Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below 
GLA is normally extracted from 3 sources: Borage Oil, Starflower Oil, and Evening Primrose oil. Since Borage Oil contains the highest % of GLA(20-23), Starflower(13-15%), Primrose(8-10%), we will use Borage oil as an example.
Borage oil contains approximately 20-23% gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an 18-carbon omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA). Oils commonly consumed in most Western diets contain only small amounts of GLA, by comparison.
GLA is derived from linoleic acid, the most abundant PUFA in the skin. GLA may be converted into dihomo-GLA, a 20-carbon fatty acid and a precursor to prostaglandins of the 1 series (PGE1). GLA and dihomo-GLA appear to play important roles in skin health and may therefore be of benefit in dermatological conditions, e.g., psoriasis, eczema, atopic dermatitis.
Translation: GLA will make your skin more supple. Healthier looking. More elastic. AAS tend to harden your skin.
GLA and related essential PUFAs, often in combination with antioxidants (e.g., alpha-lipoic acid, vitamin E, vitamin E), are commonly used to treat diabetic complications such as those of the kidney and nervous system.
Boelsma et al. (2001) comments on clinical investigations involving GLA-containing oils in the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions:
"A typical Western diet contains high amounts of linoleic acid and gamma-linolenic acid [GLA] whereas the amount of alpha-linolenic acid [GLA] is relatively low. Certain plant oils, such as evening primrose seed oil (EPO) and borage seed oil, contain considerable amounts of linoleic acid and GLA and are unique because these oils also contain ALA. The hypothesis on which the use of EPO is based suggests that subjects with atopic dermatitis cannot form adequate amounts of GLA(67, 68).
During the past 2 decades, many studies have been published in which individuals with atopic dermatitis received a diet enriched with plant oils, particularly EPO, to evaluate the possible benefits of these PUFAs on this disease.
Wright and Burton (74) treated 60 adults and 39 children with atopic eczema with a placebo or EPO for 12 wk. Adults received 1440 mg linoleic acid/d and 180 mg GLA/d, or 2 or 4 times this dose. Children received either 720 mg linoleic acid/d and 90 mg GLA/d or twice this dose. A moderate improvement in clinical signs of atopic eczema was reported after supplementation, particularly after the highest EPO doses in both groups. Because the conversion of linoleic aid into GLA has been suggested to be blocked in patients with atopic eczema, the authors speculated that the presence of GLA in EPO may overcome this blockade."
"A similar design was used by Bamford et al (75), who administered a higher dose of EPO than used in the study by Wright and Burton (74): 4320 mg linoleic acid and 540 mg -GLA or twice this amount, or a placebo, to 123 subjects with atopic eczema for 3 mo. No significant effects were observed on the overall severity of the disease after supplementation. Bamford et al suggested that their findings, which were opposite those of Wright and Burton, were explained by differences in the severity of the skin lesions between the studies and in the clinical impressions used for diagnosis of atopic eczema."
Conclusion here: GLA will help people who have dry or hard/scaly skin...NOT people with excema or psoriasis.
Shalin-Karrila et al (76) treated 25 adult subjects with atopic eczema with a placebo or EPO, which provided 2880 mg linoleic acid and 360 mg GLA, for 12 wk. Supplementation with EPO improved affected skin sites. Even though the placebo also induced a reduction in inflammation, the effects were less than in the EPO-treated subjects. In addition, there was an increase in the amount of dihomo--linolenic acid in plasma phospholipids, whereas no increase was detected in the antiinflammatory mediator PGE1, which is formed from dihomo-GLA. The assumption about a defect in the enzyme 6-desaturase in subjects with atopic eczema, which is responsible for the conversion of linoleic acid into GLA, was not supported because the concentrations of GLA in plasma phospholipids were not different from those in healthy subjects. However, dihomo-GLA concentrations were higher in the EPO-supplemented group than in the healthy subjects. Although the authors suggested that EPO may be useful in the treatment of atopic eczema, conclusions were confusing because the placebo group took 3 times the amount of steroids as did the EPO-treated subjects and the initial status of eczema was worse in the EPO-treated group than in the placebo group. Therefore, the beneficial effects of EPO were difficult to ascertain."
Boelsma et al. (2000) conclude: "Plant oils contain high amounts of linoleic and GLA, which are converted in the body to dihomo-GLA and subsequently to arachidonic acid.
Arachidonic Acid is the building block for the GOOD prostaglandin(PGF2A). This is a potent thermogenic substance.
Daily supplementation with plant oils induces an increase in dihomo-GLA in neutrophil and epidermal phospholipids (89). This long-chain fatty acid can be metabolized into the lipoxygenase inhibitor 15-hydroxyeicosatrienoic acid and the antiinflammatory mediator PGE1. Therefore, formation of these metabolites, which compete with the synthesis of the proinflammatory metabolites of arachidonic acid, LTB4 and PGE2, may explain the beneficial effect of plant oils rich in n-6 fatty acids in inflammatory skin disorders."
REFERENCES
Boelsma E, Hendricks HFJ, Roza L (2001). Nutritional skin care: health effects of micronutrients and fatty acids. Am J Clin Nutr, 73: 853.
Dosages that should be used for skin conditions(Or for better skin. i.e. less pimples/acne. Remember that AAS cause skin to become a bit harder. GH reverses this(elasticity), but so does GLA))(This has nothing to do with GLA's glucose enhancing effects. This is just skin.)
Dosages: 1200-1500mg GLA/day
I'm currently conducting a study with GLA included about its effects on nutrient partitioning, and the results so far are VERY encouraging.
Definately something you guys should supplement with. WOMEN ALSO. For the moment, just for its beneficial qualities in reference to your own skin.
Fonz
Borage oil contains approximately 20-23% gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an 18-carbon omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA). Oils commonly consumed in most Western diets contain only small amounts of GLA, by comparison.
GLA is derived from linoleic acid, the most abundant PUFA in the skin. GLA may be converted into dihomo-GLA, a 20-carbon fatty acid and a precursor to prostaglandins of the 1 series (PGE1). GLA and dihomo-GLA appear to play important roles in skin health and may therefore be of benefit in dermatological conditions, e.g., psoriasis, eczema, atopic dermatitis.
Translation: GLA will make your skin more supple. Healthier looking. More elastic. AAS tend to harden your skin.
GLA and related essential PUFAs, often in combination with antioxidants (e.g., alpha-lipoic acid, vitamin E, vitamin E), are commonly used to treat diabetic complications such as those of the kidney and nervous system.
Boelsma et al. (2001) comments on clinical investigations involving GLA-containing oils in the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions:
"A typical Western diet contains high amounts of linoleic acid and gamma-linolenic acid [GLA] whereas the amount of alpha-linolenic acid [GLA] is relatively low. Certain plant oils, such as evening primrose seed oil (EPO) and borage seed oil, contain considerable amounts of linoleic acid and GLA and are unique because these oils also contain ALA. The hypothesis on which the use of EPO is based suggests that subjects with atopic dermatitis cannot form adequate amounts of GLA(67, 68).
During the past 2 decades, many studies have been published in which individuals with atopic dermatitis received a diet enriched with plant oils, particularly EPO, to evaluate the possible benefits of these PUFAs on this disease.
Wright and Burton (74) treated 60 adults and 39 children with atopic eczema with a placebo or EPO for 12 wk. Adults received 1440 mg linoleic acid/d and 180 mg GLA/d, or 2 or 4 times this dose. Children received either 720 mg linoleic acid/d and 90 mg GLA/d or twice this dose. A moderate improvement in clinical signs of atopic eczema was reported after supplementation, particularly after the highest EPO doses in both groups. Because the conversion of linoleic aid into GLA has been suggested to be blocked in patients with atopic eczema, the authors speculated that the presence of GLA in EPO may overcome this blockade."
"A similar design was used by Bamford et al (75), who administered a higher dose of EPO than used in the study by Wright and Burton (74): 4320 mg linoleic acid and 540 mg -GLA or twice this amount, or a placebo, to 123 subjects with atopic eczema for 3 mo. No significant effects were observed on the overall severity of the disease after supplementation. Bamford et al suggested that their findings, which were opposite those of Wright and Burton, were explained by differences in the severity of the skin lesions between the studies and in the clinical impressions used for diagnosis of atopic eczema."
Conclusion here: GLA will help people who have dry or hard/scaly skin...NOT people with excema or psoriasis.
Shalin-Karrila et al (76) treated 25 adult subjects with atopic eczema with a placebo or EPO, which provided 2880 mg linoleic acid and 360 mg GLA, for 12 wk. Supplementation with EPO improved affected skin sites. Even though the placebo also induced a reduction in inflammation, the effects were less than in the EPO-treated subjects. In addition, there was an increase in the amount of dihomo--linolenic acid in plasma phospholipids, whereas no increase was detected in the antiinflammatory mediator PGE1, which is formed from dihomo-GLA. The assumption about a defect in the enzyme 6-desaturase in subjects with atopic eczema, which is responsible for the conversion of linoleic acid into GLA, was not supported because the concentrations of GLA in plasma phospholipids were not different from those in healthy subjects. However, dihomo-GLA concentrations were higher in the EPO-supplemented group than in the healthy subjects. Although the authors suggested that EPO may be useful in the treatment of atopic eczema, conclusions were confusing because the placebo group took 3 times the amount of steroids as did the EPO-treated subjects and the initial status of eczema was worse in the EPO-treated group than in the placebo group. Therefore, the beneficial effects of EPO were difficult to ascertain."
Boelsma et al. (2000) conclude: "Plant oils contain high amounts of linoleic and GLA, which are converted in the body to dihomo-GLA and subsequently to arachidonic acid.
Arachidonic Acid is the building block for the GOOD prostaglandin(PGF2A). This is a potent thermogenic substance.
Daily supplementation with plant oils induces an increase in dihomo-GLA in neutrophil and epidermal phospholipids (89). This long-chain fatty acid can be metabolized into the lipoxygenase inhibitor 15-hydroxyeicosatrienoic acid and the antiinflammatory mediator PGE1. Therefore, formation of these metabolites, which compete with the synthesis of the proinflammatory metabolites of arachidonic acid, LTB4 and PGE2, may explain the beneficial effect of plant oils rich in n-6 fatty acids in inflammatory skin disorders."
REFERENCES
Boelsma E, Hendricks HFJ, Roza L (2001). Nutritional skin care: health effects of micronutrients and fatty acids. Am J Clin Nutr, 73: 853.
Dosages that should be used for skin conditions(Or for better skin. i.e. less pimples/acne. Remember that AAS cause skin to become a bit harder. GH reverses this(elasticity), but so does GLA))(This has nothing to do with GLA's glucose enhancing effects. This is just skin.)
Dosages: 1200-1500mg GLA/day
I'm currently conducting a study with GLA included about its effects on nutrient partitioning, and the results so far are VERY encouraging.
Definately something you guys should supplement with. WOMEN ALSO. For the moment, just for its beneficial qualities in reference to your own skin.
Fonz
