GLA for Health & Longevity - Quick Reference Sheet
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GLA for Health & Longevity

Created on 09/19/2026 – Quick Reference based on Evidence Review created using AI4L / Opus 5 – Audit

A seed-oil fat the body turns into a second fat that feeds calming signals. Two uses hold up in repeated controlled trials: nerve pain from long-standing diabetes and joint pain in the autoimmune form of arthritis, both at doses well above supplement labels. Without a fish-oil partner it feeds the inflammation-driving branch. Blood levels show no link to longevity. (Full Review)

Protocol

Standard anti-inflammatory dose
400–500 mg/day of GLA
With an omega-3 supplement, with the largest meal
Disease-level dose
1.4–2.8 g/day of GLA
The rheumatoid arthritis trial range; needs 6–14 g of borage oil
Neuropathy dose
360–480 mg/day of GLA
Continued at least six to twelve months before judging response
Time to effect
Diabetic neuropathy
6–12 months
The duration the neuropathy trials ran
Rheumatoid arthritis
6 months
The duration the joint-pain trials needed
Skin barrier
2 months
Judging response before eight weeks is premature

Benefits

Contraindications
  • Inherited or acquired bleeding disorders (haemophilia, von Willebrand disease, platelet count below 50 × 10⁹/L)
  • Elective surgery within 14 days, or any unhealed surgical or procedural wound
  • Pregnancy, particularly from 37 weeks
  • Known allergy to the source plant (evening primrose, borage, black currant) or to soy lecithin in capsule shells
  • Chronic liver disease at Child-Pugh Class B or C, for borage-derived products
    •
Key Interactions
  • Vitamin K antagonists (warfarin, acenocoumarol, phenprocoumon)
  • Direct oral anticoagulants (apixaban, rivaroxaban, edoxaban, dabigatran)
  • Antiplatelet agents (aspirin, clopidogrel, prasugrel, ticagrelor, dipyridamole)
  • Over-the-counter medications (aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen)
  • Platelet-inhibiting supplements (ginkgo biloba, high-dose garlic, vitamin E above 400 international units, nattokinase, curcumin)
  • Phenothiazine antipsychotics (chlorpromazine, fluphenazine, trifluoperazine); historical seizure caution
  • Fish oil and other omega-3 supplements (EPA, DHA); potentiating and intended
  • Sesame lignans (sesamin, sesamolin); potentiating, no caution required
  • Surgical and dental procedures (colonoscopy with biopsy, epidural placement)
    •

Risk & Side Effects

  • High: Gastrointestinal intolerance; headache and dizziness
    •
  • Low: Increased bleeding on anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy; lowered seizure threshold (conflicted)
    •
  • Speculative: Rise in circulating arachidonic acid without omega-3; suppression of T-lymphocyte proliferation; pyrrolizidine alkaloid exposure from borage products
    •

Monitoring

Marker Target Why
Omega-3 Index 8–12% Shows whether the omega-3 counterweight to GLA is in place
Arachidonic acid to EPA ratio 3:1 to 8:1 Direct readout of whether GLA is stopping at DGLA or running on to arachidonic acid
Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) No established target; track the rise from the individual's own pre-supplement value Confirms the supplement is absorbed and elongated as intended
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein Below 1.0 mg/L Tracks the inflammatory endpoint GLA is taken to move
Triglycerides Below 80 mg/dL (0.9 mmol/L) The blood fat most responsive to GLA in pooled trial data
International normalised ratio (INR) 2.0–3.0, or the range set for the specific indication Detects the additive anticoagulant effect before bleeding occurs
Alanine aminotransferase 10–26 U/L in women, 10–33 U/L in men Screens for liver injury from pyrrolizidine alkaloid exposure in borage products

Cadence: Fatty-acid panel and inflammatory marker at 3 months, again at 6 months, then every 6–12 months on a stable dose; clotting time 1–2 weeks after starting and after every dose change

Qualitative Assessment

  • Joint stiffness on waking, timed in minutes, and the number of tender joints
  • Burning, tingling or numbness in the feet, scored daily on a simple 0–10 scale
  • Skin dryness, visible scaling and itch intensity, particularly overnight
  • Ocular grittiness, burning and the frequency of artificial tear use
  • Ease of bruising, gum bleeding on brushing, and nosebleed frequency
  • Nausea, bloating or stool looseness in the first two weeks of any dose increase
Not medical advice. Educational distillation of a single evidence review. Confirm any decision with a qualified clinician, especially in the presence of prescription drugs or chronic conditions.