Dihomogammalinolenic acid

The Dihomogammalinolenic acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid that plays a major role in regulating inflammatory processes. It is also an important part of our cell membranes. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are essential food components. They only occur in larger quantities in plants.

What is Dihomogammalinolenic Acid?

Besides proteins and sugars, fats are the third important nutritional component. Fatty acids are long chains or rings made of carbon atoms. They are divided into saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. The unsaturated fatty acids have at least one double bond, i.e. two carbon atoms that are linked by two electrons.

Since a further atom could be added to the chain instead of a double bond at this point, it is called an unsaturated fatty acid. An important subgroup are the polyunsaturated fatty acids with two or more double bonds. The polyunsaturated fatty acids are divided into the groups of omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids and omega-9 fatty acids, depending on which carbon atom the first double bond occurs.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are only produced in plants and must be taken in with food. Animals and humans can only store existing polyunsaturated fatty acids and convert them to other fatty acids. Since this process takes place very slowly, the content and composition of the polyunsaturated fatty acids in food is very important.

Dihomogammalinolenic acid (abbreviation: GDLA) is an omega-6 fatty acid that is produced from linoleic acid in plants and animals. GDLA consists of 20 carbon atoms, has three double bonds and is the precursor to a number of important substances in the body.

Function, effect & tasks

Due to its length of 20 carbon atoms, dihomogammalinolenic acid is the starting product for the eicosanoid metabolic pathway. The Greek word “eikos” means that this metabolic pathway begins with fatty acids 20 carbon atoms long.

The DGLA is mainly converted to prostaglandins and thromboxanes of the 1st series and, to a lesser extent, to arachidonic acid (AA). The prostaglandins and thromboxanes of the 2nd series are then formed from arachidonic acid. Series 2 prostaglandins are released by cells in our body when injured or infected, and lead to inflammation. Inflammation plays an important role in the immune system, as it stimulates the production of antibodies and promotes the regeneration of injured tissue. However, in a number of diseases such as rheumatism, asthma, allergies and other autoimmune diseases, prostaglandins of the 2nd series are the triggers. In addition, even with normal inflammations, it is desirable to reduce their duration and intensity. Prostaglandins of the 1st series, which arise directly from GDLA, have this effect. In addition to the prostaglandins, GDLA and AA also give rise to thromboxanes.

Thromboxanes promote blood clotting and were named after thrombosis, a blockage of blood vessels by blood clots. Thromboxanes of the 2nd series, which arise from arachidonic acid, promote blood clotting. On the other hand, series 1 thromboxanes, which arise directly from GDLA, reduce the risk of thrombosis. In general, it can be said that a good supply of GDLA reduces inflammation-related diseases such as asthma, rheumatism or allergies and the risk of thrombosis, while high amounts of arachidonic acid have the opposite effect. Like all fatty acids, DGLA is also part of the cell membrane (cell envelope) of our cells, but a special function has not yet been identified.

Education, occurrence, properties & optimal values

The most common omega-6 unsaturated fatty acid is linolenic acid. Linolen is the Latin name for linseed oil that is obtained from flax or linseed. In plants and animals, the enzyme delta-6-desaturase produces gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) from linoles, which is then converted into dihomogammalinolenic acid.

Since the conversion takes a lot of time and energy, the composition of the polyunsaturated fatty acids in our body should be controlled through food. GDLA is only found in small amounts in all foods and there is no known way to increase the direct intake of GDLA. Therefore, there are no consumption recommendations. The consumption of the chemical precursor, gamma linolenic acid, can, however, be controlled and increased.

It is found in large quantities in borage oil (20%), evening primrose oil (10%), evening primrose oil and haf oil (3%). It has been proven that an increased consumption of GLA leads to a higher blood level of GDLA, but not of arachidonic acid. However, a greater uptake of the common precursor, linolenic, does not lead to increased GLA or GDLA values.

Diseases & Disorders

The uncritical consumption of large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids harbors a number of health risks. On the one hand, more fat is generally absorbed through this diet, which can lead to general disorders of the fat metabolism (obesity).

The role of polyunsaturated fatty acids as messenger substances also leads to further complications. Meat and animal fat contain large amounts of arachidonic acid, from which the inflammation-promoting and thrombosis-promoting prostaglandins and thromboxanes of the 2nd series are formed. Too much meat can therefore increase the susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. Elevated levels of GLA or GDLA have not yet been noticed in the context of negative medical indications. However, it is difficult to ingest large amounts of these fats.

Therefore, attention should be paid to the composition of the fats in the diet and omega-3 oils and omega-6 oils such as gammalinolenic acid should be consumed consciously on a daily basis. This can be ensured through dietary supplements or the purchase of special oils.