Evening Primrose Oil is extracted from seeds of the evening primrose plant (Oenothera biennis) - a wildflower that grows in eastern and central North America.
Originally, evening primrose was used by Native Americans to make poultices and heal wounds. It was also traditionally eaten and used as a leaf vegetable.
Nowadays evening primrose is mainly used for the production of its oil, which has a range of therapeutic properties.
The oil is commonly used to help reduce the pains associated with premenstrual stress syndrome (PMS) and for its therapeutic benefits for the skin of the face. There are other possible therapeutic properties of the oil as well.
Evening primrose is normally available as an oil or in capsules.
What makes Evening Primrose Oil special?
Evening Primrose
The oil is extracted from the seeds of the plant
Oenothera biennis
Evening primrose seeds have very high levels of the essential fatty acid "gamma-linolenic acid" (GLA), also known as "omega-6". The oil contains up to 15% gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and 70% linolenic acid, which your body turns into GLA. The body eventually converts GLA into prostaglandins - hormones necessary for a number of important functions.
Evening primrose oil is one of the richest sources of GLA, crucial for maintaining a joint's cell structure and function.
The oil could also be used to treat problems with inflammation and auto-immune diseases - although research confirming this remains scarce.
Medicinal uses
Evening primrose oil is primarily used to treat symptoms of skin conditions. It is very good at alleviating itchiness caused by dermatitis and eczema - the strongest evidence is for treatment of eczema. Women often use the oil to help with breast pains caused by PMS.
Evening primrose oil is mainly used to treat:
Eczema - Evening primrose has proved to be an effective treatment option for people suffering from eczema. In a study, which included over 1,200 patients, evening primrose oil was remarkably good at relieving many of their symptoms, such as itching, redness and edema.
Breast pain - Evening primrose oil is commonly used to alleviate mastalgia (breast pain) and some research has shown promising results.
However, one study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, found that "neither evening primrose oil nor fish oil offered clear benefits over control oils in the treatment of mastalgia."
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) - Although more "high-quality" studies are necessary to evaluate the true efficacy of evening primrose oil for treating PMS, many women around the world take it because they say it helps.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) - Some studies have showed that RA patients who took evening primrose oil began feeling slightly better. One clinical trial involving 49 people found that "94% of participants who got EPO alone and 93% who received EPO combined with fish oil reported a significant improvement of disease-related symptoms, including pain and morning stiffness, compared to only 30% in the placebo group."
Evening primrose oil might also be effective for the following illnesses and conditions:
Hot flashes (UK: hot flushes)
Heart disease
High cholesterol
Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - An Australian study found that evening primrose oil significantly improved the attention and behavior of children with ADHD.
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Side effects and complications linked to Evening Primrose Oil usage
If taken at the right dosage - 6 grams (540 mg GLA) - side effects are rare.
Some common side effects include:
Diarrhea
Skin rashes
Nausea
According to Arthritis Research UK, people who suffer from epilepsy should not take evening primrose oil as it may increase their risk of seizures.
Originally, evening primrose was used by Native Americans to make poultices and heal wounds. It was also traditionally eaten and used as a leaf vegetable.
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| The oil is extracted from the seeds of the plant | Oenothera biennis |
The oil is commonly used to help reduce the pains associated with premenstrual stress syndrome (PMS) and for its therapeutic benefits for the skin of the face. There are other possible therapeutic properties of the oil as well.
Evening primrose is normally available as an oil or in capsules.
What makes Evening Primrose Oil special?
Evening Primrose
The oil is extracted from the seeds of the plant
Oenothera biennis
Evening primrose seeds have very high levels of the essential fatty acid "gamma-linolenic acid" (GLA), also known as "omega-6". The oil contains up to 15% gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and 70% linolenic acid, which your body turns into GLA. The body eventually converts GLA into prostaglandins - hormones necessary for a number of important functions.
Evening primrose oil is one of the richest sources of GLA, crucial for maintaining a joint's cell structure and function.
The oil could also be used to treat problems with inflammation and auto-immune diseases - although research confirming this remains scarce.
Medicinal uses
Evening primrose oil is primarily used to treat symptoms of skin conditions. It is very good at alleviating itchiness caused by dermatitis and eczema - the strongest evidence is for treatment of eczema. Women often use the oil to help with breast pains caused by PMS.
Evening primrose oil is mainly used to treat:
Eczema - Evening primrose has proved to be an effective treatment option for people suffering from eczema. In a study, which included over 1,200 patients, evening primrose oil was remarkably good at relieving many of their symptoms, such as itching, redness and edema.
Breast pain - Evening primrose oil is commonly used to alleviate mastalgia (breast pain) and some research has shown promising results.
However, one study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, found that "neither evening primrose oil nor fish oil offered clear benefits over control oils in the treatment of mastalgia."
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) - Although more "high-quality" studies are necessary to evaluate the true efficacy of evening primrose oil for treating PMS, many women around the world take it because they say it helps.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) - Some studies have showed that RA patients who took evening primrose oil began feeling slightly better. One clinical trial involving 49 people found that "94% of participants who got EPO alone and 93% who received EPO combined with fish oil reported a significant improvement of disease-related symptoms, including pain and morning stiffness, compared to only 30% in the placebo group."
Evening primrose oil might also be effective for the following illnesses and conditions:
Hot flashes (UK: hot flushes)
Heart disease
High cholesterol
Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - An Australian study found that evening primrose oil significantly improved the attention and behavior of children with ADHD.
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Side effects and complications linked to Evening Primrose Oil usage
If taken at the right dosage - 6 grams (540 mg GLA) - side effects are rare.
Some common side effects include:
Diarrhea
Skin rashes
Nausea
According to Arthritis Research UK, people who suffer from epilepsy should not take evening primrose oil as it may increase their risk of seizures.