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| The most important omega-6 essential fatty acid is Gamma Linolenic Acid, known as GLA. Evening Primrose Oil is the richest natural source of GLA. Last month I wrote about GLA and heart disease. This month I’ll go on with research on GLA and rheumatoid arthritis, weight loss, PMS and—yes, hangovers.
Just to review, GLA is a key component in producing a prostaglandin called PGE1 that is vital throughout the body.
Rheumatoid arthritis begins as an inflammation brought on by the action of arachidonic acid in the synovial membrane, which is the membrane that produces fluid for lubricating joints. When the synovial membrane becomes inflamed, blood flow increases, white blood count increases, and swelling occurs. As the bones push at the swollen joints, the synovial membrane releases lysosomal enzymes that destroy cartilage and bone. When the body tries to repair the damage, irregular patches often form on the bones. These outgrowths aggravate the problem and decrease joint mobility. Rheumatoid arthritis can be further exacerbated by consuming beef or milk from grain-fed cattle, both of which are rich in arachidonic acid. Arachidonic acid can be controlled by PGE1. Researcher J. N. McCormick reported in the British Medical Journal, Lancet, that a substantial number of patients suffering from arthritis benefited from taking evening primrose oil. However, evening primrose oil had little effect on patients taking aspirin or corticosteroids. These drugs reduce pain and inflammation by slowing the release of arachidonic acid, but in the long run they also block the production of PGE1.
As a general dieting rule, if you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. If you exercise and burn more calories than you consume, your weight will go down. However, some people seem to be able to burn calories more efficiently than others. Appetite is controlled in a part of the brain called the ventromedial hypothalamus, which senses our level of insulin and amino acids to determine whether excess calories have been consumed. Along the spine is a special layer of brown fat containing a high concentration of fat-burning and energy-producing mitochondria. When the brain senses the presence of excess calories, it activates the brown fat and calories are burned off. PGE1 accelerates the activity of mitochondria in the brown fat, therefore burning more calories.
Studies show that the fatter people are, the lower the levels of polyunsaturated fats in their body. Dr. Horrobin of Montreal postulates that GLA is effective for causing weight loss in people deficient in polyunsaturated fats. In a study he did with Dr. K. S. Vaddadi, evening primrose oil lowered the body weight of about half of those subjects who were more than 10% over optimum body weight. The weight was lost without conscious dieting. The people who lost weight said they felt less hungry.
PMS is characterized by increased water retention, which swells tissues and results in abdominal pain and depression. The brain swells against the confinement of the scull, resulting in further depression and irritability. These changes are gradual, and can produce pain and mood shifts beginning as early as fourteen days before menstruation starts. PGE1 helps to control the swelling. British studies have shown that evening primrose oil relieved 90% to 95% of women’s premenstrual symptoms. Furthermore, evening primrose oil cured 2/3 of women who were not helped through other methods, and another 20% showed significant improvement. In women who had heavy, prolonged bleeding, periods were reduced to 4-5 days with normal blood flow. Doses shown to be effective in most cases were six 500 mg softgels of evening primrose oil per day, along with 50 mg of B6. These were taken in three divided doses daily all month long—not just during discomfort periods. More difficult cases needed higher doses, and adding vitamin E was helpful. For women with heavy blood flow, it sometimes took two to three cycles before results were seen.
Got the morning after hangover blues? People who drink alcohol tend to have elevated levels of PGE1 while drinking, and then crash to a low level of PGE1. Evening primrose oil can replace the lost prostaglandins and, in effect, cure a hangover. Furthermore, research indicates that reduced levels of PGE1 may be a key determinant of mood, and some people may drink to normalize their levels of PGE1. If this theory is correct, taking evening primrose oil may reduce cravings for alcohol.
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