Gamma Linolenic Acid:
Learn How You Can Help Your Body

Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA) is a primary form of Omega 6 fatty acids. The other two forms include linolenic acid and arachidonic acid. Linoleic acid is converted to gamma-linolenic acid in the body and then further broken down to arachidonic acid. Plant seed oils are the main source of gamma linolenic acid. The body is unable to synthesize essential fatty acids so they must be obtained from food or supplements.

A significant number of studies show that supplements rich in gamma linolenic acid help with pre-menstrual syndromes, eczema, psoriasis, obesity, benign breast disease and vascular disorder. Essential fatty acids such as gamma linolenic acid are converted to hormone-like substances known as prostaglandins found in vertebrate tissues where they act as messengers involved in reproduction and in inflammatory response. A study done by the University of Pennsylvania has reported that high doses of gamma linolenic acid can be effectively used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

Here is an analogy used to explain the importance of lipids and essential fatty acids. Most of us are aware that oil is a necessary "part" of any car's engine, without which it could not function. Just as a car needs the essential "part" of oil to protect the engine while running, so does our body need lipids to run efficiently. The family of lipids (or fats) and essential fatty acids are all interrelated, often functioning and acting as if they were one mechanism, one "part" of the body. And like oil is to a car's engine, lipids and essential fatty acids are essential biological substances of our body, without which we could not live or function. Make sure you supplement your diet with the proper fats.