what's the benefits of evening primrose oil

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 is evening primrose and what are its benefits?

• What is evening primrose oil?
• The most important properties of evening primrose oil for women's health Relieves symptoms of menopause Useful for Premenstrual Syndrome To regulate menstruation and ease your pain Reduces high cholesterol and ...
• How to take evening primrose oil to enjoy its benefits

How effective is evening primrose oil?

What Have We Learned?

• There’s not enough evidence to support the use of evening primrose oil for any health condition.
• Evening primrose oil, taken orally (by mouth), has not been shown to be helpful for relieving symptoms of atopic dermatitis.
• Studies of evening primrose oil for breast pain have not found it to be more effective than a placebo (an inactive substance).

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What are the benefits of taking evening primrose?

What are the benefits of taking evening primrose?

• It can help clear up acne.
• It may help ease eczema.
• It can help improve overall skin health.
• It may help relieve PMS symptoms.
• It can help minimize breast pain.
• It may help reduce hot flashes.
• It may help reduce high blood pressure.
• It may help improve heart health.

What does evening primrose oil do for a woman?

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.

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.

Should I take evening primrose oil in the morning or evening?

Generally speaking, EPO is taken every day – around one to three evening primrose oil capsules should be taken, preferably with a meal to aid absorption. In terms of whether you take it first thing or at night, follow the recommended guidance.

How long does it take for evening primrose 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.

Will evening primrose oil make you gain weight?

GLA, the active ingredient in evening primrose oil, has been shown to help prevent weight regain in formerly obese individuals.

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.

Does primrose oil increase estrogen?

Evening primrose oil There's very little recent research on the benefits of evening primrose oil for estrogen. However, one study found that of over 2,200 women that used EPO after discontinuing hormone replacement therapy, 889 reported EPO as useful for controlling the symptoms of low estrogen with menopause.

Can you take multivitamins and evening primrose oil together?

Interactions between your drugs No interactions were found between Evening Primrose Oil and multivitamin.

Is primrose oil good for skin?

Evening Primrose Oil Helps Maintain Skin Hydration In skincare formulations, evening primrose oil has emollient properties, meaning it helps soften and smooth the skin, improving the skin's overall texture. It also helps lock in moisture to minimize water loss.

Does evening primrose oil help with wrinkles?

Help reduce wrinkles Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which is found in evening primrose oil, is known to have a multitude of skin benefits including smoothing wrinkles.

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 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.

Does EPO help with hot flashes?

It may help reduce hot flashes. EPO may reduce the severity of hot flashes, one of the most uncomfortable side effects of menopause. According to a 2010 literature review, there’s not enough evidence that over-the-counter remedies such as EPO help hot flashes. A later study, however, came to a different conclusion.

Does EPO help with pain?

It can help minimize breast pain. If you experience breast pain so severe during your period that it interferes with your life, taking EPO may help. According to a 2010 study, the GLA in EPO is thought to reduce inflammation and help inhibit prostaglandins that cause cyclical breast pain.

How to use evening primrose oil?

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 or those taking anticoagulants ("blood thinners"). 2 If you have upcoming surgery, you should stop taking evening primrose oil two weeks beforehand to prevent excessive bleeding. 3 Pregnant women should not take evening primrose oil, since it may increase the risk of miscarriage or induced labor.

What is primrose oil used for?

In 1993, evening primrose oil was first proposed as a possible treatment of diabetic neuropathy, 7  an often debilitating nerve pain mainly affecting the feet and legs. Since then, there has been evidence to support some of these claims.

How long does primrose oil last in the refrigerator?

Although primrose oil can keep for up to six months in the refrigerator, for greatest efficacy, buy only as much as you can use within three months.

How long does primrose oil help with hot flashes?

While the body of evidence remains mixed, a 2013 study in the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics found that a daily, 500-milligram dose of evening primrose oil provided modest relief of hot flashes after six weeks.

Where does evening primrose oil come from?

Evening primrose oil is extracted from the seeds of evening primrose ( Oenothera biennis ), a plant native to North America. It gets its name from its yellow blossoms, which bloom in the evening. The oil contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid that has both anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain-relieving) properties.

Can primrose oil cause nausea?

In some cases, primrose oil may cause side effects such as stomach upset, headache, nausea , and diarrhea. 2  Most of the side effects are low-grade and resolve on their own once the treatment is stopped. Evening primrose oil should be used cautiously if you have certain medical conditions. Among them:

Does primrose oil help with menstrual cramps?

Evening primrose oil is also sometimes used to alleviate menstrual cramps and PMS. 4  To date, there is no conclusive evidence to support these claims. Evening Primrose Oil and Menopause.

Why do women take evening primrose oil?

What are the benefits of taking evening primrose oil capsules? For starters, women around the world take evening primrose oil to naturally treat PMS symptoms because of its essential fatty acid content. Getting enough omega-6 fatty acids, such as LA and GLA, is shown to support overall hormonal function within the body.

How long does it take for primrose oil to work?

When using evening primrose oil for symptoms of arthritis, it may take one to three months for benefits to appear. ( 12)

Why is primrose oil good for psoriasis?

An evening primrose oil benefit is its ability to help naturally treat psoriasis — because the essential fatty acids help with hormone balance and digestion.

Why do blue foxes use primrose oil?

An animal study done at the Department of Animal Nutrition and Management included male and female blue foxes that were given evening primrose oil during mating season in order to measure its effect on reproductive performance.

Why is oil important for human health?

The oil is high in essential fatty acids — which provide the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones and hormone-like substances . ( 1) Essential fatty acids are necessary for human health, but the body can’t make them — you have to get them through food.

Does primrose oil cause nausea?

Evening primrose oil side effects are rare, but reported side effects have included headache, stomach upset, nausea, dizziness and rash. ( 14) Recent research reveals that too much omega-6 in the diet creates an imbalance that can interfere with production of important prostaglandins.

Is evening primrose oil good for acne?

Is evening primrose oil acne clearing? Even though there aren’t a lot of studies to prove evening primrose’s benefits for acne, dermatologists are known to recommend it as part of an anti-acne regimen and first-hand accounts by acne sufferers also celebrate its skin-clearing benefits when used externally and/or internally. ( 6, 7)

Why is primrose oil used in labor?

11. Induce Labor. Evening primrose oil has been used by midwives to prepare the cervix for labor[19] for centuries.

Is primrose oil good for menopause?

Evening primrose oil is an excellent solution to many beauty and health issues. It’s best known for its capacity to alleviate menopausal symptoms, induce labor, and balance the hormone levels. This oil will bring a lot of benefits to your skin, hair, and health if used regularly. Keep reading this article to discover more about ...

Is primrose oil bad for you?

Allergies: Some people may be allergic to evening primrose oil. Common allergic symptoms include rashes, nausea, skin irritation, vomiting, irritability, and abdominal pain. In this article, you already knew the information associated with evening primrose oil capsules.

Does primrose oil help with cholesterol?

A study in 2014 on rats showed that evening primrose oil is an anti-inflammatory agent, and it assists in reducing blood cholesterol [3]. This oil reduces cholesterol and blood pressure , which, in turn, maintains heart health.

Is it safe to take EPO oil while pregnant?

During pregnancy, taking EPO is possibly unsafe[34]. It might increase the risk of pregnancy complications. If you are pregnant, don’t use this oil. During breastfeeding, taking evening primrose oil is likely safe. But it is best to consult your healthcare provider first. It may sometimes cause some mild side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, upset stomach, and headache[35]. If EPO is consumed or used in excess, there may be a few severe side effects, including:

Here's what you need to know about this all-natural cure-all and how you can use it to ease pesky symptoms and freshen up in ways you never knew you could

Here's what you need to know about this all-natural cure-all and how you can use it to ease pesky symptoms and freshen up in ways you never knew you could.

Understanding evening primrose oil

Though it sounds like it might be related to the ever-romantic and regal rose we all know and love, evening primrose is actually quite different. It’s a small, yellow wildflower found in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia that’s most sought-out for its oil.

Relief from skin conditions

Evening primrose oil might help relieve symptoms of notoriously difficult-to-treat and painful skin conditions, such as psoriasis and eczema. According to Maat van Uitert, essential oil expert and founder of FrugalChicken, the high omega-6 fatty acid content of primrose oil helps ease symptoms.

Help reduce wrinkles

Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which is found in evening primrose oil, is known to have a multitude of skin benefits including smoothing wrinkles. “The potent level of antioxidants in evening primrose helps to neutralize free radicals, which protect the skin from oxidation in living tissue,” explains June Jacobs, CEO of the June Jacobs Spa Collection.

Slow hair loss

Studies have indicated that using evening primrose oil topically might help with hair loss. One study, by the University of Maryland, which gave patients who’d experienced significant hair loss primrose oil to take for seven months, found that the patients had significant hair regrowth by the end.

Heal nerve damage

Since evening primrose oil is rich in omega-6 essential fatty acids—which have some surprising health benefits —and gamma-linolenic acids, researchers have begun looking more deeply into the internal benefits of the supplement.

Reduce breast pain

One significant finding about evening primrose oil will make expectant mothers happy. “Evening primrose oil might help reduce breast pain in pregnant women,” says van Uitert. One study, published in the Alternative Medicine Review, found this to be a side effect of mixing evening primrose oil with vitamin E.

What is the oil of evening primrose used for?

The oil from the seeds of evening primrose is most often used to make medicine. Evening primrose is used for premenstrual syndrome ( PMS ), symptoms of menopause, arthritis, swelling, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support its use.

How long does it take for evening primrose to work?

Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Early research shows that taking evening primrose, up to 4 grams daily for 4-6 weeks, doesn't seem to improve ADHD symptoms in children.

Is evening primrose good for infants?

Some early research shows that adding evening primrose and fish oil to regular infant formula might provide levels of some types of fats that are closer to those in breast milk. In one study, infants fed this formula had better eyesight than infants fed regular formula, but not better than those who were breastfed.

Does primrose help with asthma?

Asthma. Several small studies show that taking 15-20 mL or 4-6 grams of evening primrose daily for up to 16 weeks doesn't improve asthma symptoms. Breast pain (mastalgia). High quality research shows that evening primrose is no more effective than a placebo (sugar pill) for reducing breast pain.

Does primrose oil help with breast pain?

Evening primrose oil contains “fatty acids.”. Some women with breast pain might not have high enough levels of certain ”fatty acids.”. Fatty acids also seem to help decrease inflammation related to conditions such as arthritis and eczema.

Does primrose oil interact with phenothiazines?

Phenothiazines interacts with EVENING PRIM ROSE OIL. Taking evening primrose oil with phenothiazines might increase the risk of having a seizure in some people. Some phenothiazines include chlorpromazine (Thorazine), fluphenazine (Prolixin), trifluoperazine (Stelazine), thioridazine (Mellaril), and others. Dosing.

Does primrose oil slow blood clotting?

Taking evening primrose oil along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding. Evening primrose oil contains GLA (gamma-linolenic acid). GLA is the part of evening primrose oil that might slow blood clotting.

What is evening primrose oil?

Evening primrose is a plant with yellow flowers. Evening primrose oil extracted from plant seeds is usually sold in capsules. The supplement contains the fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). People take evening primrose oil orally to treat a wide variety of conditions.

Can you use primrose oil for PMS?

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Research suggests no benefit for oral use of evening primrose oil to treat symptoms of PMS.

Does primrose oil slow down seizures?

Evening primrose oil might slow down how quickly this medication is broken down in the body. Phenothiazines. Taking evening primrose oil with these drugs used to treat serious mental and emotional disorders might increase risk of seizures in some people. Evening primrose oil.

Does primrose oil help with bleeding?

These types of drugs, herbs and supplements reduce blood clotting. Combining oral use of evening primrose oil with them might increase the risk of bleeding.

Can you take evening primrose oil for bleeding?

When taken in appropriate amounts short term, oral use of evening primrose oil is most likely safe. 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.

Does evening primrose oil help with eczema?

The most comprehensive evaluation is that evening primrose taken orally doesn't effectively relieve the signs and symptoms of eczema. Diabetic neuropathy.

What Is Evening Primrose Oil Used for?

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