What does evening primrose Oil do?
Evening primrose oil (EPO), comes from the seeds of the evening primrose plant. Like black currant seed oil and borage oil, EPO contains gamma linolenic acid (GLA), a fatty acid that the body converts to a hormone-like substance called prostaglandin E1 (PGE1). PGE1 has anti-inflammatory properties and may also act as a blood thinner and blood vessel dilator. The anti-inflammatory properties of EPO have been studied in double-blind research with people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Some, but not all, studies have reported that EPO supplementation provides significant benefit to these people.1 GLA, the primary active ingredient in EPO, has anticancer activity in test tube studies2 and in some,3 but not all,4 animal studies. Injecting GLA into tumors has caused regression of cancer in people in preliminary research.5 Preliminary evidence in people with cancer suggested “marked subjective improvement,”6 though not all studies find GLA helpful.7 EPO has been reported to lower cholest