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evidence · mechanism · dose
Supplements/Fatty Acid

Evening Primrose Oil

aka EPO · GLA

Omega-6 source rich in GLA, used for atopic dermatitis and cyclical breast pain.

Women's HealthSkin, Hair & NailsChronic Inflammation

Overview

Omega-6 source rich in GLA, used for atopic dermatitis and cyclical breast pain.

Natural sources
  • Oenothera biennis seeds
Common forms
  • EPO standardized to GLA

Mechanism of action

GLA converts to DGLA, producing anti-inflammatory PGE1.

Pathways
  • · PGE1 synthesis

Effects on the body

Supports
Skin barrier
Decreases
Cyclical breast pain (mild)

Organ system effects

Skin

Mixed evidence in atopic dermatitis.

Evidence-based benefits

Modest improvement in cyclical breast pain

Limited evidence

Mixed for atopic dermatitis

Limited evidence

Potential side effects

Common
  • · GI upset
Rare
    Serious

      Drug interactions

      Anticoagulants
      Mild antiplatelet.
      minor
      Antiseizure drugs
      May lower threshold.
      moderate

      Supplement interactions

      Pairs well with

      None listed.

      Avoid combining with

      No specific avoidances listed.

      Dosing & bioavailability

      Typical dose
      1000–3000 mg/d (8–10% GLA)

      Where to buy

      Affiliate-style search links to reputable retailers. We don't endorse specific brands — verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

      Fatty Acid
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      iHerb
      Global delivery · curated brands
      Fatty Acid
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      Thorne
      Practitioner-grade · NSF tested

      Scientific evidence (9)

      Systematic reviewAltern Med Rev · 2010

      Evening primrose oil for mastalgia and PMS

      Pruthi S, et al.

      Review of EPO trials in breast pain and PMS.

      Key findings

      Limited efficacy beyond placebo; safe profile.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Evening Primrose Oil — Modest improvement in cyclical breast pain

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Evening Primrose Oil Modest improvement in cyclical breast pain" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Evening Primrose Oil and "Modest improvement in cyclical breast pain". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Evening Primrose Oil — Mixed for atopic dermatitis

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Evening Primrose Oil Mixed for atopic dermatitis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Evening Primrose Oil and "Mixed for atopic dermatitis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Evening Primrose Oil — randomized controlled trial

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Evening Primrose Oil randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Evening Primrose Oil and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Evening Primrose Oil — meta-analysis

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Evening Primrose Oil meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Evening Primrose Oil and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Evening Primrose Oil — pharmacokinetics

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Evening Primrose Oil pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Evening Primrose Oil and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Evening Primrose Oil — safety adverse events

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Evening Primrose Oil safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Evening Primrose Oil and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Evening Primrose Oil — dose response

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Evening Primrose Oil dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Evening Primrose Oil and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

      Google Scholar: Evening Primrose Oil — clinical evidence

      Live Scholar search

      Cross-database citation index for Evening Primrose Oil as it relates to "clinical evidence".

      Key findings

      Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

      Open study
      Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.