Evening Primrose Oil

Oil from the seed of the evening primrose, a small yellow wildflower (Oenothera biennis), is rich in linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid. This means that humans must consume this nutrient because it is not made by the body. Essential fatty acids are also plentiful in foods, notably nuts and seed. Evening primrose oil supplies another fatty acid, known as gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA (not to be confused with alpha-linolenic acid, which is one of the omega-3 fatty acids). You actually don’t need to consume GLA, because your body synthesizes it from linoleic acid and converts it to hormone-like chemicals important in maintaining health.

Claims, purported benefits: Evening primrose oil is said to cure, treat, or prevent rheumatoid arthritis, breast pain, hot flashes, premenstrual syndrome, eczema, and other skin problems; evening primrose oil is also said to lower blood cholesterol, and to be beneficial against diabetic neuropathy, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and heart disease.

Bottom line: You’ll do well to ignore nearly all the claims. Evening primrose oil is not effective against diabetic neuropathy. Current evidence shows evening primrose oil of no value in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome, diabetes, or heart disease. Evening primrose oil and similar products are unproven for any medical or health purpose. Manufacturers of evening primrose oil make troubling, unfounded, and illegal claims. It might be worth trying for rheumatoid arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation, but only on medical advice. Though evening primrose oil may cause headaches and rashes, it is generally safe, however, except in pregnancy.