Alpha Linolenic Acid

ALA Alpha-Linolenic  acid is is something that confused me at first.  I was researching ALA which is found in Cellgevity and learned – much ot my surprise that ALA not only stands for Alpha Lipoic Acid- which is an ingredient in Cellgevity but also Alpha Linolenic acid which is something completely different.

Alpha linolenic acid is a polyunsaturated, omega-3 fatty acid originally identified by A. Rollet in 1909.  It is most effortlessly found in seed oils like walnut, canola, soybean hemp and flax . It’s also observed in the membranes responsible for photosynthesis in broad leafed, green plants (thylakoid membranes).

Other outstanding, although less acknowledged sources of ALA are Perilla, Kiwifruit and Chia . Perilla oil is extracted from the seeds of the Perilla family, a.k.a the mint family. Although in the west it is used principally in the paint industry, (like linseed oil) in the east it is used for its content of ALA giving it antioxidant qualities and a significant content of vitamins and minerals . Chia is not always associated with the pets of the same name. Chia is also known as Salvia hispanica. It is another member of the mint family.

ALA is one of the essential fatty acids and what this means is that it can only be obtained from our diets. We are unable to create any of the essential fatty acids on our own.

Research conducted over the years on Alpha-linolenic acid have connected it to many beneficial outcomes including a decreased chance of cardiovascular disease.  In 2005, a study conducted on young adults revealed that daily amounts of ALA diminished the levels of anxiety and stress among the subjects and a reduction of cortisol levels was objectively measured.  This finding was abundantly supported in a 2011 study conducted by Harvard University on 50,000 women that  over a period of ten years, found that a higher intake of ALAa-linolenic acid combined with a reduced intake of linoleic acid was connected with a substantial decrease in depression.

ALA is also a impressive antioxidant, known to combat numerous forms of oxidative stress and to help recycle other antioxidants.

Regrettably, due to the requirement that commercial food processors have for characteristics like “spread ability” which requires that ALA be partially hydrogenated, the most available source of ALA – soybeans, are being genetically modified to produce reduced amounts of ALA and linoleic acid.

While still being assessed for its advantages relative to heart health, a modest consumption of dietary ALA could prove beneficial for the primary and secondary reduction of coronary heart disease.

That’s the scoop on Alpha Linolenic Acid.