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

Ahiflower® (Buglossoides Plant Omegas — Stratum Nutrition)

Buglossoides arvensis
Evidence Level
Moderate
2 Clinical Trials
6 Documented Benefits
3/5 Evidence Score

Ahiflower® is a single-plant-source plant oil from Buglossoides arvensis — with a balanced mix of omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids from one plant source. Ahiflower oil contains stearidonic acid (SDA) — a more efficiently converted omega-3 precursor than ALA. A plant-based source of omega-3 fats. It mainly raises EPA and provides little DHA, so it is not equivalent to fish or algal oil. Distributed by Stratum Nutrition. Used for: omega-3 fortification, plant-based omega supplementation, vegan/vegetarian alternative to fish oil, balanced omega ratios.

Studied Dose 1-3 g/day Ahiflower oil
Active Compound Buglossoides arvensis seed oil — SDA (stearidonic acid), GLA, ALA, oleic acid

Benefits

Stearidonic Acid (SDA) Content

Ahiflower contains 18-20% stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4n-3) — more efficiently converted to EPA than ALA from flax. SDA bypasses the rate-limiting delta-6 desaturase step.

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.

More Efficient EPA Conversion vs Flax

SDA→EPA conversion 4-5× more efficient than ALA→EPA conversion — better plant-based EPA building strategy.

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

Mechanism of action

1

SDA Bypasses Rate-Limiting Step

ALA→EPA conversion limited by delta-6 desaturase activity (rate-limiting step); SDA already past this step; 4-5× more efficient EPA precursor than ALA.

2

Balanced Omega Ratios

Multi-fatty-acid profile addresses modern Western diet imbalances (typical 15:1 omega-6:omega-3 ratio); Ahiflower more balanced.

3

GLA Anti-Inflammatory

GLA converts to anti-inflammatory eicosanoids (PGE1) — different from omega-6 linoleic acid pathway.

4

Endogenous EPA Production

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

Clinical trials

1
Ahiflower SDA Bioavailability vs Flax — Multiple Studies
PubMed

Studies comparing SDA conversion efficiency to ALA from flax.

Healthy adults.

In a phase I trial of 40 healthy adults over 28 days, Ahiflower oil raised tissue EPA about 4 to 5 times more than flax oil. Conversion is still partial and DHA gains were minimal.

2
Ahiflower Inflammatory Markers

One Ahiflower trial measured a blood inflammation marker (IL-10). No Ahiflower study measured cardiovascular or heart-disease outcomes.

Healthy adults in a small placebo-controlled trial.

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 single-plant-source plant oil from Buglossoides arvensis — with a balanced mix of omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids from one plant source. Ahiflower oil contains stearidonic acid (SDA) — a more efficiently converted omega-3 precursor than ALA. A plant-based source of omega-3 fats.

What is Ahiflower used for?

Ahiflower is researched primarily for Cardiovascular and Anti-Inflammatory. Ahiflower contains 18-20% stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4n-3) — more efficiently converted to EPA than ALA from flax. SDA bypasses the rate-limiting delta-6 desaturase step.

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?

For most healthy adults, Ahiflower is well tolerated at studied doses. Reported effects can 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 Moderate (3 out of 5). It is backed by 2 clinical trials 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 RCT supporting the EPA/omega-3-status claim: Buglossoides arvensis (Ahiflower) oil dose-dependently raised plasma and mononuclear-cell EPA, confirming SDA-to-EPA conversion, plus an anti-inflammatory (IL-10) signal. Honest framing: small dose-finding trial; EPA rises are real but partial and there is little/no direct DHA, so Ahiflower is not equivalent to fish/algal EPA+DHA.
  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-vs-flax head-to-head supporting the 'more efficient than flax' claim: 28 days of Ahiflower oil raised tissue EPA (and DPA) more than flax oil, with no clinically significant safety changes. Honest framing: small phase I trial (n=40); confirms a real efficiency advantage over flax for EPA, but conversion is still partial and DHA gains are minimal.
  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 underpinning Ahiflower's mechanism: SDA-enriched oil raised the erythrocyte omega-3 index (via increased EPA) versus control. Honest framing: not Ahiflower (SDA-enriched soybean oil), but establishes that dietary SDA reliably raises EPA/omega-3 index; notably SDA increased EPA far less efficiently than preformed EPA, underscoring that SDA-to-EPA 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 generic SDA support for the EPA/omega-3-index mechanism: dietary SDA-enriched soybean oil significantly raised the omega-3 index (red-blood-cell EPA) over 16 weeks. Honest framing: not Ahiflower-branded; SDA raised EPA but with substantially lower efficiency than EPA itself and without raising DHA - consistent with Ahiflower being a partial, DHA-poor plant route to EPA.