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Essential Fatty Acids Support

see Essential Fatty Acids Document

Essential Fatty Acids Support Ingredients:

1. Evening Primrose Oil  500mg
2. Borage Oil  500mg
3. Black Currant Seed Oil  500mg
4. Flax Seed Oil  1000mg
5. Ingredient Name: Vitamin E  22.5 IU
6. Ingredient Name: Rosemary Extract  7.5 mg

A phyto-therapeutic combination of synergistic essential fatty acid nutrients, Omega 3, Omega 6, and mixed vitamin E tocopherols to help support healthy cardiovascular function and circulation, healthy cartilage and joint function, healthy nervous function, and healthy skin and hair. Liquid in a soft gel capsule.

Important note about the Essential Fatty Acids Support soft gels: Many doctors and patients have noticed that when they go to a health food store to buy flax seed oil or evening primrose oil it is located in the refrigerator display case, and they are directed to keep these oils refrigerated or else they will quickly oxidize and go rancid. The Essential Fatty Acids Support soft gels are hermetically sealed, which prevents oxygen from penetrating the capsule, preventing oxidation and rancidity of the oils contained within the soft gel capsule. They can be stored at room temperature (but avoid storing at higher temperatures), carried in a purse or gym bag for up to three years without concern of the product losing potency or freshness.

For best results, it is recommended that this product be taken with “Joint Support” formula.

The fatty acids that are necessary for health and that cannot be made by the body are called essential fatty acids. Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's) must be supplied through the diet or nutritional supplements. EFA's provide desirable effects in a variety of health disorders, including aiding in the prevention of arthritis, improving many skin and hair conditions, lowering triglyceride and cholesterol levels, and reducing high blood pressure.

Ingredient Rationale:

1. Ingredient Name: Evening Primrose Oil

Used For / Claims: Evening Primrose oil, an Omega-6 essential fatty acid, contains high amounts of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). The GLA constituent is responsible for the anti-inflammatory effects of evening primrose oil. It contains 2-16% gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), 65-80% linoleic acid, and vitamin E. Evening primrose oil is beneficial for arthritic conditions due its anti-inflammatory properties.

Evening primrose oil is used for:

· Osteoporosis
· Rheumatoid arthritis
· Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
· Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
· Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
· Hyperactivity in children
· Hypercholesterolemia
· Coronary heart disease
· Alzheimer's disease
· Diabetic neuropathy
· Intermittent claudication
· Obesity and weight loss
· Endometriosis
· Symptoms of menopause (hot flashes)
· Acne, eczema, psoriasis, and other skin conditions
· Raynaud's syndrome
· Multiple sclerosis
· Asthma
· Irritable bowel syndrome
· Ulcerative colitis
· Gastrointestinal ulcer
· Shortening the duration of labor

Dosage/Safety: For rheumatoid arthritis, studies have been performed providing doses ranging from 540 mg daily to 2.8 grams per day. Evening primrose oil is generally considered safe and has been used in several studies with few side effects reported; including headache, indigestion, nausea, and soft stools.

References:
Keen H, et al. Treatment of diabetic neuropathy with gamma-linolenic acid. Diabetes Care 1993;16:8-15.

Head RJ, McLennan PL, Raederstorff D, et al. Prevention of nerve conduction deficit in diabetic rats by polyunsaturated fatty acids. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;71:386S-392S.

Kunkel, S.L., et al, Suppression of Chronic Inflammation by Evening Primrose Oil. Prog. Lipid Res. 20(1-4):885-88, 1981.

Budeiri D, et al. Is evening primrose oil of value in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome? Control Clin Trials 1996;17:60-8.
Horrobin DF. Evening primrose oil and premenstrual syndrome. Med J Aust 1990;153:630-1.

Khoo SK, Munro C, Battistutta D. Evening primrose oil and treatment of premenstrual syndrome. Med J Aust 1990;153(4):189-92.

Chenoy R, Hussain S, Tayob Y, et al. Effect of oral gamolenic acid from evening primrose oil on menopausal flushing. BMJ 1994;308(6927):501-3.

Horrobin, D.F., The Importance of gamma-linolenic acid and prostaglandin E1 in human nutrition and medicine. Journal of Holistic Medicine, 3:118-139, 1981.

Belch JJ, Hill A. Evening primrose oil and borage oil in rheumatologic conditions. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;71:352S-6S.

Belch J, Hill A. Evening primrose oil and borage oil in rheumatologic conditions. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;71(1):352S-6S.

Kruger MC, Coetzer H, de Winter R, et al. Calcium, gamma-linolenic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation in senile osteoporosis. Aging (Milano) 1998;10:385-94.

Schalin-Karrila M, Mattila L, Jansen CT, Uotila P. Evening primrose oil in the treatment of atopic eczema: effect on clinical status, plasma phospholipid fatty acids and circulating blood prostaglandins. Br J Dermatol 1987;117:11-9.

Theander E, et al. Gammalinolenic acid treatment of fatigue associated with primary Sjogren's syndrome. Scand J Reheumatol 2002;31:72-9.

Behan PO, Behan WM, Horrobin D. Effect of high doses of essential fatty acids on the postviral fatigue syndrome. Acta Neurol Scand 1990;82:209-16.

Arnold LE, Kleykamp D, Votolato NA, et al. Gamma-linolenic acid for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: Placebo-controlled comparison to D-amphetamine. Biol Psychiatry 1989;25:222-8.

Nutritional Influences on Illness, A sourcebook of Clinical Research, Melvyn R. Werbach, M.D., Assistant Clinical Professor, UCLA School of Medicine. 1988. Page 268.

Jack AM, et al. Effects of diabetes and evening primrose oil treatment on responses of aorta, corpus cavernosum and mesenteric vasculature in rats. Life Sci 2002;71:1863-77.

Nutritional Influences on Illness, A sourcebook of Clinical Research, Melvyn R. Werbach, M.D., Assistant Clinical Professor, UCLA School of Medicine. Page 388.

Martens-Lobenhoffer J, Meyer FP. Pharmacokinetic data of gamma-linoleic acid in healthy volunteers after the administration of evening primrose oil (Epogam). Int J Clin Pharmacology Therapeutics 1998;36:363-6.

2. Ingredient Name: Borage Oil

Used For / Claims: Borage oil is known to be a rich dietary source of Omega-3 essential fatty acids. Borage seed oil is the fatty oil of the seeds of Borago officinalis plant. Borage oil contains 18-26% of the essential fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which is rapidly converted by the body to dihomogammalinolenic acid, a precursor to prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) that provides anti-inflammatory effects.

Borage oil is used for:

· Arthritis
· Lowering plasma triglyceride levels
· Increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels
· Lowering blood pressure
· Dermatitis
· Depression
· Symptoms of menopause

Dosage/Safety: For arthritis, studies have used up to 1.4 grams borage oil per day, for up to six months. Generally considered safe, borage seed oil may cause belching, bloating, and soft stools in some people.

References:

Reeves, J.B. and Wiehrauch, J.L., Composition of foods, Agriculture Handbook, No. 8-4, Washington, D.C., U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1979.

Shaw D, et al. Traditional remedies and food supplements: a 5-year toxicological study (1991-1995). Drug Safety 1997;17:342-56.

Fan YY, Chapkin RS. Importance of dietary gamma-linolenic acid in human health and nutrition.J Nutr 1998;128:1411-4.

Belch J, Hill A. Evening primrose oil and borage oil in rheumatologic conditions. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;71(1):352S-6S.

Kast RE. Boarge oil reduction of rheumatoid arthritis activity may be mediated by increased cAMP that suppresses tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Int Immunopharmacol 2001;1:2197-9.

Leventhal LJ, et al. Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with gamma-linolenic acid. Ann Intern Med 1993;119:867-73.

Leventhal LJ, Boyce EG, Zurier RB. Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with gammalinolenic acid. Ann Intern Med 1993;119:867-73.

Henz BM, et al. Double-blind, multicentre analysis of the efficacy of borage oil in patients with atopic eczema. Br J Dermatology 1999;140:685-8.

Tollesson A, Frithz A. Borage oil, an effective new treatment for infantile seborrhoeic dermatitis. Br J Derm 1993;129:95.

Henz BM, Jablonska S, van de Kerkhof PC, et al. Double-blind, multicentre analysis of the efficacy of borage oil in patients with atopic eczema. Br J Dermatol 1999;140:685-8.

Alternative Medicine, The Definitive Guide, Future Medicine Publishing, 1993. Page 181.

Engler MM, Engler MB, Erickson SK, Paul SM. Dietary gamma-linolenic acid lowers blood pressure and alters aortic reactivity and cholesterol metabolism in hypertension. J Hypertens 1992;10:1197-204.

3. Ingredient Name: Black Currant Seed Oil

Used For / Claims: Black Currant Seed Oil is known to be a rich dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids. Black currant seed oil contains 6-19% gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid, and up to 13% alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid.

Black currant seed oil is used for:

· Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
· Menopausal symptoms
· Dysmenorrhea
· Improving immune function

Dosage/Safety: Orally, humans generally use 500-1000 mg of black currant oil per day.

References:

Reeves, J.B. and Wiehrauch, J.L., Composition of foods, Agriculture Handbook, No. 8-4, Washington, D.C., U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1979.

Traitler H, Winter H, Richli U, Ingenbleek Y., Characterization of gamma-linolenic acid in Ribes seed. Lipids. 1984 Dec;19(12):923-8.

Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) - Monograph. Altern Med Rev. 2004 Mar;9(1):70-78.

Wu D, Meydani M, Leka LS, Nightingale Z, Handelman GJ, Blumberg JB, Meydani SN., Effect of dietary supplementation with black currant seed oil on the immune response of healthy elderly subjects. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Oct;70(4):536-43.

Tate GA, Zurier RB., Suppression of monosodium urate crystal-induced inflammation by black currant seed oil. Agents Actions. 1994 Nov;43(1-2):35-8.

Crozier GL, Fleith M, Traitler H, Finot PA., Black currant seed oil feeding and fatty acids in liver lipid classes of guinea pigs. Lipids. 1989 May;24(5):460-6.
Alternative Medicine, The Definitive Guide, Future Medicine Publishing, 1993. Page 181.

4. Ingredient Name: Flax Seed Oil

Used For / Claims: Flax Seed Oil is known to be a rich dietary source of Omega-3 essential fatty acids. Flaxseed oil contains linolenic, linoleic, and oleic acids. It is among the best sources of alpha-linolenic acid. Linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid are important for the structural integrity of cell membranes. Alpha-linolenic acid raises serum omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

Flaxseed oil is used for:

· Arthritis
· Excessive triglyceride levels
· Excessive cholesterol levels
· Cardiovascular health
· Cancer
· Anxiety
· benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH)
· Obesity and weight loss
· Dry eyes

Dosage/Safety: High doses of flaxseed oil (30+ grams per day) may cause diarrhea. Flaxseed oil is generally safe and well tolerated by humans.

References:

Reeves, J.B. and Wiehrauch, J.L., Composition of foods, Agriculture Handbook, No. 8-4, Washington, D.C., U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1979.

Alternative Medicine, The Definitive Guide, Future Medicine Publishing, 1993. Page 181.

Nesbitt PD, Lam Y, Thompson LU. Human metabolism of mammalian lignan precursors in raw and processed flaxseed. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999;69:549-55.

Cunnane SC, Hamadeh MJ, Liede AC, Thompson LU, Wolever TM, Jenkins DJ. Nutritional attributes of traditional flaxseed in healthy young adults. Am J Clin Nutr 1995;61:62-8.

Lemay A, Dodin S, Kadri N, Jacques H, Forest JC. Flaxseed dietary supplement versus hormone replacement therapy in hypercholesterolemic menopausal women. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2002;100:495-504.

Haggans CJ, Hutchins AM, Olson BA, Thomas W, Martini MC, Slavin JL. Effect of flaxseed consumption on urinary estrogen metabolites in postmenopausal women. Nutrition & Cancer. 1999;33:188-95.

5. Ingredient Name: Vitamin E (Natural mixed tocopherols)

Used For / Claims: Vitamin E is an active anti-oxidant and important immune stimulant, it alleviates fatigue and provides tissue oxygen to accelerate the healing of wounds or degenerative conditions. In relation to arthritic conditions, vitamin E has been shown in many clinical trials to act as a powerful antioxidant, stabilizing tissue membranes, and preventing the breakdown of cartilage in the joints.

The vitamin E in this formula also acts as an antioxidant that prevents the oxidative breakdown (rancidity) of the dietary oils also contained in the formula.

Dosage/Safety: Vitamin E is generally considered safe and non-toxic, even at doses above the recommended dietary allowance (RDA). Present ODA is 100-800 IU

References:

Packer L, Weber SU, Rimbach G. Molecular aspects of alpha-tocopherol antioxidant action and cell signaling. J Nutr 2001;131:369S-73S.

Edmonds SE, et al. Putative analgesic activity of repeated oral doses of vitamin E in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Results of a prospective placebo controlled double blind trial. Ann Rheum Dis 1997;56:649-55.

Vivekananthan DP. Penn MS. Sapp SK. Hsu A. Topol EJ. Use of antioxidant vitamins for the prevention of cardiovascular disease: meta-analysis of randomised trials. Lancet 2003;361(9374):2017-23.

Meydani M. Effect of functional food ingredients: vitamin E modulation of cardiovascular diseases and immune status in the elderly. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;71:1665S-8S.

Yusuf S, et al. Vitamin E supplementation and cardiovascular events in high-risk patients. N Eng J Med 2000;342:154-60.

Schwartz, E.R., 'The modulation of osteoarthritis development by vitamin's C and E', International Journal of Vitamin Nutrition Res., supplement, 1984, 26, pp.141-6.

Encylop of Natural Medicine, Michael Murray, N.D., Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., 1991. P. 450.

6. Ingredient Name: Rosemary Extract

Used For / Claims: The herb rosemary has been used for many years in Europe and China for the relief of pain and headaches. Research has demonstrated moderate analgesic (pain-relieving) activity with this herb. Dried Rosemary leaves contain from 1-2.5% of the essential oil, which consists primarily of cineole, borneol, camphor, and pinenes. Rosemary has a positive effect on the heart and increases coronary blood flow. Rosemary also has antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties, and is useful as a natural preservative for the dietary oils also contained in the formula.

Dosage/Safety: In small amounts, rosemary oil is safe and well tolerated by most people.

References:

Thompson, W.R., Herbs That Heal., Charles Scribner's Sons. New York, 1976. pp. 81-82.

Thorsen MA, Hildebrandt KS., Quantitative determination of phenolic diterpenes in rosemary extracts. Aspects of accurate quantification. J Chromatogr A. 2003 May 2;995(1-2):119-25.

Ozcan M., Antioxidant activities of rosemary, sage, and sumac extracts and their combinations on stability of natural peanut oil. J Med Food. 2003 Fall;6(3):267-70.

Blumenthal M, editor. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.

Boido, A., Sparatore, F., Binoecka, M., "N-substituted derivatives of Rosmaricin." Studi Sassar, Sez 2, 53(5-6), 383093, 1975.

The Scientific Validation of Herbal Medicine, Daniel B. Mowrey, Ph.D. 1986. Page 225-7.