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Herb

Evening Primrose Oil

72/100
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An oil pressed from a wildflower's seeds, rich in GLA, an omega-6 fatty acid traditionally used for skin comfort and women's monthly symptoms.

A small amber glass bottle of evening primrose oil sits beside tiny dark seeds and a pale yellow flower.⤢
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🌱 What it is

Evening primrose oil comes from the tiny seeds of a wildflower that opens its blooms at dusk, and is rich in GLA, an omega-6 fatty acid the body uses in small amounts.

✨ Why it's good for you

  • Traditionally used to support skin comfort and moisture
  • Traditionally used to ease women's monthly discomfort
  • May help support healthy skin from the inside out
  • Traditionally used to support joint comfort

🥗 Nutrition

Per 1 tsp seed oil (5g) · about 40 calories

  • Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)
  • Linoleic acid (omega-6)
  • Vitamin E

Source: Nutrition estimate (per typical serving)

🥄 How to use it

Evening primrose is taken as an oil in capsules; the oil can also be applied to dry, irritated skin. Follow the product label and give it several weeks.

How much: Capsules are commonly taken at around 1,000 to 1,300 mg one to three times a day with food. Skin benefits and PMS relief, if they come, build over weeks of steady use.

Show full details & how to prepare it

Evening primrose is a wildflower whose pale blossoms open at dusk, and the oil pressed from its tiny seeds is rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a fatty acid the body uses in building healthy cell membranes and calming inflammationThe body's natural response to injury — like redness, swelling, or heat around a sore spot. More →. For this reason it has long been used for dry, itchy skin conditions like eczema and for the breast tenderness and mood shifts of the monthly cycle.

Formal studies show mixed results, with some people finding clear relief and others little. Because it is gentle and food-like, it is a reasonable thing to try patiently, mindful of the cautions about blood thinners and seizures.

Ways to prepare it

Daily capsule: Take the oil in capsuleDried, powdered herb packed into a swallowable shell for a measured dose. How to make a capsule → form with meals, following the label, and allow six to eight weeks to judge the effect.
On the skin: Smooth a little of the oil onto dry, irritated patches; a pierced capsuleDried, powdered herb packed into a swallowable shell for a measured dose. How to make a capsule → works well for spot use.

🧺 Other forms of Evening Primrose Oil

These used to be pages of their own. They are the same remedy in a different form — the differences worth knowing are below.

Evening Primrose OilSupplement

A gamma-linolenic-acid-rich seed oil traditionally used to support skin comfort and circulation.

How this form is used: Take capsules daily as directed on the product label, or apply topically diluted for skin support.

Cautions for this form
  • May increase bleeding risk — avoid before surgery or if on blood-thinning medication.
  • Not a proven treatment for scabies, which is caused by mites and requires a proper antiparasitic medication — see a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
  • Consult a doctor before use in pregnancy.
  • Can cause mild digestive upset in some people.

Learn more: Examine — Evening Primrose Oil

Natural Remedies Encyclopedia (7th ed.)

Shop evening primrose oil capsules on Amazon

Formerly its own page at /remedies/evening-primrose-oil, now redirected here.

⚠️ Cautions

  • It may add to the effect of blood thinners and could lower the seizure threshold — avoid it if you have a seizure disorder.
  • Mild stomach upset or headache can occur; start with a lower amount.

📚 Learn more

🌿 Deeper natural detail

🔎 What this addresses

Where Evening Primrose Oil fits into a condition's cause-and-symptom picture — some conditions it works on the root cause of, others it mainly soothes.

Eases the symptoms of

For these, it calms the condition without addressing what drives it.

  • Eczema — Commonly sold for eczema, along with its relative borage oil, but a Cochrane review found little if any effect.

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📚 Resource confidence

Based on mentions in health references

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