Evening Primrose Oil for Health and Beauty
It turns out that Omega-3s aren’t the only class of the Omega fatty acids that your body needs to stay healthy! Omega-6s are also important – and can be beneficial for problems ranging from sore and achy joints to skin conditions. One source of Omega-6 can be found in evening primrose oil.
You have probably heard a great deal about the importance of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet to help stay healthy and promote good heart health. What many people do not tell you is that omega-3 is not the only class of fatty acids that the body needs. Another class used to promote good overall health is the omega-6 class of fatty acids. Just as omega-3 comes from oils – usually fish oils, omega-6 fatty acids are found in oils as well, and evening primrose oil is an excellent source.
The Evening Primrose Flower
The evening primrose flower is a large, delicately constructed wildflower that grows natively in North America. The blooms generally last for only one evening before falling off and the seed pod begins to grow and ripen. The oil extracted from these seeds contains between 50% and 70% of the omega-6 fatty acid known as cis linoleic acid and 7% to 10% of cis gamma linoleic acid. This oil also contains trace amounts of other essential fatty acids and two steroids, campesterol and bet-sitosterol.
Primrose Oil as a Dietary Supplement
As a dietary supplement, evening primrose oil has been tested for its value in treating different conditions and improving one’s health. The oil is taken orally, usually in a gelatin capsule, in a dosage of 6 to 8 grams per day in adults and 2 to 4 grams in children. Although not regulated by the FDA, since evening primrose oil functions as a drug in several ways, care should be used when taking it and you should also inform your doctor you are taking it to avoid certain interactions.
Beneficial Properties of Evening Primrose Oil
Evening primrose oil has been shown to be beneficial in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. It does not stop the disease or kill all of the pain, but patients have reported fewer instances of stiff joints and joint tenderness, and a reduction in their pain level using a scale from 1 to 10.
Evidence points to a benefit for multiple sclerosis patients, indicating slowing of the disease’s progression and shorter relapses of lower severity than experienced by people not taking evening primrose oil. Studies are still being conducted to determine the oil’s effectiveness.
Early tests showed promise in the use of evening primrose oil to treat atopic dermatitis and other dermatological conditions. If future studies prove out, the use of evening primrose oil may well be recommended for use by people with certain skin conditions, as a way to improve their appearance.
In Summary
Evening primrose oil contains omega-6 fatty acids proven to have several benefits for the body. These essential fats work to promote better heart health, improve skin tone and appearance, reduce the effects of rheumatoid arthritis, aid patients suffering from MS and several other benefits. Evening primrose is oil is taken as a dietary supplement normally in capsule form. Its usefulness in treating various conditions is still being studied in animals and in human trials. However, several health benefits have been established that make adding evening primrose oil as a supplement a good idea for almost everyone.
