Organic Borage Oil

A great source of GLA (gamma linoleic acid). New Roots Herbal borage oil is certified organic and GMO-free.

From its stiff-haired stems to its star-shaped blue flowers, almost every part of the borage plant (Borago officinalis) has been used over the centuries for its healing properties and to season foods. As early as the 1600s, Europeans were preparing borage leaves and flowers to make a wine, known to relieve boredom and dispel melancholy.

Like evening primrose oil and blackcurrant seed oil, borage oil owes its healing power to the presence of essential fatty acids, the most important of which is GLA, an omega-6 fatty acid. (Although borage oil is often used in alternation with evening primrose oil, it contains twice as much GLA as evening primrose oil).

Once processed by the body, GLA is converted into hormone-like substances, which can either block or promote inflammation. In borage oil, GLA appears to totally calms inflammation, making it an interesting treatment for arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.

The most potent natural concentration of GLA comes in the form of borage seed oil (24%). Several scientific studies have been carried out on GLA-rich supplements, leading to significant interest in the above-mentioned health problems, as well as in premenstrual syndrome (PMS), benign breast disease, eczema, psoriasis, obesity and vascular disorders.

The essential fatty acids combined in this formula have been shown to regulate fatty acid metabolism in our bodies. Fat metabolism is as important, if not more critical, than our body's protein and carbohydrate metabolism, as evidenced by the dramatic increase in fat-related degenerative diseases such as vascular disease and stroke.

The essential fatty acids commonly found in borage seed oil are eventually converted into hormone-like substances called prostaglandins.

Prostaglandins are important for regulating multiple bodily functions such as inflammation, swelling, inflammation of the lining of the skin, and the formation of a protective barrier.pressure-related pain in the eyes, joints and blood vessels, mucous secretions and their viscositysmooth muscles and autonomic reflexes, gastrointestinal tract, arteries, ears, heart, water retention, blood coagulation, allergic reactions, rheumatoid arthritis, nerve transmission, steroid production and hormone synthesis.

Past and present scientific research supports the use of essential fatty acid nutrients to promote optimal health. Borage seed oil is recognized as the richest natural source of GLA. Used on their own, these natural plant substances have attracted a great deal of interest in the treatment of many health problems.

Evidence suggests that a combination of omega-3 fatty acids with gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) would also complement the therapeutic results of any fatty acid used alone.

Borage seed oil reduces rheumatoid arthritis pain. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that consuming high doses of borage seed oil (1.4 g per day) significantly reduced pain and swelling in arthritic joints, when compared to cottonseed oil, which contains no GLA.

In another study, rheumatoid arthritis patients showed significantly fewer clinical signs of inflammation after taking GLA-rich capsules for several months, compared with those who took a placebo.

Other researchers have reported a reduction in joint tissue damage, pain and inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis sufferers given high doses of GLA in the form of borage oil.

Borage oil reduces the discomfort associated with PMS, endometriosis and sclerocystic mastitis. By interfering with the production of inflammatory substances called prostaglandins, released during menstruation, the GLA in borage oil can help relieve cramps and pain.

Borage oil can also reduce some of the breast tenderness women feel before menstruation, and calm the pain of menstruation.inflammation associated with endometriosis. Many PMS sufferers have abnormally low levels of GLA in their system, which is why supplements can help so much.

The oil's essential fatty acids can minimize breast inflammation in women with sclerocystic mastitis, and promote the absorption of iodine, a mineral often found at abnormally low levels in those with the condition.

For most of the conditions mentioned, take 1,000 to 1,300 mg of borage oil a day. Although research studies tend to use relatively high doses of borage oil, it's important to stick to the recommended dosage. As with all therapeutic products, we suggest you seek the advice of a healthcare professional.