The body needs
fatty acids to survive and is able to make all but two of them: linoleic acid (LA),
in the omega-6 family, and alpha-linolenic
acid (ALA) in
the omega-3 family. These two fatty acids must be supplied by the diet
and are therefore considered essential fatty acids (EFAs).
Omega-6 fatty
acids are well-supplied in the diet by meat and vegetable oils.
However, not all omega-6 fatty acids are of equal value. Arachidonic
acid (AA) tends to be unhealthy because it is the precursor of
inflammatory eicosanoids — such as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), thromboxane
A2, and leukotriene B4 — which promote inflammation. In contrast, gamma-linolenic
acid (GLA),
found in evening primrose oil, borage oil, and black currant oil, is an
important fatty acid that plays a beneficial role in healthy
prostaglandin (PGE1) formation and pro-inflammatory mediator reduction.
Health-conscious
people have been swallowing a lot of borage oil supplements to obtain GLA (gamma linolenic acid), the
parent of the biologically active DGLA (dihomogamma linolenic
acid).
Life Extension
adds 10 mg of sesame lignans to each softgel of Mega GLA borage oil. Sesame lignans
not only increase beneficial DGLA but they also impede the conversion
of GLA into the proinflammatory mediator arachidonic acid.3Blocking
this pathway decreases the formation of proinflammatory agents
prostaglandin E2 and leukotriene B4.
Numerous studies
document GLA’s multiple health effects. Enhancing this supplement with
sesame lignans enables GLA to work much better in the body, allowing
many more people to benefit from supplemental GLA.
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