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All About EVENING PRIMROSE OIL
March 9 2006 at 8:12 AM Sunset (no login)

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Evening Primrose Oil


Claims, Benefits: Cures, treats, or prevents practically everything—from rheumatoid arthritis, breast pain, hot flashes, premenstrual syndrome, eczema, and other skin problems to diabetic neuropathy, cancer, high blood cholesterol levels, and heart disease.

Bottom Line: Nearly all the claims are unproven. Might be worth trying for rheumatoid arthritis, but talk to your doctor first.

Full article, Wellness Letter, November 2003:

Down the Evening Primrose Path

In the Guide to Supplements on our website, evening primrose oil draws more visitors than any other page. Readers send us a lot of queries about it and about borage oil, a similar supplement, made from the seed of the borage plant, a common weed. It’s claimed that evening primrose oil and the less expensive borage oil cure, treat, or prevent practically everything—from rheumatoid arthritis, breast pain, hot flashes, premenstrual syndrome, eczema, and other skin problems to diabetic neuropathy, cancer, high blood cholesterol levels, and heart disease. So why not go ahead and take some, just for good measure?

Evening primrose, a small yellow wildflower (Oenothera biennis), has been used medicinally for centuries. The oil, pressed from the seed, is rich in linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid (EFA). "Essential" means that we have to consume the nutrient because the body does not produce it. Fortunately, EFAs are plentiful in foods, notably nuts and seeds. These polyunsaturated fats are good fats, unlike the saturated fats that contribute to heart disease.

Evening primrose oil also supplies another fatty acid, known as gamma-linolenic acid, GLA (not to be confused with alpha-linolenic acid, which is one of the omega-3 fatty acids). Borage oil, too, is high in GLA, as is black currant oil. You actually don’t need to consume this particular fatty acid, because your body synthesizes GLA from linoleic acid and converts it to hormone-like chemicals important in processes such as controlling inflammation, clotting the blood, and synthesizing cholesterol. Why buy GLA in a supplement when you make it yourself? Well, according to some proponents, your body doesn’t make enough of it, though no one knows how much is enough. It’s true that some diseases, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes, decrease the ability to convert linoleic acid into GLA, but that does not mean that GLA can be used to treat these diseases.

Knowledge versus claims

Science has not neglected evening primrose oil and the fatty acids it contains. A good deal is known about them, but the proposed benefits of the supplements are unproven. You’ll do well to ignore nearly all of the claims. One very small study did show some reduction in LDL ("bad") cholesterol, but there are better ways to accomplish this. A recent review of evidence by the American Board of Family Practice found that evening primrose oil has not been shown to be effective against diabetic neuropathy, despite the claims.

One common use for evening primrose and borage oil is for relieving the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis—the kind that produces inflamed joints (as opposed to osteoarthritis, which is caused by wear and tear on the joints). There is some preliminary evidence that it may help, and the Arthritis Foundation considers it worth trying for rheumatoid arthritis. But you should talk to your doctor first. Fish oil supplements are another option.

Can’t hurt, might help?

Evening primrose oil appears to be safe. Stomach upset, headaches, and rashes have been reported as side effects. None of these are fatal, of course. But borage oil may contain liver toxins. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York warns against it as a cancer therapy, even in "normal" doses, unless it is certified free of these toxins, and lists it with chaparral and comfrey as known liver toxins.
And yet another problem: in today’s market, you don’t know what you’re getting. There’s no such thing as a standardized dose, and the supplements may not contain what the label states. Such supplements can also turn rancid. Prices vary, and depending on what kind you buy and how much you take, you could spend $15 to $50 a month on what we believe is a waste of money.



Add it all up: Evening primrose oil and similar products are unproven, and their manufacturers make troubling and often outrageous claims. Borage oil may be dangerous unless the toxins have been removed. And why buy supplements when you can so easily and cheaply get EFAs from a wide range of good foods?

UC Berkeley Wellness Letter, November 2003


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Sunset
(Login liquidSunset)
EVE MEMBERS Evening primrose oil March 23 2006, 10:58 PM


It is the most researched plant source of Omega-6 EFAs.

The small seeds are high in GLA as well as linoleic acid.

Due to its very simple structure it allows for greater absorbtion of GLA without interference from other fats. This has made it the most reliable source of GLA.

More complex plant sources of GLA include borage oil, black current oil, contain higher concentrations of GLA compared to EPO- BUT they ALSO have a number of competing fatty acids (INCLUDING: SATURATED fats in the case of borage)

-THAT leads to INFERIOR GLA absoption and utilization in the body.
-Borage and Black current oils, being LESS researched may ALSO contain other toxic substances.

*A remarkable body of medical research has been conducted on EPO
-This has led to EPO becoming one of the most widely prescribed plant-derived medicines in the world.

*EPO has become a frontline treatment in Great Britan for initial treatment of cyclical breast pain and fibrocystic breast disease.

~Follow your heart-
Let your spirits lift you-
And then capture your dreams!
~Best wishes on a growing journey!~
*Sunset*
ALL ABOUT EVENING PRIMROSE OIL
March 9 2006 at 8:17 AM Mrs.Taylor (no login)

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~EVENING PRIMROSE OIL~Evening Primrose Oil has been called the most sensational preventive discovery since vitamin C. It contains the pain relieving compound phenylalanine and is increasingly being used to treat chronic headaches. It is currently being studied all over the world as a treatment for aging problems, alcoholism, acne, heart disease, hyperactivity in children, multiple sclerosis, weight control, obesity, PMS, and schizophrenia. It has so many preventive and therapeutic qualities that it has become a standard part of recommendations of many herbalist for maintaining youth and preventing disease. Black currant oil, and boarage oil are natural sources of a fatty acid called GLA(Gamma Linolenic Acid). The gamma-linoleic acid, linoleic acid and other nutrients in this oil are essential for cell structure and improve the elasticity of the skin. These fatty acids also help to regulate hormones and improve nerve function aiding problems ranging from PMS to migraine headaches. The hormone balancing effect contributes to healthy breast tissue.

It also promotes healthy growth of skin, hair, and nails. They are frequently suggested for skin conditions (including brittle nails and hair), arthritis, autoimmune disorders, and premenstrual syndrome. Do not expect immediate results; it takes six to eight weeks to see changes after adding GLA to the diet. These three products vary in the amount of GLA they supply and in cost, EPO should have at least 9%GLA.



Author Reply
Mrs.Taylor
(no login) Patience March 9 2006, 8:25 AM


Do not expect immediate results; it takes six to eight weeks to see changes after adding GLA to the diet. These three products vary in the amount of GLA they supply and in cost, EPO should have at least 9%GLA.
Borage oil versus Evening Primrose oil
November 21 2008 at 4:20 AM waxingmoon (Login waxingmoon)
SENIOR MEMBER

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Both Borage and Evening Primrose oil provide the Omega 6 essential fatty acid (gamma linolenic acid) but there are some important differences.

Borage oil seems to provide a greater amount of this fatty acid, but it also contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids which are a liver toxin in its fresh leaves. It does not contain very much of this toxin and if the oil which is made from the seeds it is unlikely to have much or any of this toxin present.

Here is a website that talks about borage oil:

http://www.evitamins.com/healthnotes.asp...ID=2811005

This site lists drug/herb interactions from borage oil:

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/ME2/dirmod....4CF51329DC

Lately someone brought up a question about the safety of using Borage oil and Vitex together. So far I have found no reference to this other than what was listed on the NOW brand of Borage oil.

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Evening Primrose oil has been more thoroughly researched than borage oil. Although it provides less GLA than Borage oil it also has no toxicity and is well tolerated by most people.

Here is an article that promotes the use of Evening primrose oil over Borage:

http://www.udoerasmus.com/articles/udo/epo_expanded.htm

I will add more info as I find it.

Best wishes,
waxingmoon