What is Evening Primrose Oil?
Evening primrose is a plant native to North and South America. The oil from the seeds of evening primrose is used to make medicine.
It can be taken orally as a dietary supplement, rubbed on skin, used in foods as a source of essential fatty acids, or it can be used in soaps and cosmetics.
What is evening primrose oil used for?
People use evening primrose oil for eczema (a condition involving red, itchy skin, sometimes caused by allergies), rheumatoid arthritis, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), breast pain, menopause symptoms, and other conditions.
Many studies have been done to evaluate evening primrose oil for health conditions.
Most studies show that there is not enough evidence to support the use of evening primrose oil for most health conditions.
A small amount of evidence suggests that evening primrose oil might be helpful for diabetic neuropathy (nerve problems caused by diabetes). Research shows that taking evening primrose oil daily for 6-12 months improves symptoms of diabetic nerve damage.
Osteoporosis. Another study suggests that taking evening primrose oil with fish oil and calcium seems to decrease bone loss and increase bone density in elderly people with osteoporosis.
How does evening primrose oil work?
Evening primrose oil contains “fatty acids.” It is believed that the fatty acids help decrease inflammation related to conditions such as arthritis and eczema.
What are the side effects?
Evening primrose is LIKELY SAFE for most people when used in doses up to 5 grams (5,000 mg) daily for up to a year.
When taken by mouth, it can sometimes cause mild side effects including upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea, and headache.
What is the Dose of evening primrose oil?
The only dose that has been studied in scientific research is: 3-4 grams daily for breast pain.
The below doses are from Medscape and are “suggested doses” with no proven research behind it.
Eczema, Atopic 4-5 g oral daily
Mastalgia (breast pain) 3-4 g oral daily
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) 2-4 g oral daily
Rheumatoid Arthritis 540 mg-2.8 g oral daily
Don’t take evening primrose oil if:
- If you have a bleeding disorder.
- If you are on blood thinners (coumadin, plavix…)
- If you’re planning to have surgery, stop taking evening primrose oil two weeks beforehand.
- If you have epilepsy or schizophrenia. The supplement might increase your risk of seizures.
- If you are pregnant.
This information and more is from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1006/evening-primrose-oil
