• Obesity could result in health problems such
as high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiac
problems and many more.
 CORONARY HEART DISEASE
le
n- • Coronary artery disease (CAD), also called coronary
heart disease, is a condition in which plaque (plak)
builds up inside the coronary arteries. These
arteries supply your heart muscle with oxygen-rich
blood.
• Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol (ko-LES-ter-ol),
, calcium, and other substances found in the blood.
When plaque builds up in the arteries, the condition
is called atherosclerosis (ATH-er-o-skler-O-sis).
e
n
ds
 ATHEROSCLEROSIS
• Atherosclerosis – this is the build up of a waxy
plaque inside the blood vessels, causing the
lumen of the vessels to narrow, leading to
complications such as thrombosis. Thrombosis
could result in any of the three;
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Gangrene- resulting in amputation