What it is: Black Currant Seed Oil is a gluten-free essential fatty acid formula developed by DaVinci Labs, delivering 1,000 mg of cold-pressed Black Currant Seed Oil per two-softgel serving, yielding 140 mg of Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA) — one of the richest dietary sources of this therapeutically important omega-6 essential fatty acid. Black Currant Seed Oil is uniquely distinguished from other GLA sources (such as Evening Primrose Oil and Borage Oil) by its balanced fatty acid profile, which includes not only GLA but also Stearidonic Acid (SDA) — a beneficial omega-3 fatty acid precursor that allows more efficient downstream conversion to EPA — providing a more comprehensive essential fatty acid matrix than single omega-6 GLA sources alone. Designed for practitioner-directed use in women's health, skin health, and prostaglandin-mediated inflammatory balance protocols, Black Currant Seed Oil supports the PGE1 series of anti-inflammatory prostaglandins that regulate immune function, skin barrier integrity, premenstrual comfort, and hormonal balance.
How it works: Black Currant Seed Oil supports health through GLA's role as the direct precursor to the Series 1 prostaglandins (PGE1) — a class of eicosanoid signaling molecules with broad anti-inflammatory, immune-regulatory, and hormone-modulating activity. GLA bypasses the rate-limiting delta-6-desaturase enzyme conversion step required to produce GLA from dietary linoleic acid — a conversion that is frequently impaired by aging, stress, diabetes, nutritional deficiencies, corticosteroid use, and degenerative disease conditions — delivering GLA directly to dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) metabolic pathways that produce PGE1. The PGE1 series supports immune function, healthy inflammatory response, blood pressure regulation within normal ranges, and platelet aggregation balance — physiological functions that become compromised when PGE1 production is insufficient and pro-inflammatory PGE2 prostaglandins dominate. In women's health applications, GLA-derived PGE1 helps regulate the menstrual cycle and supports premenstrual comfort by counterbalancing the pro-inflammatory prostaglandins associated with menstrual discomfort, breast tenderness, and low mood states linked to PMS. For skin health, GLA directly supports the structural integrity of the skin's epidermal barrier by maintaining ceramide and phospholipid composition in keratinocyte cell membranes, reducing transepidermal water loss that underlies dry skin, itching, and associated skin comfort concerns.
When to use it: Black Currant Seed Oil is appropriate for practitioner-directed use in adult clients requiring essential fatty acid support for women's health (PMS, premenstrual comfort, and menopausal support), skin health and barrier integrity, and prostaglandin-mediated inflammatory balance. It is particularly well-suited for clients with known or suspected GLA deficiency due to impaired delta-6-desaturase activity, those with dry skin concerns or conditions associated with transepidermal water loss, women seeking nutritional support for premenstrual comfort and cycle regularity, and as a complementary essential fatty acid to omega-3 supplementation for comprehensive PGE1/PGE3 prostaglandin balance. Two softgels taken one-half hour before each meal supports consistent GLA availability timed to coincide with the fat-containing meal environment that optimizes essential fatty acid absorption.
Serving Size: 2 Softgels
Servings Per Container: 45
Suggested Use: As a dietary supplement, take 2 softgels one-half hour before each meal, or as directed by your healthcare practitioner.
|
Ingredient |
Amount Per Serving |
% Daily Value |
|
Calories |
10 |
— |
|
Total Fat |
1 g |
1%† |
|
Black Currant Seed Oil (yielding Gamma-Linolenic Acid 140 mg) |
1,000 mg |
* |
* Daily Value not established.
† Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
Other Ingredients: Gelatin, glycerin, purified water.
Caution: If pregnant or nursing, consult your healthcare practitioner before taking this product. Keep out of reach of children. Store in a cool, dry place. Color may vary due to natural ingredient variation.
✓ Gluten Free
Key Ingredients
Black Currant Seed Oil — 1,000 mg (yielding Gamma-Linolenic Acid 140 mg) Black Currant Seed Oil is a cold-pressed vegetable oil from the seeds of Ribes nigrum, providing one of the most nutritionally balanced essential fatty acid profiles of any GLA-containing botanical oil — uniquely combining Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA, an omega-6 EFA) with Stearidonic Acid (SDA, an omega-3 EFA precursor) and Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA) in a ratio that distinguishes it from Evening Primrose Oil and Borage Oil, which contain only omega-6 fatty acids without the complementary omega-3 content. GLA — present at 140 mg per serving — is a conditionally essential omega-6 fatty acid that bypasses the rate-limiting delta-6-desaturase enzyme step required for conversion from dietary linoleic acid, directly supplying dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) as the immediate precursor to the Series 1 prostaglandins (PGE1) that regulate immune function, healthy inflammatory response, skin barrier ceramide and phospholipid integrity, menstrual cycle regulation, and platelet aggregation balance through mechanisms that counterbalance the pro-inflammatory PGE2 prostaglandins produced from arachidonic acid. The parallel Stearidonic Acid content provides an omega-3 contribution that more efficiently converts to EPA than ALA — adding a complementary omega-3 prostaglandin substrate dimension that extends this oil's physiological relevance beyond a purely omega-6 GLA supplement.
