Full Answer
What are the risks of taking evening primrose oil?
Research on evening primrose use for specific conditions shows:
- Atopic dermatitis (eczema). Research on oral use of evening primrose oil to treat eczema has produced conflicting results. ...
- Diabetic neuropathy. Research on the use of evening primrose oil to treat this type of nerve damage that can occur if you have diabetes has been inconclusive.
- Premenstrual syndrome (PMS). ...
What are the different evening primrose oil benefits?
Benefits
- Hormones (PMS + Menopause Symptoms) What does evening primrose do to hormones? ...
- Fertility. EPO seems to help increase the production of cervical mucus, a factor in successful reproduction and thus a natural treatment for infertility, since this fluid helps create a ...
- Acne. ...
- Hair Loss. ...
- Skin Health. ...
- Rheumatoid Arthritis. ...
- Osteoporosis. ...
How much evening primrose oil is safe to take?
When taken by mouth: Evening primrose is LIKELY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth in doses up to 6 grams daily. It may cause mild side effects including upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea, and headache in some people. How do you take evening primrose oil? Evening primrose oil comes in capsules, which can be taken orally or inserted vaginally.
Can you gain weight with evening primrose capsules?
Weight increased is found among people who take Evening primrose oil, especially for people who are female, 40-49 old. The phase IV clinical study analyzes which people take Evening primrose oil and have Weight increased.
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What happens if you take evening primrose oil everyday?
When taken by mouth: Evening primrose oil is likely safe for most people when taken in doses up to 6 grams daily for up to 1 year. It might cause mild side effects including upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea, and headache in some people.
What does evening primrose do to hormones?
Pre-Menstrual Syndrome and Menopause: Evening primrose oil helps support hormonal balance and has been found to be effective at reducing menstrual cramping, bloat, water retention, breast tenderness and irritability due to hormonal shifts during a women's cycle.
When should you not take evening primrose oil?
Don't take evening primrose if you have a bleeding disorder. Oral use of the supplement might increase the risk of bleeding. If you're planning to have surgery, stop taking evening primrose two weeks beforehand. Also, don't take evening primrose if you have epilepsy or schizophrenia.
How long does it take for evening primrose oil to work?
How long does evening primrose oil take to work? It may take up to 6 weeks for you to notice any difference, but most people report changes after 1 to 2 weeks.
Does Primrose help with weight loss?
There was no significant difference in the weight loss achieved by those taking EPO compared with placebo, either in the subjects with refractory obesity or in those treated at time of initial referral. It would appear that any antiobesity property possessed by EPO is clinically insignificant.
When should I take evening primrose oil morning or night?
Evening Primrose Oil Take one capsule up to three times per day, with meals, starting at 38 weeks. If your bag of water is intact and you are not having vaginal bleeding, you can also place one Evening Primrose Oil softgel deep in the vagina at night to work directly on the cervix while you sleep.
Is primrose oil good for skin?
Evening primrose oil has many properties that are beneficial to the health of your skin. Not only does evening primrose oil moisturise and soothe, it can enhance the texture and elasticity of skin, addressing dryness, irritation, roughness and wrinkles.
Can you take multivitamins and evening primrose oil together?
Interactions between your drugs No interactions were found between Evening Primrose Oil and multivitamin.
Is evening primrose oil good for anxiety?
“Symptoms usually start in childhood and are made worse under stressful situations. The wonderful thing is that the symptoms can be completely alleviated with taking these supplements: zinc, vitamin B6, and evening primrose oil. People typically start to feel less anxious, less shy, and more social within a week.
Does EPO cause weight gain?
Erythropoietin (Epo) is a pleotropic cytokine with several nonhematopoietic tissue effects. High-dose Epo treatment-mediated effects on body weight, fat mass and glucose tolerance have recently been reported, thus extending its pleotropic effects to fat and glucose metabolism.
How long can you take EPO capsules?
How to use: Take EPO capsules containing 360 to 480 mg GLA daily for up to one year.
How to reduce EPO side effects?
To reduce your risks for side effects, always use the lowest dose possible . If you begin having unusual or persistent side effects, discontinue use and see your doctor. Last medically reviewed on January 23, 2019.
Why do women have PMS?
Researchers believe some women experience PMS because they’re sensitive to normal prolactin levels in the body. GLA converts to a substance in the body (prostaglandin E1) thought to help prevent prolactin from triggering PMS. According to a 2010 study. Trusted Source.
What is EPO oil?
Evening primrose oil (EPO) is made from the seeds of the flowers of a plant native to North America. The plant has traditionally been used to treat: Its healing benefits may be due to its gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) content. GLA is an omega-6 fatty acid found in plant oils.
How long can you take EPO?
How to use: In studies, one to four EPO capsules were taken twice daily for 12 weeks. To use topically, you can apply 1 milliliter (mL) of 20 percent EPO to the skin twice daily for up to four months. 3. It can help improve overall skin health. According to a 2005 study.
Does EPO lower systolic pressure?
According to a 2013 study, those taking EPO had a slightly higher systolic blood pressure. Researchers called the reduction “a clinically meaningful difference.”
Does EPO help with heart disease?
According to a 2014 study on rats, EPO is anti-inflammatory and helps reduce blood cholesterol. Most people with heart disease have inflammation in the body, although it hasn’t been proven that inflammation causes heart disease.
What is evening primrose oil?
Amounts and Dosage. Evening primrose is a plant with yellow flowers native to North America. Its seeds are used to produce evening primrose oil, also sometimes called night willow herb, fever plant, or King’s cure-all. Native Americans used evening primrose oil to heal wounds and treat issues like stomach pain and sore throat.
What is primrose oil used for?
Native Americans used evening primrose oil to heal wounds and treat issues like stomach pain and sore throat. By the 17th century, it became a popular folk remedy in Europe — where it earned the nickname “King’s cure-all”.
Does primrose oil increase blood pressure?
Evening primrose oil may increase blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to heart-related problems like a heart attack, stroke, or other heart diseases. Talk to your doctor before taking the oil if you are managing your blood pressure levels. Do not take evening primrose oil if you are pregnant.
Does primrose oil help with hot flashes?
Evening primrose oil has been shown to help relieve hot flashes in menopausal women , including their severity, frequency, and duration. One clinical trial found that in addition to hot flash relief, participants taking the oil also improved other metrics like social interactions and sexuality. Arthritis Pain Reduction.
Does primrose oil cause PMS?
Scientists believe that sensitivity to changing hormone levels may cause premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms in women. These hormones are influenced by essential fatty acids like the GLA in evening primrose oil, pointing to the oil’s potential to alleviate discomfort.
Is primrose oil a fatty acid?
Evening primrose oil is rich with gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and pain-relieving effects. Many people use GLA as a type of medicine. Researchers believe its soothing properties contribute to evening primroseoil’s potential health benefits like:
Does primrose oil affect blood thinners?
Medication Interactions. Evening primrose oil may enhance the effects of blood thinners or antiplatelet medications or increase bleeding risk in people taking them. Evening primrose oil also significantly increases the levels of antiretroviral drugs that treat HIV, which can raise the risk of adverse effects.
What Is Evening Primrose Oil Used for?
Possible Side Effects
- Like most supplements, there hasn't been much research assessing the long-term safety of evening primrose oil. In some cases, primrose oil may cause side effects such as:1 1. Stomach upset 2. Headache 3. Nausea 4. Diarrhea Most of the side effects are low-grade and resolve on their own once the treatment is stopped.
Precautions and Drug Interactions
- Advise your healthcare provider if you are taking evening primrose oil—or any supplement—to avoid drug interactions and potentially serious side effects. Evening primrose oil should be used cautiously if you have certain medical conditions. Among them: 1. Evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding in people with bleeding disorders. 2. If you have upcoming surgery, …
Dosage and Preparation
- Supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the same way drugs are. As such, there are no universal guidelines regarding the appropriate use of evening primrose oil. Generally speaking, a daily dose of 500 mg is considered safe in adults, although many can tolerate up to 1,300 mg a day without any side effects. Due to the lack of research, ev…
Storage
- Evening primrose oil contains a high proportion of unsaturated fats, which are susceptible to a breakdown process called oxidative deterioration. If this occurs, the quality of the supplements is compromised. Any product rich in unsaturated oil can go rancid, including bottled primrose oil and primrose oil gel caps.
What to Look For
- Dietary supplements like evening primrose oil are not required to undergo the rigorous testing that pharmaceutical drugs do. Instead, the FDA imposes certain standards regarding the manufacturing and labeling of these supplements. Even so, there is often considerable variation in the quality of supplements like evening primrose oil. If you are strictly vegan or vegetarian, only …
Summary
- There's some research that supports the use of evening primrose oil for certain conditions that cause pain. But since the studies are limited and often mixed, no firm conclusions about benefits can be made. If you are interested in trying evening primrose oil, always discuss it with your healthcare provider and mention any medications you are taking and conditions that you have s…