SDA-rich Ahiflower® oil raises blood DHA, maintains heart and brain DHA levels while boosting EPA more than Echium oil
A new 8-week mouse trial comparing dietary Ahiflower oil to Echium and soya oil has published in the journal Lipids. It is the first dietary trial to compare two different stearidonic acid (SDA) rich sources in animals vs a control (soya oil, containing no SDA). The trial assessed EPA and DHA levels in tissues (heart, brain, liver, adipose) and blood (plasma, erythrocytes) at the same daily intake levels (4% of fats).
Notably, Ahiflower, Echium, and soya oils all maintained heart and brain DHA levels comparably, confirming previous evidence showing that omega-3 DHA levels are tightly regulated in key tissues. Also, Ahiflower and Echium oils both raised red blood cell (RBC) DHA levels significantly, the dominant component of the Omega-3 Index, vs soya oil. The study authors, commenting on this new evidence from plant-based omega-3 sources, stated “Echium and Ahiflower oils at the dose applied in our study could provide enough ALA+SDA to maintain the needs in high-priority tissues, such as brain and heart.”
This new data affirms other recent evidence that mammals and humans can form as much DHA as needed from plant-based omega-3 sources containing no EPA or DHA, without causing inhibition of the ALA-to-DHA synthesis pathway that has been discovered from consuming preformed DHA.
As for omega-3 EPA, Ahiflower raised overall tissue and blood levels in a more pronounced manner than Echium oil, and both did so more than soya oil. Ahiflower oil raised RBC, plasma, and brain EPA levels significantly more than Echium and soya oil. Ahiflower oil raised liver, adipose, and heart EPA levels comparably to Echium oil, and significantly more than soya oil.
Once again, as shown already in human trials, dietary Ahiflower oil is the most effective plant-based omega-3 source for raising anti-inflammatory EPA status. As nature’s richest source of omega-3 with the highest naturally occurring SDA levels, Ahiflower oil’s superior overall EPA accrual vs Echium seed oil is not surprising.
Finally, Ahiflower did best overall in lowering omega-6 arachidonic acid (ARA) in all tissue and blood vs soya oil, and notably in plasma and liver vs Echium oil. High circulating and tissue ARA levels are associated with elevated whole body inflammation levels. In prior human and animal trials, Ahiflower oil has consistently lowered the ARA:EPA ratio — a clinical marker of inflammatory status in, for example, post-exercise recovery, hormonal balance, and metabolic dysfunction. This new data reinforces that rich ALA+SDA sources like Ahiflower oil help balance out physiological effects of high linoleic acid (LA) dietary oils common in Western diets.
Commenting on these new findings, Greg Cumberford, Science Lead at Natures Crops International said, “This new animal study supports dietary Ahiflower oil for its heart health and exercise performance value, notably for raising EPA across all tissues studied including the heart, and more significantly in RBCs and plasma than Echium oil. It also shows how the body closely controls DHA accrual in heart and brain tissues thought to benefit most from higher omega-3 intakes. This is a different story, challenging the dominant view that plant-based omegas are ‘poorly’ converted to DHA. Rather it demonstrates the mammal body’s affinity for plant-based ALA+SDA sources which significantly raise EPA and maintain
DHA levels across the whole body. When DHA is required to support brain and heart function, the body rapidly and efficiently makes it.” The study authors confirmed as much, stating, “the observed plateau in tissue DHA enrichment appears to be driven more by physiological constraints on tissue incorporation than by inefficiencies in the metabolic conversion of n-3 precursors.”
Ahiflower oil is rising in uses in mass market omega-369 supplements like Sam’s Club Member’s Mark Omega Complex, Garden of Life’s Dr. Formulated Full-Spectrum Omega, MegaFood (Pharmavite) Omega-369, Arbonne Daily Omega, and LifePlus OmegAhi. Consumers seeking Ahiflower’s heart, brain, gut, skin, joint, and metabolic health benefits prefer its clean taste/aroma profile vs flax, fish, and algal omega-3’s plus better convenience in bulk RTM powders and emulsions.
About Natures Crops International
A manufacturer of specialty oils for dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, food, personal care and animal nutrition products, Natures Crops produces oils from the highest quality crops, produced by growers who follow strict management protocols for sustainability and identity preservation. Natures Crops ensures the crops produced are grown, processed, packaged, and delivered in a safe, sustainable, traceable, and cost-competitive manner. The company has operations in Prince Edward Island, Canada and the United Kingdom, with headquarters in North Carolina. For more information, please write to info@naturescrops.com.