>Apparently we are adapted for the consumption a certain amount of
>alpha-linolenic acid, but shouldn't get too much. We're better off
>getting the longer chain omega-3's instead, which is what we would be
>getting from wild meats, organ meats, and fish.


Here's an excerpt from Sear's Mastering the Zone that supports that view.

Q:  "What's wrong with supplementing my diet with flaxseed oil?"

A:  "A central theme in the zone is the reduction of arachidonic acid levels
by diet.  Controlling insulin is your most powerful tool, but the addition
of omega-3 fatty acids can also have a significant benefit.  Flaxseed oil is
rich in alpha linolenic acid (ALA), which is an omega-3 fatty acid and
therefore has some use in controlling arachidonic acid production.  But if
you are going to supplement with an omega-3 oil, then I recommend fish oil,
which is rich in the best omega-3 fatty acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

EPA has a tenfold greater impact on reducing the production of bad
eicosanoids than does ALA on a gram-for-gram basis.  Another reason I prefer
fish oil over flaxseed oil is that the excess consumption of ALA in flaxseed
oil tends to reduce the production of gamma linolenic acid (GLA), the
building block of good eicosanoids.  What's excess?  Anything more than one
tablespoon per day.

Finally, the vast body of research data on the clinical benefits of EPA is
overwhelming.  Therefore, supplementation with EPA as opposed to ALA will
have a far greater impact in getting you into the Zone.  But before you add
any omega-3 fatty acid supplements to your diet, try to get those fatty
acids from food itself.  The best source of EPA?  Salmon.  Of course, you
could do what your grandmother did in her day to ensure adequate levels of
EPA, and take cod liver oil."

Rob