What is alpha-linolenic acid used for?
What is alpha-linolenic acid used for?
Alpha-linolenic acid is most commonly used for diseases of the heart and blood vessels, such as hardening of the arteries, heart disease, and high blood pressure. It is also used for other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.
What foods are high in linolenic acid?
Dietary sources of alpha-linolenic acid include:
- Flaxseeds and flaxseed oil.
- Canola (rapeseed) oil.
- Soybeans and soybean oil.
- Pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed oil.
- Perilla seed oil.
- Tofu.
- Walnuts and walnut oil.
What is linoleic acid and why do we need it?
Linoleic acid is used to make arachidonic acid (20:4ω6), a fatty acid essential for the synthesis of various hormones. These hormones are the prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and leukotrienes. These three classes of hormones are used for the regulation of many physiological processes.
What is a good source of linoleic acid?
Effectiveness of oils rich in linoleic acid
| Name | % Linoleic acid† |
|---|---|
| Safflower oil | 78% |
| Grape seed oil | 73% |
| Poppyseed oil | 70% |
| Sunflower oil | 68% |
Is alpha-linolenic acid the same as omega-3?
Alpha-linolenic acid is a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in plants. It is found in flaxseed oil, and in canola, soy, perilla, and walnut oils. Alpha-linolenic acid is similar to the omega-3 fatty acids that are in fish oil, called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
How much alpha-linolenic acid should I take daily?
Reducing the risk of heart disease and heart attacks. Increasing DIETARY intake of alpha-linolenic acid by 1.0-1.2 grams per day appears to decrease the risk of death due to heart disease by 20% or more in people with or without existing heart disease.
How do you get GLA in your diet?
While a typical American diet, or even a vegetarian or vegan diet, won’t contain a significant amount of this particular omega-6 fat, there are a few food sources of GLA you can get….4 Foods High in Gamma-Linolenic Acid to Help Quell Inflammation
- Evening Primrose Oil.
- Borage Oil.
- Hemp Oil.
- Spirulina.
Why is linoleic acid harmful?
Concerns have been raised about higher linoleic acid consumption being harmful for heart health because of potential pro-inflammatory and thrombogenic properties. Linoleic acid can be elongated to arachidonic acid and subsequently synthesized to a variety of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids, which may increase CHD risk.
Does linoleic acid reduce inflammation?
Linoleic acid and arachidonic acid (AA) tend to promote inflammation. GLA, on the other hand, may actually reduce inflammation. Some studies even suggest that GLA protects DNA. The body converts much of the GLA taken as a supplement to a substance called DGLA that fights inflammation.
Why is linoleic acid bad?
What is linolenic acid?
Linolenic acid is an essential omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oil and is necessary to synthesize eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexenoic acid (DHA).
Is arachidonic acid an important metabolite of linoleic acid?
Arachidonic acid is an important metabolite of linoleic acid and allegedly plays a role in obesity and in vivo enzymatic production of proinflammatory prostoglandins, thromboxanes, and leukotrienes implicated as mediators and regulators of inflammatory responses and other essential biological functions ( Choque et al., 2014 ).
Can linoleic acid supplementation improve estrogenic activity?
An animal study published in Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin found that linoleic acid supplementation promoted estrogenic activity and improved the reproductive performance of female rats with their ovaries removed.
Is linoleic acid a PUFA?
Linoleic acid is the shortest chain n -6 fatty acid and the most common PUFA in plant oils and can be present in commercial oils at levels >50% in cottonseed, corn, soybean, safflower, and sunflower (Table 2.1).
