Evening primrose oil

Evening primrose oil supplement. Image: Open Food Facts

Evening primrose oil is a medicinal oil derived from the evening primrose (Oenothera) plant. It is rich in gamma linolenic acid (GLA), an omega 6 essential fatty acid.

Potential uses

• Treatment of food sensitivities in leaky gut
• Candida

Notable studies

• 1996, Cognitive behaviour therapy for the chronic fatigue syndrome. Evening primrose oil and magnesium have been shown to be effective (Full text)

• 2004, The use of eicosapentaenoic acid in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (Abstract)

• 2005, In chronic fatigue syndrome, the decreased levels of omega-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids are related to lowered serum zinc and defects in T cell activation (Full text)

• 2007, Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and the pathophysiology of myalgic encephalomyelitis (chronic fatigue syndrome) (Abstract)

Efamol marine

• 1990, A placebo-controlled trial of n-3, n-6, essential fatty acids in the treatment of postviral fatigue syndrome (Abstract)

• 1999, The role of essential fatty acids in chronic fatigue syndrome: A case‐controlled study of red‐cell membrane essential fatty acids (EFA) and a placebo‐controlled treatment study with high dose of EFA (Full text)

Found no overall benefit was found for efamol marine.

Costs and availability

Fatty acid blends containing evening primose oil invoice efamol marine, which adds fish oil and overall contains 57% v-linoleic acid, 7.2% GLA, and 3.6% EPAs and 2.4% DHA.

See also

• Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
• Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA]]
• Fatty acid hypothesis
• Fish oil
• Fatty acids (category)