{"id":9558,"date":"2018-11-20T16:21:50","date_gmt":"2018-11-20T16:21:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=9558"},"modified":"2022-10-25T21:51:08","modified_gmt":"2022-10-25T21:51:08","slug":"what-is-gla","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/what-is-gla\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is GLA? The Essential Fatty Acid For Dry Skin"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s why GLA, an essential fatty acid, is so good for your skin and body.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experiencing dry, flaky, and textured skin? <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For some people it happens all year round (and gets worse in the biting cold during the winter).<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Before you go out and spend a ton on moisturizing products, consider tackling dryness from the inside out with GLA.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, the fatty acid gamma linoleic acid (GLA) has some benefits for your skin and its moisture barrier, but more on that later. Beyond that, the potential GLA benefits include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/chasteberry-for-pms\/\">PMS<\/a> relief (sign us up) and even good joint health.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019ll tackle all your questions, including \u201cwhat is GLA?\u201d to start with, below.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-gla\"><b>What Is GLA?<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GLA is short for gamma-linolenic acid,<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and GLA fatty acid is a<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> special member of the omega-6 fatty acid family. Some of you might read that and think, \u201cAren\u2019t those the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bad<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> fatty acids?\u201d Sadly, omega-6 fatty acids can get a bad rep. (They\u2019re usually found in vegetable oils.) Meanwhile, their counterpart omega-3s have a more flattering reputation. But before you ban all omega-6 fatty acids from your diet, let\u2019s get into whether there really is such a thing as a <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">good<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bad <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fatty acid.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact, researchers from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ocl-journal.org\/articles\/ocl\/full_html\/2010\/05\/ocl2010175p267\/ocl2010175p267.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Center for Genetics, Nutrition, and Health<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> say otherwise. They advise that a balanced ratio of both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids is healthier than simply avoiding omega-6 fatty acids altogether. Here\u2019s where GLA comes in. It\u2019s a less commonly consumed omega-6, but is actually just as good for your health as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/product\/4\/omg-omega-the-great\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">omega-3 fatty acids.<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Here are some of the main benefits you can get from incorporating a healthy source of GLA into your diet.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-gla-benefits\"><b>GLA Benefits<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-skin\"><b>Skin<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By now, many studies show the positive effects of GLA for skin. At <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lpi.oregonstate.edu\/mic\/health-disease\/skin-health\/essential-fatty-acids\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oregon State University<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, for example, test subjects who consumed GLA daily for 12 weeks all demonstrated GLA skin benefits, like firmer and more elastic skin. They also had less transepidermal water loss, or TEWL. TEWL is the technical term for dry skin. It\u2019s also one of the main underlying causes for premature aging. Many protective layers comprise our skin that are designed to keep moisture in and keep out harmful cells. When we experience TEWL, it\u2019s because the protective layers of our skin have been disrupted. It can happen for a variety of reasons including extreme weather conditions, dehydration, and nutritional deficiencies.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/hum-nutrition-inc\/image\/upload\/q_100\/v1542759682\/Transepidermal_Water_Loss.jpg\" alt=\"GLA Benefits for Dry Skin - The Wellnest by HUM Nutrition\" class=\"wp-image-9630\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>GLA helps prevent moisture loss by strengthening the protective barriers of our skin. Think of it as an internal serum that is locking in moisture for supple-looking skin. Increasing moisture retention is key for keeping fine lines at bay. Other GLA benefits for skin include improving skin conditions related to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/anti-inflammatory-lifestyle\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\">inflammation<\/a>, such as eczema and psoriasis.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-pms-relief\"><strong>PMS Relief<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<p>Irritability, cramps, back pain, breast tenderness\u2026 You may know these all too well as classic (not to mention highly unpleasant) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/chasteberry-for-pms\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\">PMS<\/a> symptoms. These inflammatory conditions naturally occur as our bodies prepare to menstruate. Even worse, a diet lacking the right balance of omega fatty acids exacerbates the effects. For that reason, taking GLA can actually help reduce PMS-related <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/anti-inflammatory-lifestyle\/\">inflammation<\/a>. A recent <a href=\"https:\/\/jnms.mazums.ac.ir\/article-1-54-en.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">study <\/a>published in the Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Sciences states that women who consume GLA daily report a significantly lower severity of symptoms than women who didn\u2019t supplement. As a bonus, taking GLA also has fewer side effects than popular over-the-counter PMS medications!<\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-weight-loss\"><strong>Weight Loss<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/how-much-weight-can-you-lose-in-a-month\/\">Weight loss<\/a> can be challenging, especially with stubborn fat that just won\u2019t budge. Brown fat (which cushions our organs for protection) can indicate how likely we are to lose white fat (which is mostly energy storage). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4403996\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Studies<\/a> show active brown fat is associated with individuals at healthy weights. In contrast, inactive or dormant brown fat may be linked to obesity.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>In her book <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B01834RH82\/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B01834RH82&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=theheahomec0a-20&amp;linkId=TSEOVCO7PBW46GR5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Eat Fat, Lose Weight<\/em><\/a>, Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman cites one particularly intriguing study from the University of Montreal. They found that GLA can benefit nutrition by stimulating brown fat activity and calorie burn. Yet another study in the <a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/jn\/article\/137\/6\/1430\/4664785\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Nutrition<\/a> reports that GLA can help prevent weight regain in people prone to obesity. Another <a href=\"https:\/\/clinicaltrials.gov\/ct2\/show\/NCT04481724\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">clinical trial <\/a>set to finish in 2023 is currently measuring the effectiveness of GLA supplementation in preventing weight regain for 24 months. While more research is needed to investigate the effectiveness of GLA for weight loss and weight management, these studies show great promise.<\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-healthy-joints\"><strong>Healthy Joints<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<p>The <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ocl-journal.org\/articles\/ocl\/abs\/2008\/04\/ocl2008154p262\/ocl2008154p262.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">OCL Journal<\/a><\/em> highlights GLA\u2019s anti-inflammatory properties as being elemental in reducing painful symptoms associated with arthritis. Arthritis is a condition typically treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. However, daily consumption of GLA may help ease bone stiffness, swelling, and relieve painful joints. The same review claims that some patients even report that the severity of their arthritis symptoms dropped from 100 percent to about 25 percent after nine months of GLA supplementation. Amazing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/hum-nutrition-inc\/image\/upload\/q_100\/v1542759878\/Black_Currant_Seeds_HUM_Nutrition_Blog.jpg\" alt=\"Anti-Inflammatory Blueberries - GLA Benefits - The Wellnest by HUM Nutrition\" class=\"wp-image-9631\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-much-gla-do-we-need\">How Much GLA Do We Need?<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s important to know that our bodies don\u2019t produce GLA, which means we must get it from our diet. However, it turns out GLA is actually one of the rarest forms of omega-6 fatty acids, and people with dry skin conditions like eczema might have a GLA deficiency, according to research published in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4975646\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">European Journal of Pharmacology<\/a>. For that reason, health experts recommend taking GLA <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/what-vitamins-and-supplements-should-i-take\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\">supplements<\/a>. So how do you find the best GLA supplement?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Black currant seed oil, like that found in HUM\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/product\/1\/red-carpet\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\">Red Carpet<\/a> supplement, is one of the best GLA <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/what-vitamins-and-supplements-should-i-take\/\">supplements<\/a> in that it is a very efficient way to get maximum GLA benefits. We suggest a 300 to 2000 milligram dosage for maximum efficacy. Results typically start to show after consuming GLA daily for three to six weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-are-there-any-side-effects-of-gla\"><strong>Are There Any Side Effects of GLA?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s unlikely that you\u2019d experience any major side effects of GLA. If anything, you could have mild digestive symptoms like nausea and diarrhea, or headaches. Those would most likely occur if you went over the 2000 milligram suggested dosage, though.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-is-gla-safe-for-everyone-to-take\"><strong>Is GLA Safe for Everyone to Take?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<p>Most people will tolerate GLA well, especially if they stay within that 300 to 2000 milligram suggested dosage.\u00a0 But it\u2019s a good idea to speak with your doctor before adding GLA to your supplement routine if you are taking certain medications, including blood thinners. When combined with anticoagulants, or blood thinners, GLA supplements might increase your risk for bleeding. The same risk goes for seizures. Check with your doctor if you\u2019re prone to seizures or taking seizure medications, as GLA could potentially elevate your risk.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re currently pregnant or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/best-foods-for-breastfeeding\/\">breastfeeding<\/a>, you should talk to your OB\/GYN before starting any supplements that aren\u2019t <a href=\"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/what-is-in-prenatal-vitamins\/\">prenatal<\/a> vitamins, including GLA supplements. There isn\u2019t enough research on GLA\u2019s safety profile for anyone who\u2019s pregnant or breastfeeding.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<div  class=\"products-block -mx-4 md:mx-0 my-10\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/product\/1\/red-carpet\" class=\"text-xs text-dark hover:!text-dark flex items-center border border-light rounded p-4 group !no-underline mb-4 relative pb-16 sm:pb-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"shrink-0 mr-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.humnutrition.com\/assets\/82324f20-7ede-11f0-a0ef-c10dbf4f15a4.png\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" class=\"object-cover transition-opacity group-hover:opacity-80 !mb-0\" alt=\"Red Carpet\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grow pr-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"mb-2 flex flex-col sm:flex-row sm:items-center divide-x-0 sm:divide-x divide-light text-sm\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pt-1 pr-2 flex\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"flex mr-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"mr-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"17\" height=\"16\"><path d=\"m11.532 4.697 4.353.663c.36.053.664.316.828.64.066.397 0 .791-.288 1.06l-3.157 3.193.745 4.581a1.01 1.01 0 0 1-.39.978c-.3.188-.698.25-1.022.072l-3.888-2.14-3.889 2.14c-.327.178-.724.116-1.024-.072a1.008 1.008 0 0 1-.388-.978l.745-4.581L1 7.06C.713 6.79.646 6.397.713 6c.162-.324.464-.587.827-.64l4.35-.663L7.842.563c.16-.344.5-.563.87-.563.372 0 .711.219.872.563z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"mr-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"17\" height=\"16\"><path d=\"m11.532 4.697 4.353.663c.36.053.664.316.828.64.066.397 0 .791-.288 1.06l-3.157 3.193.745 4.581a1.01 1.01 0 0 1-.39.978c-.3.188-.698.25-1.022.072l-3.888-2.14-3.889 2.14c-.327.178-.724.116-1.024-.072a1.008 1.008 0 0 1-.388-.978l.745-4.581L1 7.06C.713 6.79.646 6.397.713 6c.162-.324.464-.587.827-.64l4.35-.663L7.842.563c.16-.344.5-.563.87-.563.372 0 .711.219.872.563z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"mr-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"17\" height=\"16\"><path d=\"m11.532 4.697 4.353.663c.36.053.664.316.828.64.066.397 0 .791-.288 1.06l-3.157 3.193.745 4.581a1.01 1.01 0 0 1-.39.978c-.3.188-.698.25-1.022.072l-3.888-2.14-3.889 2.14c-.327.178-.724.116-1.024-.072a1.008 1.008 0 0 1-.388-.978l.745-4.581L1 7.06C.713 6.79.646 6.397.713 6c.162-.324.464-.587.827-.64l4.35-.663L7.842.563c.16-.344.5-.563.87-.563.372 0 .711.219.872.563z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"mr-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"17\" height=\"16\"><path d=\"m11.532 4.697 4.353.663c.36.053.664.316.828.64.066.397 0 .791-.288 1.06l-3.157 3.193.745 4.581a1.01 1.01 0 0 1-.39.978c-.3.188-.698.25-1.022.072l-3.888-2.14-3.889 2.14c-.327.178-.724.116-1.024-.072a1.008 1.008 0 0 1-.388-.978l.745-4.581L1 7.06C.713 6.79.646 6.397.713 6c.162-.324.464-.587.827-.64l4.35-.663L7.842.563c.16-.344.5-.563.87-.563.372 0 .711.219.872.563z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"mr-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"17\" height=\"16\"><path d=\"m8.713 3 1.54 3.61 3.46.58L11.207 10l.588 4-3.082-1.878zm4.555 7.253 3.157-3.193c.288-.269.354-.663.288-1.06-.164-.324-.467-.587-.828-.64l-4.353-.663L9.584.562A.965.965 0 0 0 8.713 0a.965.965 0 0 0-.871.562L5.89 4.697l-4.35.663c-.363.053-.665.316-.827.64-.067.397 0 .791.287 1.06l3.157 3.193-.745 4.581a1.01 1.01 0 0 0 .388.978c.3.188.697.25 1.024.072l3.889-2.14 3.888 2.14c.324.178.721.116 1.021-.072a1.01 1.01 0 0 0 .391-.978z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t4.7\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pt-1 sm:pl-2 text-medium\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t441 Reviews\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"text-base font-semibold mb-1 group-hover:text-primary\">Red Carpet<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"mb-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tvitamins for glowing skin + shiny hair\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"absolute bottom-4 left-4 right-4 sm:bottom-0 sm:left-0 sm:right-0 sm:relative inline-flex justify-center bg-primary group-hover:bg-primary-light text-white rounded py-3 px-12 leading-none text-center\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pr-1.5 border-r border-primary-lightest\">$27<\/span><span class=\"pl-1.5\">SHOP NOW<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"self-start\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here\u2019s why GLA, an essential fatty acid, is so good for your skin and body. Experiencing dry, flaky, and textured skin? For some people it happens all year round (and gets worse in the biting cold during the winter). Before you go out and spend a ton on moisturizing products, consider tackling dryness from the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":10855,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_toc_level":"h2","_toc_min":2,"footnotes":""},"categories":[837,835,22042],"tags":[887,888,697,286,212,277],"coauthors":[21928],"class_list":["post-9558","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dryness","category-skin","category-supplements","tag-gla","tag-healthy-fats","tag-inflammation","tag-nutrients","tag-weight-loss","tag-winter"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.2 (Yoast SEO v24.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Is GLA? The Essential Fatty Acid For Dry Skin | HUM Nutrition Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What is GLA, you ask? A HUM nutritionist explains why this essential fatty acid is your skin&#039;s best defense against dryness and dullness.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/what-is-gla\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Is GLA? The Essential Fatty Acid For Dry Skin\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What is GLA, you ask? 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