Essential Fatty Acids

Many diets are deficient in essential fatty acids (EFA). These fats are necessary for many bodily functions and cannot be made by the body, so they must come from your diet. The two essential fatty acids are linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid) and alpha linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid).

Udo's Choice Oil Blend
Omega Stak from Muscle-Link
The Total EFA from Health From The Sun
Flax Oil has alpha linoleic acid omega-3 fatty acids
Precision EFA's from Kaizen
Essential Oils from Dr. Atkins

Fish Oils

Besides alpha linolenic acid, there are other omega-3 fatty acids that are very beneficial to your health.

Cold water fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, and trout are good sources of eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) . EPA and DHA are needed by human organs - especially useful to the brain. Although your body can manufacture these oils from the essential fatty acids, sometimes the conversion process does not work optimally, so it is beneficial to supplement your diet with these oils directly.

Fish Oil is rich in EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids

Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA)

Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA) is an unusual fatty acid that is rare to find in foods in significant amounts. Pure chicken fat has 21 mg in 3.5 ounces, while the same size of lean chicken meat has only 3.8 mg.

GLA in the skin gets converted to Dihomo-Gamma-Linolenic Acid (DGLA). DGLA in the skin makes a powerful eicosanoid (15-OH-DGLA) that has strong anti-inflammatory properties and reduces many of the symptoms of dry, flaky skin.

David Horrobin, who has published dozens of research articles on GLA in both humans and animals, estimates daily GLA production rates of 250 - 1000 mg in humans - the higher end is most likely for children. With a 50% loss by age 60, this suggests supplementation on the order of 125 - 250 mg per day. GLA supplementation for atopic dermatitis, where a defect in delta-6 desaturase (D6D) activity is believed to create the disorder, have typically utilized 300 - 400 mg per day in order to supply an approximate day's supply. In studies with post viral fatigue, GLA doses were about 300 mg per day and required about 3 months to have an effect.

Some cases of alcoholism (especially in younger men) are due to low levels of Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1). PGE1 is one of the "good" eicosanoids. Alcohol appears to promote the formation of PGE1. DGLA is the essential fatty acid that PGE1 is made from. So low PGE1 levels indicate a depletion of DGLA. Low PGE1 levels causes more need for alcohol to increase the amounts of PGE1 and the alcohol craving process begins. GLA is converted into DGLA very easily. So, taking GLA will increase levels of DGLA which form PGE1. This leads to a more appropriate level of PGE1 in the absence of alcohol potentially resulting in fewer cravings. In one study of alcoholics, 160 mg of GLA per day was ineffective, but double that amount was effective. However, not all cases of alcoholism are related to low PGE1 levels.

GLA is an acceptable form of therapy in England for several mild conditions including atopic dermatitis and cyclic breast pain. In this country, many women take GLA for menstrual discomfort.

Borage Oil
Evening Primrose Oil

Monounsaturated Oils

Monounsaturated oils are beneficial to our HDL/LDL ratio ("good" vs. "bad" cholesterol). Shelf life after opening is about twelve months without refrigeration.

Oils of Aloha - Macadamia Nut Oil
Misty Valley - Macadamia Nut Oil
Misty Valley - Avocado Oil
Mac Nut Butter
Power Butter
Power PB

Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT)

Medium chain triglycerides (MCT) fats are saturated fats that are very useful on low carb, or ketogenic, diets since MCT's are more quickly converted to ketones than other fats. MCT oil does not need bile to emulsify them like other dietary fats, so the fat is available to the blood stream to be used as energy more quickly. This can improve your energy levels when you experience low blood glucose levels from lack of carbohydrates. MCT's do not affect insulin sensitivity as other saturated fats do.

Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)

Conjugated Linoleic Acid is a previously unrecognized nutrient that occurs naturally in wide variety of food, and particularly in beef and dairy products. In more than 17 years of research, CLA has been shown to be an anticarcinogen in several animal models, reduce the adverse catabolic effects induced by immune stimulation in rats, mice and chickens, enhance growth performance in rats and inhibit plaque formation in rabbits fed an atherogenic diet at least in part via changes in lipoprotein metabolism. In the last several years, scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and elsewhere have begun to study CLA’s affect on metabolism, energy retention and balance between body fat and lean body mass.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid