LA Linoleic Acid

1. Sources Omega-6 Pathway Enzyme Omega-3 Pathway Sources ALA alpha linolenic acid LA Linoleic Acid Safflower, sunflower, sesame, corn, soybean Flax, canola, pumpkin, hemp, walnut, soy D6delta-6-desaturase ↑ by caloric restriction, ↑protein diet ↓ by sat’d & trans fats, DM, xs alcohol, aging, SNPs shift to Ώ6 by stress, DM, alcohol GLA Gamma Linolenic Acid borage, evening primrose, black currant, hemp DGLA Dihomogamma linolenic acid ETA Eicosatetraenoic Acid Human milk D5 delta-5-desaturase Series 1 Anti-Inflammatory Fish oil by high levels of EPA AA Arachadonic acid partially saturated and trans-fats EPA Eicosapentenoic Acid Series 3 Anti-Inflammatory & Less Inflammatory Cell membranes Cell membranes undesirable desirable Series 2 Pro-Inflammatory DHA Docoshexanoic Acid Fish oil, marine algae Cox (cyclooxygenase) 1 & 2 activity↓by ginger, melatonin, turmeric, green tea, quercitin, cayenne Lipoxygenase activity↓by vitamin E, quercitin, cloves, turmeric, resveratrol, garlic, boswellia Cox 1 & 2 Prostaglandins Series 2 & 3 Leukotrienes AA & EPA Lipoxygenase Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids are both essential. What’s important is the ratio of the two. A healthy ratio is about 4:1 of omega-6 to omega-3, but the standard American diet provides about 20:1. Reducing your ratio closer to 4:1 reduces your tendency to inflammation.