Cardiovascular Risk Factors
Nicole M. Farmer, Andres Victor Ardisson Korat in Cooking for Health and Disease Prevention, 2022
A high dietary intake of magnesium of at least 500–1,000 mg/day is associated with decreases in BP in most of the reported epidemiologic, observational, and clinical trials, but the results are less consistent than those seen with Na+ and K+ (Houston and Harper, 2008). In most epidemiologic studies, there is an inverse relationship between dietary magnesium intake and BP (Laurant and Touyz, 2000). A study of 60 essential hypertensive subjects given magnesium supplements showed a significant reduction in BP over an 8-week period documented by 24-hour ambulatory BP, home, and office BP. Magnesium competes with Na+ for binding sites on vascular smooth muscle and acts like a calcium channel blocker, increases prostaglandin E (PGE), and binds in a necessary-cooperative manner with potassium, inducing vasodilation and BP reduction. Magnesium may also have a role to play in other CVD risk factors, as it helps to regulate insulin sensitivity. Interestingly, magnesium is an essential cofactor for the delta6-desaturase enzyme that is the rate-limiting step for conversion of linoleic acid (omega-6) to gamma-linolenic acid. In terms of CVD, GLA elongates to form dihomogamma-linoleic acid (DGLA), the precursor of prostaglandin E1, a vasodilator and platelet inhibitor (Sergeant et al., 2016).
Depression
Ethan Russo in Handbook of Psychotropic Herbs, 2015
Other alternatives exist. Hemp seeds have been human fodder since ancient times and were one of the seven basic grains of the early Chinese culture (Li, 1974). Hemp seed represents the single most complete food on the planet, with its 35 percent content of highly digestible protein and 35 percent oil content. The latter is the most highly unsaturated of the world’ known vegetable oils, and almost exactly fits the 3:1 ratio of n-6:n-3 fatty acids. Up to 25 percent of hemp oil is LNA, and up to 9 percent is GLA, which has also been advocated in treatment of inflammatory conditions (rheumatoid arthritis, MS). Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) inhibits formation of proinflammatory compounds from AA (Wagner and Nootbaar-Wagner, 1997).
Herbs with Antidepressant Effects
Scott Mendelson in Herbal Treatment of Major Depression, 2019
The use of Borago officinalis is ancient, and it is one the herbs used by Hippocrates for the treatment of melancholia.1 The leaves of borage contain a variety of compounds including pyrrolizidine alkaloids, licosamin, intermedin, sopinin, sopindian, yezan, colin, δ-bornesitol, rosmarinic acid, and cianozhens. The leaves of borage in seeding stage also contain modest amounts of gamma-linolenic acid and stearidonic acid. Along with primrose oil, borage seed oil is a major source of gamma-linolenic acid.2
Efficacy and Safety of Nutraceutical on Menopausal Symptoms in Post-Menopausal Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial
Published in Journal of Dietary Supplements, 2022
Teerapong Rattanatantikul, Mart Maiprasert, Pansak Sugkraroek, Akkarach Bumrungpert
Evening primrose oil contains a high content of essential fatty acids, gamma-linolenic acid. In a recent double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, it was reported that supplementation with evening primrose oil significantly reduced the severity of hot flushes in menopausal women with additional improvements in quality-of-life indicators of social and sexual activity (Farzaneh et al. 2013). For premenstrual syndrome, there is some evidence that gamma-linolenic acid can regulate the severity of symptoms. This was demonstrated in one trial of an essential oil extract containing gamma linolenic acids in 120 PMS sufferers, aged in their 30’s. After 6 months of daily consumption, an approximately threefold reduction in self-reported indices of symptom severity was observed during both the follicular and luteal phases (Beer et al. 2013). The anti-inflammatory properties of gamma-linolenic acid are useful in supporting menopause symptoms, to help alleviate symptoms associated with vasomotor function and neurological stress responses. Gamma-linolenic acid is further broken down to form prostaglandins, which can mediate vascular inflammatory responses to enable control of vasomotor symptoms (Rocha Filho et al. 2011).
Efficacy of vitamin and antioxidant supplements for treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Published in Nutritional Neuroscience, 2023
Jinghong Huo, Yanzhong Xue, Xiaoying Dong, Jinming Lv, Lingyu Wu, Hua Gao, Xiuqin Yang, Huanhuan Liu, Qinghan Gao
Specific vitamin and antioxidant supplements have different effects in DPN patients. Gamma-linolenic acid is beneficial for neurophysiological parameters, and clinical sensory symptoms in patients [33]. Two trials including 133 participants suggested γ-linolenic acid positively affects MNCV of the median nerve and peroneal nerve. Our findings are similar to those of previous randomized controlled trials. CoQ10 as an antioxidant can reduce oxidative stress and benefit the treatment of chronic diseases, particularly neurodegenerative diseases [34]. A systematic review showed that CoQ10 supplementation increased SOD and CAT, and decreased MDA levels among patients with coronary artery disease [35]. Our studies showed that CoQ10 might have beneficial effects on the MNCV of the peroneal nerve in patients with DPN. A systematic review showed that ALC appears to be effective in improving electromyographic parameters in patients with DPN [36]. ALC has been proposed for treating other neurological and psychiatric diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other mood disorders [37–39]. Our studies suggested that acetyl-l-carnitine (200 mg/d) might have beneficial effects on the MNCV of the peroneal nerve in patients with DPN.
Cross-sectional association of seafood consumption, polyunsaturated fatty acids and depressive symptoms in two Torres Strait communities
Published in Nutritional Neuroscience, 2020
Maximus Berger, Sean Taylor, Linton Harriss, Sandra Campbell, Fintan Thompson, Samuel Jones, Maria Makrides, Robert Gibson, G. Paul Amminger, Zoltan Sarnyai, Robyn McDermott
Whole blood was collected on a validated dried blood spot system and fatty acid composition was analysed by capillary gas chromatography.30 Values for the following classes of LCPUFAs were obtained and included in the present analysis: Alpha-linolenic acid (18:3n-3), Eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3), Docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-3), Docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3), Linolenic acid (18:2n-6), Gamma-linolenic acid (18:3n-6), Eicosadienoic acid (20:2n-6), Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (20:3n-6), Arachidonic acid (20:4n-6), Docosadienoic acid (22:4n-6). The relative abundance (wt%) of these LCPUFAs was used for all analyses. We included the proportion of total n-3 LCPUFAs, the proportion of total n-6 LCPUFAs, the ratio between n-6 and n-3 LCPUFAs, and EPA and DHA separately due to their relevance to depression pathophysiology.
Related Knowledge Centers
- Arachidonic Acid
- Carboxylic Acid
- Rapeseed
- Rapeseed Oil
- Soybean
- Omega-6 Fatty Acid
- Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase
- Leukotriene
- Cis–Trans Isomerism
- Α-Linolenic Acid