Posted by Larry Hoover on May 31, 2006, at 21:30:10
In reply to Re: First time I was prescribed a vitamin by a doc » cardinaldirection, posted by Jakeman on May 31, 2006, at 19:24:26
> > im taking roughly a tbsp of flax oil every other morning, mainly for its addition of omega 3 linolenic acid... honestly wasnt even aware that it contained ala?
> >
>
> I was not aware of that either, until another poster mentioned it, I believe honeybee. This site has a chart that shows amounts that are available:
>
> http://www.flaxcouncil.ca/english/index.php?p=g1&mp=nutrition
>
> warm regards, JakeThat ALA being referred to there is not alpha-lipioic acid. It is alpha-linolenic acid, the omega-3 fatty acid that we are supposed to be able to form those lovely long-chain omega-3s from, but really can't. That's why I prefer ALNA as the contraction for this fatty acid. AlphaLinoleNic Acid. To distinguish it from linoleic acid. You hardly miss the n.
Alphalipoic acid is also known as 5-(1,2-dithiolan-3-yl)pentanoic acid.
Alpha-linolenic acid is also known as all-cis-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid.
Just because it was in another thread, gamma-linolenic acid is all-cis-6,9,12-octadecatrienoic acid.
And looking at those two, I realize I made a mistake with something else I said, earlier, in that other thread. I'm too tired to sort it out, but I have some fixing to do.
(Note to self: Verify, verify, verify. That is twice this week.....)
Chemists prefer the names with all those numbers in them because they simply cannot be confused. Except if you aren't a chemist, because they are inately confusing.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:639003
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20060428/msgs/651241.html