Home Ingredients Ahiflower® (Buglossoides Plant Omegas — Stratum Nutrition)
Anti-Inflammatory

Ahiflower® (Buglossoides Plant Omegas — Stratum Nutrition)

Buglossoides arvensis
Evidence Level
Limited
2 Clinical Trials
6 Documented Benefits
2/5 Evidence Score

Ahiflower® is a plant oil pressed from Buglossoides arvensis seeds that supplies a mix of omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids from a single plant source. It is rich in stearidonic acid (SDA), an omega-3 that the body converts to EPA more readily than the ALA in flax. In human trials it mainly raises EPA and provides little DHA, so it is not equivalent to fish or algal oil. It is used for omega-3 fortification, plant-based omega supplementation, and as a vegan or vegetarian alternative to fish oil. Distributed by Stratum Nutrition.

Studied Dose 1-3 g/day Ahiflower oil
Active Compound Stearidonic acid (SDA), GLA, ALA, oleic acid

Benefits

Stearidonic Acid (SDA) Content

Ahiflower oil is about 20% stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4n-3), an omega-3 the body converts to EPA more readily than the ALA found in flax. SDA is already past the slow delta-6 desaturase step, so for a plant oil it raises blood and tissue EPA efficiently.

Supported by Trial 1, Trial 2

Single Plant Balanced Omegas

Single plant source delivering balanced omega-3 (SDA + ALA), omega-6 (GLA), and omega-9 (oleic acid) from one plant source.

Supported by Trial 1, Trial 2

More Efficient EPA Conversion vs Flax

In a head-to-head trial, Ahiflower oil raised tissue EPA more than an equal amount of flax oil over 28 days. Because SDA skips the rate-limiting conversion step that slows ALA, it is a more efficient plant route to EPA, though the rise is still partial.

Supported by Trial 1

Sustainable Plant Source

Cultivated sustainably; alternative to fish oil for vegan/vegetarian/sustainable applications.

GLA Content for Inflammation

Contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid. In the Ahiflower trials the only inflammation-related change was a rise in IL-10, a marker measured in blood cells in the lab; no clinical inflammatory outcome was tested, and this oral supplement was not studied for skin.

Supported by Trial 2

Vegan/Vegetarian Omega-3 Option

A plant-based option for people avoiding fish oil. It raises EPA but provides little DHA, so it does not fully replace fish or algal oil.

Supported by Trial 1, Trial 2

Mechanism of action

1

SDA Bypasses Rate-Limiting Step

Conversion of ALA to EPA is limited by delta-6 desaturase, the rate-limiting enzyme. SDA is already past this step, so it is a more efficient EPA precursor than ALA and raises tissue EPA more readily.

2

Balanced Omega Ratios

Supplies omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 in one oil. The typical Western diet skews heavily toward omega-6, and Ahiflower provides a more balanced fatty-acid mix.

3

GLA Anti-Inflammatory

GLA converts to the eicosanoid PGE1, which has anti-inflammatory activity, through a pathway distinct from that of omega-6 linoleic acid.

4

Endogenous EPA Production

Body converts SDA to EPA via the remaining enzymatic steps; DHA production is minimal.

Clinical trials

1
Ahiflower Oil vs Flax Oil Tissue Omega-3 (Phase I)
PubMed

A 28-day randomized phase I trial comparing tissue omega-3 changes from Ahiflower oil versus flax seed oil in 40 healthy adults (Lefort et al. 2016, Journal of Nutritional Science).

40 healthy adults.

Over 28 days, Ahiflower oil raised EPA in plasma and all blood cell types more than flax oil, and also raised ETA and DPA. Conversion to longer-chain omega-3 was still partial and DHA did not increase. No clinically significant safety changes were seen.

2
Ahiflower Inflammatory Markers
PubMed

A 28-day randomized placebo-controlled dose-finding trial of Ahiflower oil in 88 healthy adults that measured omega-3 status and stimulated blood cytokines; partially funded by Nature's Crops International, which produces Ahiflower oil (Lefort et al. 2017, Nutrients).

88 healthy adults.

In one small trial, Ahiflower oil raised IL-10, a marker measured in stimulated blood cells. No cardiovascular outcomes were measured in any Ahiflower trial, so no heart-health benefit has been demonstrated.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Generally well-tolerated.
Mild GI distress (rare).
Allergic reactions rare.
Theoretical bleeding effects from omega-3 at very high doses.

Important Drug interactions

Anticoagulants: modest theoretical effects from omega-3 SDA at high intake.
Anti-inflammatory medications: modest additive effects.
Pregnancy: generally safe at moderate doses.
Lactation: generally safe.
Children: appropriate at proportional doses.
Pre-surgery: discontinue 1-2 weeks for bleeding considerations.

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Frequently asked questions about Ahiflower® (Buglossoides Plant Omegas — Stratum Nutrition)

What is Ahiflower?

Ahiflower® is a plant oil pressed from Buglossoides arvensis seeds that supplies a mix of omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids from a single plant source. It is rich in stearidonic acid (SDA), an omega-3 that the body converts to EPA more readily than the ALA in flax.

What is Ahiflower used for?

Ahiflower is researched primarily for Anti-Inflammatory. Ahiflower oil is about 20% stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4n-3), an omega-3 the body converts to EPA more readily than the ALA found in flax.

What is the recommended dosage of Ahiflower?

The clinically studied dose is 1-3 g/day Ahiflower oil Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is Ahiflower safe, and does it have side effects?

Side effects and cautions reported for Ahiflower include: Generally well-tolerated. Mild GI distress (rare). It may also interact with some medications. Ahiflower is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does Ahiflower interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Anticoagulants: modest theoretical effects from omega-3 SDA at high intake. Anti-inflammatory medications: modest additive effects. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for Ahiflower?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Ahiflower as Limited (2 out of 5). It is backed by 2 study summaries and 4 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(4 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Lefort N, LeBlanc R, Surette ME Dietary Buglossoides Arvensis Oil Increases Circulating n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in a Dose-Dependent Manner and Enhances Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Whole Blood Interleukin-10-A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2017;9(3):261. doi: 10.3390/nu9030261.PubMedUsed to support: Ahiflower-specific randomized trial: Buglossoides arvensis oil dose-dependently raised plasma and mononuclear-cell EPA, confirming SDA-to-EPA conversion, and raised stimulated blood IL-10. It was a small dose-finding trial; EPA rises are partial and there is little direct DHA, so Ahiflower is not equivalent to fish or algal EPA plus DHA. Partially funded by Nature's Crops International, which produces Ahiflower oil.
  2. Lefort N, LeBlanc R, Giroux MA, Surette ME Consumption of Buglossoides arvensis seed oil is safe and increases tissue long-chain n-3 fatty acid content more than flax seed oil - results of a phase I randomised clinical trial. Journal of Nutritional Science. 2016;5:e2. doi: 10.1017/jns.2015.34.PubMedUsed to support: Ahiflower versus flax head-to-head: 28 days of Ahiflower oil raised tissue EPA and DPA more than flax oil, with no clinically significant safety changes. A small phase I trial (n=40); it shows an efficiency advantage over flax for EPA, but conversion is still partial and DHA did not increase.
  3. Lemke SL, Vicini JL, Su H, Goldstein DA, Nemeth MA, Krul ES, Harris WS Dietary intake of stearidonic acid-enriched soybean oil increases the omega-3 index: randomized, double-blind clinical study of efficacy and safety. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2010;92(4):766-75. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.29072.PubMedUsed to support: Generic stearidonic-acid (SDA) evidence for the mechanism: SDA-enriched oil raised the red-cell omega-3 index via increased EPA versus control. This was SDA-enriched soybean oil, not Ahiflower, but it shows dietary SDA reliably raises the EPA omega-3 index; SDA raised EPA far less efficiently than preformed EPA, so conversion is only partial.
  4. Harris WS, Lemke SL, Hansen SN, Goldstein DA, DiRienzo MA, Su H, Nemeth MA, Taylor ML, Ahmed G, George C Stearidonic acid-enriched soybean oil increased the omega-3 index, an emerging cardiovascular risk marker. Lipids. 2008;43(9):805-11. doi: 10.1007/s11745-008-3215-0.PubMedUsed to support: Additional SDA evidence for the EPA omega-3-index mechanism: dietary SDA-enriched soybean oil raised the omega-3 index (red-cell EPA) over 16 weeks. Not Ahiflower-branded; SDA raised EPA with much lower efficiency than EPA itself and without raising DHA, consistent with Ahiflower being a partial, DHA-poor plant route to EPA.