What is it?
Evening primrose oil (EPO) is the oil extracted from the seed of the evening primrose plant. This plant has yellow flowers that bloom at night and is native to North America but grows in Europe and parts of the Southern hemisphere as well. The oil is usually put into capsules and sold for medicinal use.

How does it work?
Our body requires certain fats and oils for proper functioning. Evening primrose oil contains a couple of very important essential fatty acids (EFAs), including gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). Before we go any further let’s just explain these two words a bit more. There are two fatty acids that are essential – Omega 3 and Omega 6. They are essential because our body cannot function without them but unfortunately it cannot produce them like it does for other fatty acids, therefore we need to consume them in our diets. Now GLA is an Omega 6 essential fatty acid found abundantly in evening primrose oil.

This gamma linolenic acid is converted to a hormone-like substance called prostaglandin E1 which contains anti-inflammatory properties as well as acting as a blood thinner and causing blood vessels to get larger (dilate). It is these properties that are believed to give EPO its healing benefits.

Why Supplement
Although omega 6 fatty acids are usually consumed in sufficient quantities from the diet, compared to Omega 3 fatty acids, it has been suggested that some individuals may not produce enough GLA. For these individuals supplementation with GLA-containing oils, such as EPO, is occasionally recommended to increase GLA levels in the body. The dose of evening primrose oil varies from person to person and should be taken in combination with plenty of vitamin C to enhance its benefits as well as Vitamin E which helps prevent side effects from essential oils.

Omega 6 is an important part of a healthy diet, but Omega 6 fatty acids are also known for their pro-inflammatory properties which cause reduced blood flow. Pro-inflammatory means that they encourage inflammation within the body. Not all Omega 6 fatty acids cause inflammation because we know from above that GLA has anti-inflammatory properties but there is one that does – arachidonic acid (AA).

Arachidonic acid is also an Omega 6 fatty acid like GLA but it has very different effects on the body. In the body GLA and arachidonic acid (AA) compete with each other to be used and if our bodies use too much AA instead of GLA we are going to experience negative effects such as. If we can ensure that more GLA is present in our bodies, through supplementation of something like EPO, than we can decrease the negative effects of AA. Remember that inflammation is a natural healing process used by the body and it is only when we have too much inflammation that it causes a problem.

The other important thing to take into consideration is the intake ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 in our Westernized diets. We know Omega 3 is great for reducing inflammation, lowering triglycerides, lowering blood pressure, increasing good cholesterol and helping to prevent blood from clotting but unfortunately most of us do not take in enough Omega 3 fatty acids. We tend to take in more Omega 6 fatty acids than Omega 3 fatty acids which is believed to be the cause for the increase in cardiovascular disease, cancer and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases within our population. It is important than that if you are supplementing with EPO that you do not take this over and above your normal intake of Omega 6 from your diet, you need to replace some of your dietary Omega 6 with the EPO so that you do not increase your Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio even further. It is also a good idea to increase your intake of Omega 3 and even to replace certain foods high in Omega 6 with those high in Omega 3 to correct the balance. Although specific diseases require different ratios it is accepted that a ratio of 4 (Omega 6) : 1 (Omega 3) is a healthy one with many health promoting benefits. Most of us currently have a 15/16:1 ratio!!

Health Benefits
Evening primrose oil has been used since the 1930s for eczema (a condition in which the skin becomes inflamed, itchy, or scaly because of allergies or other irritations), psoriasis, and acne. More recently it has been used for other conditions involving inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Women use evening primrose oil to shorten labour, start labour, and prevent late deliveries. They also use evening primrose oil for pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), breast pain, endometriosis, and symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes. Some people are now using EPO for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS); asthma; nerve damage related to diabetes; hyperactivity in children and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); obesity and weight loss; and gastrointestinal disorders including ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and peptic ulcer disease.

When we look at the scientific evidence for these uses of EPO there are only modest benefits for eczema, and some possible benefits for rheumatoid arthritis and breast pain. With regards to menopausal symptoms there is very little evidence to support its benefits and although some clinical trials have shown a benefit of EPO for PMS, the best-designed trials found no effect. There is not enough evidence to support its use in the remaining conditions mentioned above.

It seems the best benefit for using EPO comes when you are deficient in essential fatty acids or need to decrease the inflammatory effects of arachidonic acid.

Side Effects
Evening primrose oil is well tolerated by most people. Mild side effects include gastrointestinal upset and headache. It is not a good idea to take EPO while pregnant as it may induce labour. People who are on blood thinning medications, such as Warfarin, should not be supplementing with EPO.

 Article Written by:  Claudia Misselhorn RD (SA) – Dieticians at Work

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