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sundry of beautifying benefits such as aiding
in collagen loss; soothing dry, scaly skin;
combating wrinkles; strengthening brittle
nails and prevent dandruff. “The bottom line
is that supplementing with GLA-rich oils pro-
vides an anti-inflammatory effect,” Chance
said.
GLA is widely available from a variety of
oils in softgel form or as bottled oil. Arista
Industries also offers GLA in powder form
from EPO and borage oil. EPO (8 to 10 per-
cent GLA) has been used for premenstrual
syndrome (PMS), menopausal symptoms and
various skin conditions;(2,3)preliminary infor-
mation indicates GLA from borage (20 to 24
percent GLA), black currant (14 to 17 per-
cent GLA) or EPO may diminish joint pain,
swelling and morning stiffness in arthritic
conditions.(4)All three are also used to
address a variety of skin conditions such as
eczema and dermatitis.
New GLA offerings include Arcadia
Biosciences’ GLA-rich safflower plants that
can produce yields of up to 40 percent GLA
oil; and Sanmark’s echium, a balanced oil
providing 15 percent GLA and 35 percent
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 EFA.
Preserving the -6sAlthough commodity veg-
etable oils contain high levels of omega-6,
there are subtle differences between such
products and nutritional oils with preformed
GLA. “Commodity vegetable oils are usually
highly refined at extreme temperatures,
which could damage the unsaturated fatty
acids and also strip the oils of other benefi-
cial components, such as vitamin E,” he said,
adding to preserve vegetable oils they should
not only be produced in mild conditions, but
should be consumed without undergoing
high temperature heating. Siciliano further
noted omega-6s are not as unstable as
omega-3s, "but they must be handled and
packaged properly for optimal benefits and
stability."
As with all fats, production, stability and
formulation can be challenging.
Encapsulation of natural oil supplements into
a softgel can provide protection against dam-
age by oxygen; however, extra care during
manufacturing and formulation must be fol-
lowed—avoiding exposure to heat, light and
oxygen during the pressing of the oil and
ensuring the oil doesn’t lose its quality or
become oxidized during the encapsulation
process. Bottle oils must be bottled in a low-
light low-oxygen atmosphere, optimally with
an inert gas to protect the oils as the bottle is
sealed. The bottle should be opaque to pro-
tect from light and the temperature should
be controlled during storage. Finally, the cus-
tomer should be educated at the store level
to keep the product refrigerated and to use
the product as soon as possible.
Set In Stone
The most sensitive area of discussion sur-
rounding EFAs may well be in defining the
optimal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3.
Currently, the Western diet provides a ratio
of omega-6 to omega-3 between 15:1 and
20:1. A 2007 study by researchers from Ohio
State University reported changing the ratio
of omega-3 to omega-6 in the diet to a more
balanced intake may improve mood and
reduce depression.(5) Another study in 2005
concluded a rapid increase in omega-6 in the
Western diet has caused an increase in
prostate cancer.(6)
“As far as an optimal dietary ratio, there is
not sufficient scientific study to justify the
many prophetic statements,” Ardisson said.
“Circumstances get even cloudier when con-
sidering the pronounced benefits that linoleic
acid affords for decreased serum cholesterol
levels.” That said, he added ratios in the
range of 4:1 to 5:1 would be a considerable
improvement.
Johan Kamphuis, executive vice president-
global marketing and sales, Bioriginal Food
and Science, said the optimal ratio depends
on age. “For infants, the ratio is more omega-
6, mostly arachidonic acid, and DHA omega-
3 in the ration of 2:1; for the elderly, GLA
omega-6 and omega-3 is more closely to 1:3
or 1:4,” he said.
Chance said: "Although there is some
agreement that we evolved eating a diet
close to a 1:1 ratio, it appears that some
chronic conditions may respond better to a
different ratio of omega-6 to omega-3.” He
added part of the difficulty in determining a
set ratio involves the form of the fatty acids
used and the wide variety of different combi-
nations, which yielded different results in
testing; also, an individual's physiology can
make it impossible to pinpoint a specific
ratio.
The future looks promising for omega-6s;
and recent research on weight loss manage-
ment,(7)and certain types of breast cancer,(8)
could potentially bring this nutrient out of the
shadows. Additionally, as consumers turn to
cosmeceutical solutions to prevent aging and
address skin conditions, GLA could be the
next hot button in the natural beauty sector.
References:
1. Sacks, FM, et al. “Polyunsaturated Fatty
Acids, Inflammation, and Cardiovascular
Disease: Time to Widen Our View of the
Mechanisms” (J. Clin End & Metab;
2006;91(2):398-400.)
2. Hardy ML. “Herbs of special interest to
women.” (J Am Pharm Assoc (Wash). 2000;
40(2):234-42).[Nutritional Lipids/EFAs] Vol.
13 No. 3 March 2008www.naturalprod-
uctsinsider.com Page 4
3. Hederos CA, et al. “ Epogam evening
primrose oil treatment in atopic dermatitis
and asthma.” (Arch Dis Child; 1996;75(6):
494-497).
4.Brzeski M, et al. “Evening primrose oil in
patients with rheumatoid arthritis and side-
effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs.” (Br J Rheumatol; 1991 30(5): 370-2).
5. Kiecolt-Glaser JK, et al. “Depressive
Symptoms, omega-6:omega-3 Fatty Acids,
and Inflammation in Older Adults”
(Psychosom. Med; 2006;69:217-224).
6. Hughes-Fulford M, et al. “Arachidonic
acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, induces cyto-
plasmic phospholipase A2 in prostate carci-
noma cells” (Carcinogenesis; 2005;
26(9):1520-1526).
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