Interactions on record — worth a quick check against your medications. Based on 1 of 6 ingredients. Check your meds →
Dietary supplement

Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Cardiovascular Research

Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA label
See full label image
Softgel Capsule Category: Fat/fatty Acid
Most serious interaction: Moderate
Clinical methodology reviewed by · Updated Sep 16, 2026 · Label data from the NIH DSLD
What is this page for?

First and foremost: checking Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA against your medications. The heart of this page is the interaction checker and the full interaction report — how this product’s ingredients may interact with prescription and over-the-counter medicines you may be taking.

Around that, we add a pharmacist’s high-level view of the product as a whole — what’s inside, the evidence for its stated use, how transparent the label is, and what safety data exists — so you can see the full picture in one place. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases and the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist — not medical advice — and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA is a dietary supplement by Cardiovascular Research with 6 active ingredients. Its ingredients are commonly taken for heart health, healthy cooking fat, skin moisturizing.Based on those ingredients, 86 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Oleic Acid. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

Jump to a section

Check Your Meds Against Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA by Cardiovascular Research

Ask about any prescription or over-the-counter medication and we check it for interactions with Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA by Cardiovascular Research — and tell you which ingredient is responsible.

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HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA by Cardiovascular Research

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

Generated from HelloPharmacist’s pharmacist-curated databases and editorial rules · Last generated Jul 16, 2026

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 8 of its 8 active ingredients.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA contains 8 active ingredients — a blend of fatty acids extracted from black currant seeds. The main players are gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), oleic acid, and linoleic acid, along with other fats like stearic acid, palmitic acid, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

These are all naturally occurring oils and fats from the seed. The capsule itself is made of gelatin, glycerin, and water.

Does it work?

Moderate evidence
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Moderate

Some clinical evidence supports this product's ingredients for its stated purpose, but it isn't conclusive.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: Alpha-linolenic and gamma-linolenic acid source.
  • We looked for evidence on: Coronary heart disease (CHD), Hypertension, Hypercholesterolemia, Stroke, Cardiovascular health, Inflammation — and 1 related terms.
  • The strongest evidence on file: Oleic Acid is rated "Possibly Effective" for Coronary heart disease (CHD) (Natural Medicines).
  • Also on file: Oleic Acid is rated "Possibly Effective" for Hypercholesterolemia.
  • Also on file: Oleic Acid is rated "Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate" for Hypertension, Stroke.

Oleic acid — one of the active ingredients in this product — is rated possibly effective for high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) and coronary heart disease (CHD). The evidence isn't definitive, but there's enough research to suggest a benefit.

We don't have effectiveness data on file for the other fatty acids in this blend, so we can't say how they perform on their own or how the combination works together.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Oleic Acid

How safe is it?

Some data gaps
Safety Information · database check
Some gaps

Safety data exists for these ingredients, but with some important gaps.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 0 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Oleic acid is generally recognized as safe when you get it in normal food amounts — like from olive oil. At supplement-level doses, though, the safety data during pregnancy and breastfeeding isn't solid enough to know either way.

If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, talk it over with your doctor or pharmacist before taking this product. No adverse effects were reported in the data we hold.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Oleic Acid

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Oleic Acid.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: diabetes medications.
  • For scale: 86 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

If you take antidiabetes drugs (blood sugar medications), let your doctor or pharmacist know you're thinking about this product — oleic acid might increase their effect. No other medication interactions are documented for the ingredients we could check, but use the search tool on this page to verify your exact medications.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with some supporting evidence for its stated purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and some safety-information gaps remain.

This product might be worth considering if you're interested in supporting cholesterol and heart health, since oleic acid shows some promise there. If you take diabetes medication, check with your doctor or pharmacist first — this supplement might boost how those drugs work.

Pregnant or breastfeeding folks should also clear it with their healthcare provider before starting.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 8 active ingredients matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Jul 25, 2013.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA, straight from the product label.

Brand Cardiovascular Research
Net contents 90 Softgel(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Jul 25, 2013
DSLD ID 22412
Product type Fat/fatty Acid
Supplement form Softgel Capsule
Dietary claims / uses Nutrient, All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years)
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA by Cardiovascular Research, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
3 Softgel(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
3 Softgel(s)
Servings per container
90
IngredientAmount% DV
Calories5 {Calories}1%
Stearic Acid8 mg--
Calories from Fat5 {Calories}--
Total Fat0.5 g1%
Saturated Fat0.04 g1%
Polyunsaturated Fat0.4 g--
Gamma-Linolenic Acid70 mg--
Monounsaturated Fat0.06 g--
Linoleic Acid250 mg--
Oleic Acid50 mg--
Alpha-Linolenic Acid60 mg--
Palmitic Acid35 mg--

Other ingredients: Gelatin, Glycerin, Water

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

DIRECTIONS Take three softgels daily or as directed by a physician.

General Statements

10080066 EXP0312

BLACK CURRANT SEED OIL is one of the richest sources of Alpha-Linolenic Acid and Gamma-Linolenic Acid. This naturally occurring supplement provides the ideal ratio of linolenic, in addition to other nutritionally significant, fatty acids.

FDA Statement of Identity

A DIETARY SUPPLEMENT

Dietary Supplement

FDA Disclaimer Statement

This product has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent any disease.

Seals/Symbols

ECOLOGICAL FORMULAS

Is this label outdated? Report a formula or label change and our pharmacy team will review it.

See for yourself

Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA by Cardiovascular Research label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA label

Label images are published by the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database for the version of this product on file. Always read your actual product label.

View the full label (PDF)
What’s inside

The Ingredients in Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA by Cardiovascular Research

These are the 6 active ingredients this product is made of. Select any to open its full monograph.

Serving size3 Softgel(s) Dosage formSoftgel Capsule Servings per container90 Amounts shown are per serving.

Most supplement products combine several ingredients, and a medication can interact with the product through any one of them. Each ingredient below shows whether it has known drug interactions.

Stearic Acid

8 mg per serving

Gamma-Linolenic Acid

70 mg per serving

Linoleic Acid

250 mg per serving

Oleic Acid

Interacts with
86 drugs
50 mg per serving

Oleic acid is a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found mainly in olive oil, canola oil, avocados, and nuts. As part of a Mediterranean-style diet, it...

Oleic Acid monograph & interactions

Alpha-Linolenic Acid

60 mg per serving

Palmitic Acid

35 mg per serving

Other (inactive) ingredients: Gelatin, Glycerin, Water. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA by Cardiovascular Research Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

 Go to the checker
86Drugs
86 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Oleic Acid 86

Individual Drug Interactions

The ingredients in Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA interact with 86 drugs. Click any drug to see the details.

1 of the 6 ingredients in Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA interact with drugs. Each result below shows which ingredient is responsible. Oleic Acid

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Oleic Acid1 drug type · 86 drugs

Antidiabetes Drugs

Theoretically, oleic acid might increase the effects of antidiabetes drugs. Preliminary clinical research in patients with type 2 diabetes taking oral hypoglycemic drugs shows that eating a diet rich in oleic acid from olive oil decreases fasting blood glucose levels when compared to eating a diet rich in linoleic acid from sunflower oil. It is unknown if taking oleic acid supplements would have this effect or if this change is clinically significant. Until more is known, use caution. Dose adjustment may be necessary. Some antidiabetes drugs include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, metformin (Glucophage), pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and others.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B
Oleic Acid full monograph & interactions
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA, from the product label.

Cardiovascular Research

See all Cardiovascular Research products
Name
CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH, LTD.
Street Address
1061-B SHARY CIRCLE
City
CONCORD
State
CA
ZipCode
94518
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA by Cardiovascular Research: Common Questions

Does Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA by Cardiovascular Research interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA has a known interaction with 86 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA contains 6 active ingredients, and an interaction can come from any of them. We check every ingredient, combine the results into one list per medication, and show which ingredient and mechanism is responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
Does this product actually help with cholesterol or heart health?
Oleic acid, one of the main ingredients here, is rated possibly effective for high cholesterol and coronary heart disease — meaning there's research backing it, but it's not a slam dunk. The evidence is preliminary, so it's not a replacement for medications your doctor prescribed.
Is this safe to take if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding?
There isn't enough safety data on supplement-level doses of oleic acid during pregnancy and breastfeeding to know either way. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about whether this is right for you.
What exactly is GLA and ALA in the product name?
GLA is gamma-linolenic acid and ALA is alpha-linolenic acid — both are essential fatty acids your body needs. This product delivers them from black currant seed oil rather than from food sources.
I take a diabetes medication — is this safe to use?
Oleic acid in this product may increase how well diabetes medications work, which could lower your blood sugar more than expected. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting to make sure your dose is still right for you.
Are there any fillers or other ingredients I should know about?
The active ingredients are all fatty acids from the seed. The capsule itself uses gelatin, glycerin, and water — no unnecessary fillers.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Not sure if Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA is safe with your meds?

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Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA’s Ingredients

Every ingredient we hold a full HelloPharmacist monograph for — uses, evidence, safety, and the complete interaction list.

Herb & supplement monograph

Oleic Acid

Interacts with 86 drugs

Oleic acid is a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found mainly in olive oil, canola oil, avocados, and nuts. As part of a Mediterranean-style diet, it is widely viewed as a healthier replace...

Read the full Oleic Acid monograph →
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Black Currant Seed Oil GLA ALA's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 19 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Oleic Acid 19 references
  1. Madigan C, Ryan M, Owens D, et al. Dietary unsaturated fatty acids in type 2 diabetes: higher levels of postprandial lipoprotein on a linoleic acid-rich sunflower oil diet compared with an oleic acid-rich olive oil diet. Diabetes Care 2000;23:1472-7. PubMed
  2. Gillingham, L. G., Gustafson, J. A., Han, S. Y., Jassal, D. S., and Jones, P. J. High-oleic rapeseed (canola) and flaxseed oils modulate serum lipids and inflammatory biomarkers in hypercholesterolaemic subjects. Br J Nutr 2011;105(3):417-427. PubMed
  3. Jones PJ, Senanayake VK, Pu S, Jenkins DJ, Connelly PW, Lamarche B, Couture P, Charest A, Baril-Gravel L, West SG, Liu X, Fleming JA, McCrea CE, Kris-Etherton PM. DHA-enriched high-oleic acid canola oil improves lipid profile and lowers predicted cardiova
  4. Cater, N. B., Heller, H. J., and Denke, M. A. Comparison of the effects of medium-chain triacylglycerols, palm oil, and high oleic acid sunflower oil on plasma triacylglycerol fatty acids and lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in humans. Am.J Clin.Nutr PubMed
  5. Mozaffarian D, Clarke R. Quantitative effects on cardiovascular risk factors and coronary heart disease risk of replacing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils with other fats and oils. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009;63(Suppl 2):S22-33. PubMed
  6. Cao Y, Hou L, Wang W. Dietary total fat and fatty acids intake, serum fatty acids and risk of breast cancer: A meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Int J Cancer. 2016;138(8):1894-904. doi: 10.1002/ijc.29938. PubMed
  7. FDA completes review of qualified health claim petition for oleic acid and the risk of coronary heart disease. November 2018. Available at: www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm624758.htm. Accessed January 25, 2019.
  8. Liu X, Kris-Etherton PM, West SG, et al. Effects of canola and high-oleic-acid canola oils on abdominal fat mass in individuals with central obesity. Obesity. 2016;24(11):2261-2268. PubMed
  9. Bowen KJ, Kris-Etherton PM, West SG, et al. Diets enriched with conventional or high-oleic acid canola oils lower atherogenic lipids and lipoproteins compared to a diet with a western fatty acid profile in adults with central adiposity. J Nutr. 2019;149(3 PubMed
  10. Steffen BT, Duprez D, Szklo M, Guan W, Tsai MY. Circulating oleic acid levels are related to greater risks of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. J Clin Lipidol. 2018;12(6):1404-1412. PubMed
  11. Banim PJ, Luben R, Khaw KT, Hart AR. Dietary oleic acid is inversely associated with pancreatic cancer - Data from food diaries in a cohort study. Pancreatology. 2018;18(6):655-660. PubMed
  12. Morin SJ, Gaziano JM, Djoussé L. Relation between plasma phospholipid oleic acid and risk of heart failure. Eur J Nutr. 2018;57(8):2937-2942. PubMed
  13. Samieri C, Féart C, Proust-Lima C, et al. Olive oil consumption, plasma oleic acid, and stroke incidence: the Three-City Study. Neurology. 2011;77(5):418-25. PubMed
  14. Compher CW, Kinosian BP, Rubesin SE, Ratcliffe SJ, Metz DC. Energy absorption is reduced with oleic acid supplements in human short bowel syndrome. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2009;33(1):102-8. PubMed
  15. Ben Fradj MK, Ouanes Y, Hadj-Taieb S, et al. Decreased oleic acid and marine n?-?3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in Tunisian patients with urothelial bladder cancer. Nutr Cancer. 2018;70(7):1043-1050.
  16. de Silva PS, Luben R, Shrestha SS, Khaw KT, Hart AR. Dietary arachidonic and oleic acid intake in ulcerative colitis etiology: a prospective cohort study using 7-day food diaries. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2014;26(1):11-8. PubMed
  17. Higashi K, Shige H, Ito T, et al. Effect of a low-fat diet enriched with oleic acid on postprandial lipemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Lipids. 2001;36(1):1-6. PubMed
  18. Lin HC, van Citters GW, Heimer F, Bonorris G. Slowing of gastrointestinal transit by oleic acid: a preliminary report of a novel, nutrient-based treatment in humans. Dig Dis Sci. 2001;46(2):223-9. PubMed
  19. Li D, Tong Y, Li Y. Associations between dietary oleic acid and linoleic acid and depressive symptoms in perimenopausal women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. Nutrition. 2020 Mar;71:110602. PubMed

See these in context on the Oleic Acid monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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