hello, i read an article recently where it was claimed that a combination of epa/dha with sesame lignans and olive fruit extract is better than fish oil alone. is this true? i use omega rx fish oil, and take olive oil in my salads. is this sufficient or should one buy a combined supplement such as that suggested? thanks, raul.

Both sesamin and fish oil are inhibitors of the delta-5 desaturase enzyme that convert DGLA to arachidonic acid. Olive oil contains oleocanthal, a COX-enzyme inhibiting compound with properties similar to ibuprofen. There is no evidence that taking a supplement combining all of these is better than taking your OmegaRX with a dietary prescription that includes olive oil and sources of sesamin. Also consider curcumin, another desaturase inhibitor (more potent than sesamin) known to have anti-inflammatory properties.

According to researches,curcumin is potent inhibitor of delta-5 desaturase, but it inhibits enzyme delta-6 desaturase as well. In other hand, sesamin and related lignan compounds (sesaminol,sesamolin,episesamin) are only delta-5 desaturase inhibitors and they do not inhibit delta-6, -9, or -12 desaturases.

[quote:647349a181="starlighter"]According to researches,curcumin is potent inhibitor of delta-5 desaturase, but it inhibits enzyme delta-6 desaturase as well[/quote:647349a181] You are absolutely right. EPA inhibits both as well--so the use of these may require additional GLA.

Personally, i am not fun of delta-6 desaturase inhibitors, nor of an additional GLA supplementation. We should allow our bodies and nature to do some things for us. I would rather have good enzymes and hormones, than playing with supplements as activarors or inactivators of this systems. If you lift one end of the stick, you lift another as well. That's why Zone insists primarly on balanced food and excersise habits with PGFO supplementation, and all other things's (including desaturases) gonna be fine:-).

[quote:e32c1e6784="starlighter"]Personally, i am not fun of delta-6 desaturase inhibitors, nor of an additional GLA supplementation. We should allow our bodies and nature to do some things for us. I would rather have good enzymes and hormones, than playing with supplements as activarors or inactivators of this systems. If you lift one end of the stick, you lift another as well. That's why Zone insists primarly on balanced food and excersise habits with PGFO supplementation, and all other things's (including desaturases) gonna be fine:-).[/quote:e32c1e6784] The calorie-restricted nature of the Zone enhances the acitivty of these enzymes, but the fact that the EPA in PGFO can inhibit delta-6-desaturase warrants that sources of GLA be considered. Supplements aside, everyting we put in our mouths has an effect of either inhibiting or activating various enzymes and hormonal systems.