| Omega 6 fatty acids | |||||
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- What are omega 6 fatty acids?
- Important omega 6 fatty acids facts
- Why omega 6 fatty acids are important
Omega 6 fatty acids are essential fatty acids which have a double carbon bond in the omega 6 position of their chain.
The most important omega 6 fatty acids are:
- Linoleic acid (LA)
- Arachidonic acid (AA)
- Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)
Dietary sources of omega 6 fatty acids are:
- vegetable oils (olive, sunflower, safflower)
- seed oils (evening primrose, borage, currant)
- nuts
- cereals
- whole-grain breads
- eggs
- poultry
- baked products
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Important omega 6 fatty acids facts
- Omega 6 fatty acids produce hormone-like substances called prostaglandins
- Omega 6 fatty acids work best in conjunction with omega 3 fatty acids, in a specific ratio of about 2:1 (w6:w3)
- Omega 6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids
- A well-known omega 6 essential fatty acid is evening primrose oil (which contains high levels of gamma-linolenic acid)
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Why omega 6 fatty acids are important
Omega 6 fatty acids are useful for a variety of health conditions:
- PMS - the GLA in evening primrose oil has bee shown in some studies to assist with the symptoms of PMS in some women by producing prostaglandins
- Diabetes - GLA appears to assist with nerve function and to help prevent nerve disease in diabetics
- Rheumatoid arthritis - studies show that GLA assists with alleviating this painful condition
Last reviewed: 30 September 2007 || Last updated: 14 March 2010
Related Articles
references
- Osiecki, Henry. The Physician's Handbook of Clinical Nutrition. 6th edition, 2001, BioConcepts Publishing
- Rolfes SR, Pinna K, Whitney E. Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition. 7th Edition, 2005. Brooks Cole Publishing
To learn more, go to the following web sites:
- Food Standards Australia & New Zealand - Omega 6
- National Asthma Council Australia
- American Heart Foundation
NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
