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A 36-year-old member asked:

What are the benefits of evening primrose oil capsules?

1 doctor answer2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz
Obstetrics and Gynecology 27 years experience
Not clear: The data on evening primrose oil is spotty at best- some mixed evidence on its efficacy for treating breast symptoms, menopause and pms- i've actually seen anecdotal evidence of decreased mastalgia (breast pain). One thing i haven't seen is any convincing evidence of its harm!
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. Michael Sabel
Surgical Oncology 31 years experience
One thing to remember is that the effects of evening primrose on breast pain are not immediate, but may take a few months.
Aug 2, 2013

Similar questions

Trinidad and Tobago
A 20-year-old female asked:

What is evening primrose oil capsules used for? What is its advantages?

2 doctor answers4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Alvin Lin
Geriatrics 32 years experience
No good studies: Evening primrose oil has been around for centuries and used for many conditions. However, it has not been well studied such that we don't have good evidence of what it does or does not do, even though we know that it contains an essential fatty acid. Check out http://www.Mayoclinic.Com/health/evening-primrose-oil/ns_patient-primrose & http://umm.Edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/evening-primrose-oil.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 42-year-old member asked:

How many capsules of evening primrose oil should I take for pms?

1 doctor answer3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Seema Patel
Holistic Medicine 29 years experience
1000-2000mg: Oil of primrose can help some people with their pms symptoms. Usually you have to take a big enough dose from a well produced drug company for it to work. Use 1-2grams per day starting at the lower dose; if it does not work after 1-2 months increase it . If it does not help by then, it is probably not going to work for you.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 37-year-old member asked:

What are the effects of evening primrose oil?

1 doctor answer1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Thomas Namey
Rheumatology 50 years experience
Eczema, Breast pain: The effectiveness of evening primrose oil stems from an ingredient called gamma-linolenic acid, or gla, an essential fatty acid thought to have anti-inflammatory and other healing properties. Evening primrose oil has highly concentrated amounts. It is one of the safest sources of gla. When ingested, gla is converted to prostaglandins, compounds that help regulate inflammation.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 37-year-old member asked:

What does evening primrose oil do?

1 doctor answer3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Ahmad M Hadied
Orthopedic Surgery 51 years experience
Let me help: The oil is extracted from the flower seeds for most medicinal uses. The oil contains 25 percent essential fatty acids, which often are promoted for their health benefits, including linoleic acid, or la, and gamma-linolenic acid or gla. The most common uses of evening primrose oil include treatment of skin condition like eczema and dermatitis as well as diabetic neuropathy treatment and arthritis.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.

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Last updated Jun 10, 2016

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