Category Archives: Gamma Linolenic Acid

Sudden Infant Death And GLA

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Robert Barrington

Sudden infant death syndrome SIDS is not fully understood. A number of theories have been presented to explain this unfortunate and devastating event, some of which involve nutritional mechanisms. In 1980, a theory was presented by Johnson and his coworkers … Continue reading →

Posted in Abdominal Obesity, Arachidonic Acid, Breastfeeding, de Novo Lipogenesis, Delta 5-desaturase, Dihomo Gamma Linolenic Acid, Eicosanoids, Essential Fatty Acids, Gamma Linolenic Acid, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Linoleic Acid, Liver, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Pregnancy | Comments Off on Sudden Infant Death And GLA

More on trans Fats: Pain and Death

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Natural vegetable oils present in nuts and seeds are healthy oils because they contain high concentrations of the essential fatty acids α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3 (n-3)) and linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 (n-6)). Alpha linolenic acid is desaturated and elongated in … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Brain, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Fish Oils, Gamma Linolenic Acid, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Linoleic Acid, Trans Fatty Acids | Tagged , | Comments Off on More on trans Fats: Pain and Death

Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors: The Sword of Damocles

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Robert Barrington

yclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors are a sub-group of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs, that include common over the counter medicines such as aspirin and ibuprofen, inhibit the cyclooxygenase enzymes non-selectively. Cyclooxygenases are a group of enzymes required for eicosanoid (prostanoid) … Continue reading →

Posted in Arachidonic Acid, Cardiovascular Disease, Dihomo Gamma Linolenic Acid, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Fish Oils, Gamma Linolenic Acid | Tagged , | Comments Off on Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors: The Sword of Damocles

Insulin Resistance: Is It an Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency?

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Robert Barrington

The development of metabolic syndrome, characterised by insulin resistance, abdominal obesity and blood lipid changes, is a risk factor for a number of serious diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity. Insulin resistance is a complex phenomenon and is … Continue reading →

Posted in Cardiovascular Disease, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Fish Oils, Gamma Linolenic Acid, Insulin, Insulin Resistance, Metabolic Syndrome, Obesity, Safflower Oil | Comments Off on Insulin Resistance: Is It an Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency?

Essential Knowledge: Fatty Acids

Posted on March 16, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Plants possess two enzymes, Δ12-desaturase and Δ15-desaturase, that allow the synthesis of linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 (n-6)) and α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3 (n-3)), respectively. The Δ12-desaturase enzyme adds a double bond to a molecule of oleic acid (OA, C18:1 (n-9)) … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Arachidonic Acid, Cardiovascular Disease, Delta 5-desaturase, Delta 6-desaturase, Dihomo Gamma Linolenic Acid, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Docosanoids, Docosapentaenoic Acid, Eicosanoids, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Eicosatraenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Fatty Acids, Gamma Linolenic Acid, Stearidonic Acid | Comments Off on Essential Knowledge: Fatty Acids

Plasma Fatty Acids of Alaskan Eskimos

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Native inhabitants of northern parts of Canada, Alaska and Greenland rely on marine sources for their protein and energy needs. These food sources tend to include both marine mammals and cold water fish that contain high levels of long-chain polyunsaturated … Continue reading →

Posted in Arachidonic Acid, Dihomo Gamma Linolenic Acid, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Fatty Acids, Fish Oils, Gamma Linolenic Acid | Comments Off on Plasma Fatty Acids of Alaskan Eskimos

Imbalances in Essential Fatty Acids

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Robert Barrington

The essential fatty acids (EFAs) linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 (n-6)) and α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3 (n-3)) can be metabolised to other more unsaturated, long-chain fatty acids by the insertion of additional double bonds during consecutive elongation and desaturation reactions. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Arachidonic Acid, Dihomo Gamma Linolenic Acid, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Fatty Acids, Fish, Fish Oils, Gamma Linolenic Acid, Inflammation | Comments Off on Imbalances in Essential Fatty Acids

Essential Fatty Acids in Early Development

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Robert Barrington

The two essential fatty acids (EFA), linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 (n-6)) and α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3 (n-3)), are required in the diet because humans are unable to synthesise them de novo. A series of elongation and desaturation reactions creates a … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Dihomo Gamma Linolenic Acid, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosanoids, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Fatty Acids, Fish Oils, Flax Oil, Gamma Linolenic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Pregnancy | Comments Off on Essential Fatty Acids in Early Development

GLA and Weight Control

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Robert Barrington

The essential fatty acids α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3 (n-3)) and linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 (n-6)) and their metabolites play an important role in human health. Metabolism of ALA and LA produces a range of pro- and anti-inflammatory eicosanoids, and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Gamma Linolenic Acid, Obesity, Weight Loss | Comments Off on GLA and Weight Control

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and PPAR

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Robert Barrington

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) family are ligand-activated nuclear transcription factors involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism through gene expression of peroxisome number. It is thought that the PPAR are activated by C18 to C22 n-3 and n-6 fatty … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpha Linolenic Acid, Arachidonic Acid, Cancer, Dihomo Gamma Linolenic Acid, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Gamma Linolenic Acid, Inflammation, Linoleic Acid, Omega 3, Omega 6, Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids | Comments Off on Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and PPAR