Pentadecanoic Acid (C15:0 Fatty Acid): What To Know
Published by Dr. Venn-Watson
Dr. Eric Venn-Watson’s Highlights
- There’s a newly discovered as essential fatty acid you should know about called pentadecanoic acid, or C15:0 for short. With C15:0, you can strengthen your cells and reverse cellular aging. Without C15:0, you are at risk of having weak cells and developing Cellular Fragility Syndrome. Protecting your cells and your long-term health can be easy when you take fatty15, the only pure, patented, and award-winning C15:0 supplement.
Are you getting enough pentadecanoic acid in your diet? Chances are, you’ve never considered this question, nor are you too familiar with this six-syllable fatty acid. There is no better time to learn about this essential fatty acid than now.
We’ll explain what it is, how it works, and what happens to the body if you don’t have enough. We’ll also explain how people living in Blue Zones rely on pentadecanoic acid as part of their recipe for longevity and tell you how you can level up your C15:0 intake easily.
What Are Fatty Acids?
Fatty acids are the building blocks of fat, much like amino acids are the building blocks of protein. When we consume fats, our bodies break them down into smaller, usable packets called fatty acids.
There are three main types of fatty acids: saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated. Trans fats are their own category and are made by commercially processing unsaturated fats, so they are solid at room temperature. Historically, we’ve had an obsession with fat. Health guidelines in the 1970s told Americans to avoid fat entirely to reduce the risk of heart disease.
An entire generation of us avoided fat and lived through the “fat-free” food craze of the late 80s and early 90s. Unfortunately, our avoidance didn’t work, and heart disease is still the number one killer of Americans today.
The Rise of “Healthy Fats”
By the end of the 90s, the message was clear. Avoiding all fat wasn’t working. We now know that not all fat is bad for us, and in fact, some fats are essential. Essential means our bodies need the nutrient to thrive but cannot readily make it on their own.
Perhaps the most popular essential fatty acids are the omegas. Only two omega fatty acids are recognized as essential: omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid and omega-6 linoleic acid. The popularity of the omegas has caused a dramatic uptick in fish oil supplements, which are a source of omega fatty acids.
The essential omega fatty acids have reigned supreme for over 90 years, but scientists discovered a new essential fatty acid that is making waves in the nutrition, longevity, and metabolic health fields.
The Discovery of Pentadecanoic Acid
Researchers discovered pentadecanoic acid or C15:0 by chance. Navy scientists studying populations of dolphins noticed that one group had fewer occurrences of age-related illness than the other. The reason? Their diets consisted of a type of fish that was rich in C15:0. They took their research further and discovered that these benefits were similar in humans as well.
As initially published in Nature Scientific Reports in 2020, C15:0 has been shown to strengthen cells and reverse cellular aging. Since the initial discovery, over 100 peer-reviewed publications have been published describing the health benefits of C15:0.
What Are the Benefits of Pentadecanoic Acid?
As an essential fatty acid, C15:0 is critical for our bodies as it actively repairs, restores, and revitalizes our long-term health at the cellular level by:*
- Strengthening our cell membranes (and us) against age-related breakdown. As we age, our cell membranes weaken and become flimsy. C15:0 is a sturdy fatty acid that integrates into cell membranes to strengthen them by up to 80%.
- Repairing mitochondrial function and keeping our body’s energy-producers going. C15:0 reduces damaging reactive oxygen species by 45% and increases ATP (energy) within the cells by up to 350%, according to one peer-reviewed study.
- Naturally activating receptors (including PPARs and AMPK) that regulate our metabolism, immunity, mood, sleep, and appetite. These receptors also help with cellular cleanup, clearing away damaged ‘zombie’ cells, and lowering proinflammatory cytokines, all of which are key drivers in the aging process.
- Naturally inhibiting and rebalancing damaging pathways (including mTOR and JAK-STAT) as a means to support longevity. C15:0 addresses 6 of the 12 hallmarks of aging, and has more cellular benefits than rapamycin and metformin, two of the leading longevity molecules.
The benefits don’t stop within your cells. With appropriate C15:0 levels, the benefits extend to the entire body.
Whole-Body Benefits of C15:0
The more we learn about C15:0, the more we understand how effective it is in supporting our heart, liver, and metabolic health.
Higher levels of C15:0 are consistently associated with positive health outcomes like:
- Lower “bad” LDL cholesterol
- Improved liver enzymes
- Improved gut microbiome
The key takeaway is that this essential fatty acid is essential for keeping our metabolic health on track.
Can You Be Deficient in Pentadecanoic Acid?
C15:0 is an essential nutrient. An essential nutrient is one that our bodies must have in order to stay healthy. Not having enough of an essential nutrient causes a deficiency syndrome. Vitamin C deficiency and scurvy of Vitamin D deficiency and rickets are two examples.
Not getting enough C15:0 in our diet causes our cells to become weaker, resulting in Cellular Fragility Syndrome (CFS), a condition that may be impacting as many as 1 in 3 people worldwide. CFS accelerates cellular aging and increases the risk of developing chronic metabolic, heart of liver conditions.
CFS has also been directly linked to ferroptosis, a type of cell death characterized by lipid peroxidation and iron overload, which was discovered by Columbia University Researchers in 2012. Ferroptosis is thought to be caused by having low levels of stable fatty acids like C15:0 along with increased levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 fatty acids) in our cell membranes, which can further accelerate aging and impact our metabolic, liver, and heart health.
Correcting Cellular Fragility Syndrome
Thankfully, increasing C15:0 levels via diet or supplementation can reverse ferroptosis by stabilizing cell membranes, preventing lipid peroxidation and iron overload, stopping liver iron deposition, repairing mitochondria, and lowering reactive oxygen species.
Multiple peer-reviewed studies have shown that C15:0 supplementation lowers glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, repairs liver function, and improves red blood cell health, effectively treating Cellular Fragility Syndrome.
Our bodies need C15:0 to thrive and prevent Cellular Fragility Syndrome. In addition to preventing CFS, researchers wondered whether the C15:0 levels could be further optimized to promote longevity. They found that people living in Blue Zones had integrated high levels of C15:0 into their diets, which may partly explain their increased longevity.
The Blue Zone Link
The Blue Zones are five areas in the world where residents consistently live to be over 100. Not only do they live longer, they live healthier. Researchers spent years studying these areas to understand how their lifestyles play a role in their longevity.
In the Blue Zone of Sardinia, Italy, residents have C15:0 levels that are three times as high as the worldwide average. Their levels are higher due to a diet that is high in cheese made from local, mountainous, grazing goats. This higher level of C15:0 could be one reason why Sardinians have fewer occurrences of age-related illness than people in other parts of the world.
How Much C15:0 Do We Need?
The researchers who studied C15:0 found that most people now have much lower levels than in previous generations, averaging around 0.2% of their total fatty acids. C15:0 levels of less than 0.2% of total fatty acids can result in CFS.
Levels above that, >0.2% to 0.4% are considered normal. Researchers suggest that optimal levels could be even higher. Notably, the blue zone Sardinian population was noted to have C15:0 levels that measured 0.68%.
How do you find out your C15:0 levels? You’ll need a blood test, which can be ordered from your physician or by using an at-home testing kit. This kit requires a finger-prick blood sample that is mailed back to the lab. Once analyzed, you’ll receive the results of your test on-line, allowing you to see your current results and track your progress as you increase your C15:0 levels.
How Can I Get More C15:0?
Dietary deficiencies can be corrected by consuming foods that contain more of the deficient nutrient It is often beneficial to add a supplement of the pure nutrient to increase and maintain adequate levels.
Foods that contain C15:0 include whole-fat dairy products like full-fat milk, butter, and cheese. Taking a supplement to increase your C15:0 levels can be beneficial for a variety of reasons.
Absorption Issues
In dairy products, C15:0 is attached to branches of lipids called triacylglycerides or triglycerides. That means our gut has to use digestive enzymes to break down these triacylglycerides to release C15:0 as a free fatty acid. Once C15:0 is released, it is ready to be absorbed. These multiple steps can make our absorption of C15:0 from foods less efficient.
“Bad” Fats
While not all fat is bad, some fats are consistently associated with poor health outcomes. While whole-fat dairy contains C15:0, it also contains higher levels of even-chain saturated fat that are associated with increased inflammation and poor health outcomes. This may explain why studies surrounding milk are mixed; some say it’s good for us, and some say it is not.
Cows and Calories
Whole-fat dairy contains double the caloric load of its skim counterparts. Excess calories are not conducive to weight loss or even maintaining a healthy weight. A recent large-scale study showed that adults who drink more dairy milk are more likely to have a higher body weight.
Further, the movement to more plant-based milk and meat replacements are driven by a desire for more animal-free products, as well as a desire to veer from cows and cattle because of concerns around methane production. Interestingly, plant-based milk replacements lack C15:0 altogether.
Elevate your cells. Elevate your self.
Buy NowHow Do I Find a Pure C15:0 Supplement?
Fatty15 is the first and only supplement that contains a pure, bioavailable, vegan-friendly and award-winning version of C15:0 known as FA15™. Over 100 peer-reviewed studies, including multiple randomized controlled trials have shown that fatty15 can increase C15:0 levels in our body, reverse Cellular Fragility Syndrome, and improve our heart, liver and metabolic health.
Additionally, fatty15:
- Is a single pure ingredient that isn’t mixed with other fats and contains no sugar
- Has one calorie per dose
- Is in the most bioavailable free fatty acid form
- Is vegan and doesn’t involve cows
It’s the sustainable and smart way to increase your pentadecanoic acid levels and reap the longevity-supportive benefits you want.
In the Know
Now, you’re in the know with pentadecanoic acid. Understanding if you are deficient is the first step in correcting deficiencies and optimizing your C15:0 levels. Investing in your long-term health is a multi-faceted task, and adding fatty15 to your daily health stack is a smart choice to support your long-term health and wellness.
Sources:
Eric Venn-Watson M.D.
CEO, Co-Founder
Senior Scientist, Co-Founder
Eric is a physician, U.S. Navy veteran, and Co-founder and COO of Seraphina Therapeutics. Eric served over 25 years as a Navy and Marine Corps physician, working with the special forces community to improve their health and fitness. Seraphina Therapeutics is a health and wellness company dedicated to advancing global health through the discovery of essential fatty acids and micronutrient therapeutics.
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