Gamma Linolenic Acid for Weight Control

Gamma linolenic acid (GLA) may help formerly obese individuals maintain their weight loss, a new study reports.

Researchers from the University of California, Davis, investigated whether GLA supplementation would suppress weight regain following major weight loss.

In the double-blind study, 50 formerly obese humans were randomized and given either 890 milligrams/day of GLA (five grams/day borage oil) or five grams/day olive oil (controls) for one year.

Borage (Borago officinalis) is an herb native to Syria that has spread throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean. Borage seeds are often pressed to produce oil very high in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), like the oil used in this study.

The study found that after one year, weight regain differed between the GLA and control groups. Unblinding revealed lower weight regains in the GLA group compared to the control group.

The study authors concluded that GLA reduced weight regain in humans following major weight loss, suggesting a role for essential fatty acids in fuel partitioning in humans prone to obesity.

GLA is a dietary omega-6 fatty acid found in many plant oil extracts. Commercial products are typically made from seed extracts from evening primrose (average oil content 7-14 percent), blackcurrant (15-20 percent), borage oil (20-27 percent) and fungal oil (25 percent). To a limited extent, GLA is found naturally in the diet in human breast milk, cold-water fish and in organ meats such as liver, but at very low concentrations (1-2 percent).

GLA is available commonly as a dietary supplement and is sold over the counter in capsules or oil to treat a variety of conditions such as eczema, oral mucoceles (mucus polyps), high cholesterol, depression, postpartum depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, psoriasis, muscle aches and menopausal flushing.

Integrative therapies with strong or good scientific evidence for weight loss/weight control include ephedra, 5-HTP, the Atkins diet, DHEA and psychotherapy. Please consult a qualified healthcare practitioner before making any health-related decisions. On February 6, 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final rule prohibiting the sale of dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids (ephedra) because such supplements present an unreasonable risk of illness or injury. The rule became effective 60 days after the date of publication. Also, several studies have shown adverse effects associated with the Atkins diet.

For more information on the safety and efficacy of the therapies mentioned in this article, please visit Natural Standard's Foods, Herbs & Supplements and Health & Wellness databases.

Comments

[Emily P.]

I can’t imagine attributing the test results to GLA without regulating the diet and physical activity of the test subjects.

[Emily Martin]

Did the authors of the study specify the origin of the GLA? What plant did it come from? Would the other medicinal properties of the source plant have impacted the study results in any way?

[W. Thomas]

I'm with Emily P on this one. How can you credit GLA for the lower weight gain without controlling vigorously for other factors, such as diet, exercise, etc.? Moreover, if you look at the abstract, it shows that weight gains among those who remained or crossed over to GLA after the initial study visit began to slowly creep up. Though I would love nothing more than a magic pill that could keep the pounds off, I think the only real way is to accomplish this is to stick with the time honored, though much dreaded, method we all wish we could avoid: Eat less and exercise more.

[MV]

I agree with the above comments. Although it is great that the GLA could be helpful in keeping the weight off, maintaining a healthy diet and routine of exercise must be the first action taken.

[Danielle TC]

I believe it says that the GLA came from borage oil. As mentioned in the story, borage oil is a popular source of GLA. In fact, it is a popular herb in general. According to a retrospective review of more than 2,000 supplement and medication records for elderly Americans (60-99 years), borage is one of the most popular herbs among elderly women.

I think that maybe taking a GLA pill could be used for a placebo effect. I.e. if patients had the mindset, "Ok, I'm going to take these pills and change my diet and exercise habits." Perhaps the pill may not do much in itself, but it may help motivate patients to have the right mindset and feel like they are really taking control of their health.

[Paul]

This trial is a little fishy. They only really looked at 12 subjects in each arm after a year of supplementation, and the weight regain wasn't really that large even in the control group. I am also curious what they used to define "formerly obese" and how they came to be non-obese for the study. There are just a lot of issues that need to be sorted out. Maybe some more research will shed some better light on this matter.

[Stella]

I hate to be cynical, but I am still a fan of plain old diet and exercise for losing weight or maintaining weight loss.

[J.W.]

I agree with Stella. I think healthful eating and regular exercise is the best way to maintain or lose weight. It seems like we're always looking for a miracle cure so we don't have to change our lifestyles.

I also think the portions of foods sold today are ridiculous. Who really needs a King Size Kit Kat or a super-sized soda? When extra-large portions are available for just about any food item, it can start to get to realize what a normal serving size actually should be.

People should look for ways to incorporate exercise into their daily lives. Exercise doesn't necessarily mean you have to go to the gym every day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Do some gardening or housework. Go out dancing every once in a while. Being healthy doesn't have to be hard.

[Anonymous]

The sample size of this study is very small, so it hard to determine the validity of the study. What were the exclusion criteria for this study? Would this be OK to take with multiple risk factors, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, etc? What were the major side effects that the participants experienced?

[Bill]

It is interesting to hear GLA can reduce the weight. I always think prevention is better than a cure. It is always better to have good eating habits and regular exercise. Bad eating habits can lead to obesity. In my opinion, the Atkins diet is one of the best way to lose the weight.

[Jen]

Although this study looks promising, I agree with the fact that diet and exercise should have been mentioned. With such a small sample size, any confounding factor could distort the results. It would be nice to see if the subject’s demographics, like disease states, method of losing weight, etc., influenced the results. Also, what about patients that lost a lot of weight, but weren’t formerly obese, would this be helpful to them as well?

[steve]

Borage (Borago officinalis) is an herb native to Syria that has spread throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean. Borage seeds are often pressed to produce oil very high in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), like the oil used in this study.

The study found that after one year, weight regain differed between the GLA and control groups. Unblinding revealed lower weight regains in the GLA group compared to the control group.

The study authors concluded that GLA reduced weight regain in humans following major weight loss, suggesting a role for essential fatty acids in fuel partitioning in humans prone to obesity.

GLA is a dietary omega-6 fatty acid found in many plant oil extracts. Commercial products are typically made from seed extracts from evening primrose (average oil content 7-14 percent), blackcurrant (15-20 percent), borage oil (20-27 percent) and fungal oil (25 percent). To a limited extent, GLA is found naturally in the diet in human breast milk, cold-water fish and in organ meats such as liver, but at very low concentrations (1-2 percent).

GLA is commonly available as a dietary supplement and is sold over the counter in capsules or oil to treat a variety of conditions, such as eczema, oral mucoceles (mucus polyps), high cholesterol, depression, postpartum depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, psoriasis, muscle aches and menopausal flushing.