What are alpha-linolenic acid’s main drawbacks?

    Written by:
    Katie Jantz

    Fact-checked

    by:

    Nick Milazzo
    Last Updated: May 16, 2025

    Although alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is generally safe and well tolerated, research on its adverse effects is limited, and many studies use ALA-rich foods that contain other bioactive compounds, which complicates the assessment of ALA's specific effects. Additionally, the widespread presence of ALA in the diet may lead to variability in clinical trial results due to unaccounted baseline intakes.

    ALA is generally considered to be safe and well-tolerated; however, there is a lack of research reporting on adverse effects.

    There are some important limitations to ALA research. Most trials provide ALA as foods or oils (e.g., flaxseed, walnut, canola, ALA-enriched-margarine), which means there are other bioactive compounds present, such as different fatty acids, fiber, vitamins and minerals, and polyphenols).[1] These compounds could influence the observed effects and make it challenging to disentangle the effects of ALA from the food as a whole. Additionally, ALA is ubiquitous in the diet, and many clinical trials do not account for baseline intakes of ALA which could impact the observed effects (or lack thereof).