Borage Oil, also known as starflower oil, is a safe food supplement. The borage (Borago officinalis) plant is grown commercially for use in pharmaceutical and food industries. The harvested seed is cleaned and dried and then processed to extract the oil of which a natural percentage is gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an Omega 6 type of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA).

In borage oil, GLA is found as part of a triglyceride molecule. Bioavailability, the amount of the GLA that will be useful in the body when eaten, depends on the total amount of GLA in the oil and the position it is located on the triglyceride. These two factors depend on where and under what conditions the plants are grown, which variety of plant the oil is sourced from, and how the oil is processed.

Our scientifically selected Sn2®Borage Oil comes from specially cultivated plants that are carefully harvested so that the seed will yield the highest level percentage of GLA percentage. The processed oil is then uniquely specified and analysed to ensure that the makeup of the triglyceride is optimised for bioavailability, with over 40% of the GLA located on the middle (sn-2) position. All the other naturally occurring components of the oil are also measured to ensure that they are within safe limits at high dose.

Sn2® Borage Oil costs around £2 per day. Our oil comes from specialist crop sources that are only grown in certain places to the right specification. This therefore leads to a food supplement use that is based on the very best quality oil, specifically selected for the appropriate bio-availability, and packaged for high dose use. Other, cheaper oil on the market will not have the same effectiveness, or ease of use.

Borage seed oil naturally contains a variety of components, including GLA, other fatty acids (including omega 9), and sterols.

We recommend taking 15ml daily, to ensure that you get over 1g a day of GLA on the sn-2 position of the triglyceride. Through our product specification and selection process we have ensured that the other naturally occurring components, such as omega 9 fatty acids (including erucic acid), are kept at the minimum safe levels for the dose we are recommending. Other standard borage oil products should not be taken at our recommended, high dose.

Vitamin E is often put into products of this type to provide shelf life stability. Sn2® Borage Oil is stable if stored once opened in a refrigerator and consumed as directed, without the addition of stabilisers and contains only the natural level of vitamin-E.

It is generally recommended for best effects food supplementation should be maintained, consistently over long periods (more than 6 months). Our research confirmed that this was true when taking Sn2® Borage Oil, details of which are available on our website www.medioil.co.uk. 

We have therefore ensured that Sn2® Borage Oil, which is sourced from specialist growers and processers, will be harvested at the right time and in the right way to ensure that the highest quality product with exactly the right proportion of GLA and sn-2 percentage is achieved and that other components of the oil are kept at a safe level. Our supply arrangements are managed so that we can grow enough plants each year for you take at the high daily volume we recommend, year in, year out.

GLA and borage oil have been scientifically researched in the area of multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative conditions. Most people get sufficient linoleic acid, the precursor to GLA, in their diets. However, scientific research has shown that many factors such as age, diet and some disease states, reduce linoleic acid’s ability to convert to GLA. 

Biologically fatty acids play an important role in brain function and anti-inflammatory responses via their effects on membrane structure, eicosanoids and cytokines.

Like all food supplements it should not be taken as an alternative to a healthy diet. As taking anything new in your diet may cause unexpected effects, and although it is very unlikely within our recommended dose that there will be interactions with medications, it is always recommended that you tell your healthcare professional when you start taking a food supplement like Sn2® Borage Oil. You should also discuss this with your healthcare professional if you are planning to get pregnant, are already pregnant or breast feeding.

There is some evidence that oil based food supplements are more effective and better tolerated when taken with food. People describe the flavour as similar to Olive Oil, with a “grassy” note. If you find the flavour unpalatable you may wish to improve this by mixing it with milk or a flavoured drink or even dipping with bread mixing with cooled soup or porridge.

Although it is not common, some people may experience an upset stomach from taking high doses of vegetable oils. If this is a problem, we suggest you try splitting the total dose into two or three smaller doses per day. 15mls daily is equivalent to three teaspoonfuls a day.

Having a healthy balanced diet helps the body work to its full potential. For people where high dose GLA is appropriate, a low saturated fat diet, which minimises foods like meat and dairy products e.g butter, milk, cheese etc., may be preferable.

We mean that you should not exceed the recommended daily dose of fish oil supplements.

Taking 15ml of Sn2® Borage Oil is a safe, daily, long term, dose for people where high dose GLA is appropriate. This dose has been calculated based on an average body weight (60-90kg). If your body weight varies significantly from average then we suggest you consult your healthcare professional.

Unopened bottles can be stored until the best before date in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Once opened, we recommend it is stored in the refrigerator and consumed within a month.

MediOil is a trading name of Copper Lime Ltd., a company focussed on developing science-supported food supplements. Copper Lime Ltd. owns the patents and the UK registered trademarks for MediOil® and Sn2® Borage Oil. The application of high dose borage oil is protected under the global patent family (UK Patent number 2415378) entitled “The use of triglycerides oils containing gamma-linolenic residues and linoleic acid residues for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease”.