Hi, Ken,

Thanks for your input.  What you say is in sync with other things I' ve
read/heard.

 I started John on EPA/DHA from purified fish oil back in April, but he
quickly objected to fishy burps and that was that.  (I really have wondered
what there is in this that causes the burps--sometimes I get them, sometimes
not.)  He didn't take them long enough or regularly enough to know whether
there was improvement or not, although I myself have wondered whether he did
reap some benefit because his overall pain seemed to diminish somewhat, but
the chronic pain seems to wax and wane on its crazy own in flares or hints
of remission for no overt reason(s) we have discovered yet.     --Guess this
mama's gonna hafta practice a half-Nelson on the kid and poke some softgels
down him.

Question:  Would you have any idea what a therapeutic dose for RA might be?
The EPA/DHA I use is 1,000 mg of ultra-pure fish oil concentrate, providing
300 mg EPA and 200 mg DHA.

The Pure Encapsulations catalog touts two of the products I listed in my
original post by citing references to two different studies on GLA for  RA.
I've not read the full text of the articles interpreting the data on
positive outcomes.  But, you know, this is the kind of stuff that drives me
zonkers.  There is SO much conflicting info out there.  Do this, do that--I
end up sometimes doing nothing because I don't know what to do or believe.

Incidentally, the BenBest link that was posted a few weeks ago, also
promotes GLA as one of three "essential" health-promoting supplements, the
other two being CLA and DHA.  He/that site says EPA is too subject to
oxidation with resulting cellular damage unless large amounts of
anti-oxidants are taken/consumed with it.  He feels taking EPA is a very
chancy risk.  If this is the case, then I'll probably croak very soon.

All the best,
Theola


----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken Stuart"

> Much better would be to take Fish Oil, ie EPA Omega-3 fatty acids.
>
> GLA can cause stimulation of the production of Arachidonic Acid, which
> would cause worse arthritis, as well as other problems.
>
> However, EPA fatty acids have been shown to reduce inflammation and
> thereby arthritis.