Evening Primrose Oil Benefits And Side Effects of Health

Evening primrose oil has been used for centuries as a natural medicine.   In America the Native Americans used it to treat inflammation.  When it came to Europe in the 1600s it was known as “King’s Cure All”. In recent years evening primrose oil has been used in health and beauty treatments as well as to treat many ailments including depression, obesity, eczema, arthritis and even cancer.  It has long been a favourite amongst natural health practitioners due to its relatively few side effects.

What is Evening Primrose Oil?

Evening primrose oil is made from the crushed seeds of the evening primrose, a night flowering plant common across North America and Europe.  When the seeds are crushed, the oil is released.  This oil is rich in two essential fatty acids known as gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and linolenic acid (LA) both are omega 6 fatty acids.  GLA is believed to be useful in dealing with problems of inflammation within the body and LA is known to help the skin to remain healthy.

Evening Primrose Oil Benefits

Seventeenth century Europeans called evening primrose oil the cure all, because it has a beneficial effect on a wild variety of ailments and diseases.  Among the most widely recognised evening primrose oil benefits are in its successful treatment of hair and scalp problems, eczema, pms symptoms, menopause and rheumatoid arthritis.

In fact, the health benefits of evening primrose oil have been well documented for conditions such as eczema, rheumatoid arthritis and breast cancer.  Since the 1930s evening primrose oil has been used to treat eczema and a survey in 2006 by Morse, N and Clough, P discovered that evening primrose oil is highly effective in managing eczema flair-ups.  In fact over thirty studies have found that evening primrose oil benefits eczema and dermatitis sufferers.

A study in 2005 into the health benefits of evening primrose oil for breast cancer sufferers discovered that this natural remedy is very effective in helping women to beat this disease.  Dr Javier Menendez and his team from Northwestern University found that when evening primrose oil is taken together with traditional cancer drugs it increases the efficacy of the cancer treatment.

Evening primrose oil benefits rheumatoid arthritis sufferers too; many studies have found that when taken alongside traditional arthritis medications, the GLA in evening primrose oil can help to ease the pain of arthritis and lessen the inflammation giving the sufferer more movement and less pain.

What Does Evening Primrose Oil Do?

Evening primrose oil increases the amount of GLA essential fatty acid in the body, essentially helping the body to repair itself faster than it would normally do.  GLA reduces inflammation and swelling, which is why it is helpful in dealing with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.  The linolenic acid (LA) in evening primrose oil helps the skin to produce proper cell structures and to retain its elasticity.  This is why evening primrose oil benefits eczema and dermatitis sufferers.

Evening primrose is useful in treating so many conditions we decided to break down some of the most common benefits for you below.

Evening Primrose Oil Pregnancy Benefits

For centuries evening primrose oil has been used as both an aid to conception and an aid to inducing labour and making childbirth less painful.  Evening primrose oil benefits women seeking conception by thickening and improving the mucus that lines the cervix.  Plus, the mucus of women who have taken evening primrose oil has been shown to aid the survival of sperm and thus increase the chances of conception.

However, once pregnant, it is recommended that evening primrose oil only be taken again after the 34^th week of pregnancy.  The GLA in evening primrose oil makes the body and the cervix in particular, more ready for giving birth.  From the 36^th week onwards, a capsule of evening primrose oil can be inserted inside the body, to help prepare for birth.

During labour, the pain relieving qualities of evening primrose oil come to the fore, which is why many midwives have often suggested women take evening primrose oil whilst giving birth.  However, not all doctors believe it is safe to take evening primrose oil before or during pregnancy and you might want to seek medical advice before you decide whether or not to do so.

Evening Primrose Oil Menopause Relief

Evening primrose oil is most beneficial to women, not only when having children, but also when they come to the menopause.  When women start to approach the menopause they suffer a variety of symptoms; hot flushes, night sweats, fatigue, even while they are still menstruating.  Numerous studies have shown that taking a 500mg capsule of evening primrose oil daily for two weeks a month, and taking four capsules daily in the week leading up to menstruation, relieves the symptoms of the menopause.  This is because women going through the menopause need more GLA in their bodies and as we know, evening primrose oil is a rich source of GLA.

Evening Primrose Oil Acne Cure

Evening primrose oil is of use to acne sufferers due to its high LA and GLA content, which helps with skin structure and elasticity and helps the body to reduce inflammation.   Evening primrose oil helps to reduce sebum production, which in turn, reduces the frequency of acne breakouts. The oil also helps to moisturize and calm the skin.

Evening Primrose Oil Skin Care

For people with dry skin, eczema, dermatitis, acne roseaca or just people who want to keep their skin young looking and moisturized, best anti wrinkle cream and evening primrose oil is something they should be adding to their skin care routine.  Applied topically to the skin, or digested as a capsule, evening primrose oil stops inflammation and helps to build a stronger, smoother skin.  It hydrates dry skin, fades blemishes and scars over time and lightens up dark circles under eyes.

Evening Primrose Oil PMS Relief

Treating menstrual cramps and period pain was one of first things evening primrose oil was used for.  It is the essential fatty acid GLA that makes this natural remedy useful in combating the aches and pains of menstruation.  PMS has been linked to an overproduction of the hormone prolactin.  When the body absorbs GLA from evening primrose oil, it turns it into prostaglandin E1, which helps to control the production of prolactin, thus reducing the PMS symptoms.

Evening Primrose Oil for Dogs

Just as we humans cannot manufacture our essential fatty acids Omega 3 and Omega 6, neither can dogs, yet they also need these essential fatty acids to remain healthy and in top condition.  Dogs can take human evening primrose oil capsules, up to a maximum dose of 500mg a day. Or you can buy special evening primrose oil capsules, tablets and droppers for dogs and cats.   Vets find that evening primrose oil can help to keep a dog’s coat healthy and glossy, just as it does with human hair.  It can also help to fight inflammation and ensure correct body repair.   Many vets recommend owners give   evening primrose oil to their dogs during moults, as this will help the dog to develop a new, healthy, glossy coat more quickly.

Evening Primrose Oil Side Effects

There are relatively few side effects associated with evening primrose oil.  The most commonly noted evening primrose oil side effects are: nausea, headaches and an upset stomach.  Some people, however, may be allergic to evening primrose oil and they should seek urgent medical attention if they develop any of the following symptoms, a rash, hives, itching of the mouth, throat or tongue, dizziness or difficulty in breathing.

Some people, however, are advised only to take evening primrose oil under medical direction, that is, they must speak to their GP before proceeding.  This includes people with epilepsy, schizophrenia, diabetes, liver problems, alcohol dependency problems and people who are pregnant.

As GLA slows blood clotting, you must also seek medical advice before taking evening primrose oil if you have been prescribed or regularly take any of the following medications or natural remedies:

• Warfarin or any blood thinning agent
• Ibuprofen
• Aspirin
• Ginger
• Angelica
• Garlic
• Ginkgo
• Red Clover
• Turmeric

It is also advisable to stop taking evening primrose oil at least a fortnight before undergoing a surgical operation, again, as the GLA can slow blood clotting and has been shown, in some cases, to interfere with the anaesthesia used.  Always tell your doctor when prescribed new medications that you take evening primrose oil, so as to avoid any potential problems.

How to Take Evening Primrose Oil

Most people take capsules of between 250mg and 1000mg a day.  Others use the oil and apply it topically to their skin.  The best way to take evening primrose oil depends upon the conditions you wish to treat it with.

For more advice on evening primrose oil health benefits, visit the following site: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/1006.html#DrugInteractions

This is an article on evening primrose oil, in particular evening primrose health benefits.  The article looks at the health benefits of evening primrose oil and includes references to studies where available. Finally the article discusses the side effects of evening primrose oil and how to take evening primrose oil.

More on Evening Primrose Oil Uses

Did you know what evening primrose oil benefits is? This is a type of plant that is commonly used for herbal treatments. In fact, this is one of the most in demand plants because of its great contribution for health. Evening primrose oil has several benefits.  If you don’t know what they are, the following paragraphs tend to explain all the essential benefits of evening primrose.

Evening primrose oil benefits is very essential in PMS relief. It simply means that if you are suffering from irritations and pain, you can use this type of oil to cure your condition. It is also best treatment for asthma and allergies. Although there are some medicines suited for this type of illness, evening primrose oil benefits is proven safe and effective. With application of this type of herbal treatment, all the symptoms of asthma will be easily vanished.

Aside from these, evening primrose oil is also best in reducing cholesterol. For some, this maybe sound strange, but it is really true. This type of product simply helps in lessening the level of your cholesterol and prevents from other body problems such as clotting, arteries conditions and many more. It is a best contributor in speeding up your metabolic rate. With evening primrose oil benefits, you can burn more calories in your body and it also promotes weight loss. If you continuously used this type of product, you are assured that all the pains in your body will be removed. In fact, it is also best for curing skin problems. Skin problems such as allergies and acne can be easily solved without incurring too much pain and effort.

Moreover, evening primrose oil benefits is also best for anti ageing and helps in producing fresh skin cells.  It is also best reducing wrinkles and fine lines. Most especially, evening primrose oil rejuvenates your skin. It also enhances your memory and helps in curing metal disorders. All of these are just some of the benefits of evening primrose oil. If you want to achieve its effective benefits, all you have to do is to have this in your house.  Evening primrose oil benefits is widely used all over the world. Because of its great benefits, more and more people become healthy and free from any types of illnesses.

If you want to purchase evening primrose oil, make sure that you depend on reliable stores. The best thing to recognize if the product is authentic or not is through product reviews. You may simply read its features and other testimonials to ensure its effective benefits. If you are going to purchase evening primrose oil, see to it that you read its label. The main purpose of this is to avoid fraud products. If you want to achieve all the benefits of evening primrose, it is a must to completely understand its concepts and applications. Proper application of the product is extremely needed. If you failed to do this, you may never achieve the most effective results of herbal products. As you can see, evening primrose oil benefits is very unique and exceptional.  If you have this, you are so lucky because you are free from any hazardous illness and skin conditions.