Menopause -- which signals the end of menstruation and fertility -- can cause a variety of distracting and uncomfortable physical and emotional symptoms, including hot flashes and night sweats. Some women turn to herbal remedies -- such as evening primrose oil -- for relief from menopausal symptoms. Research on evening primrose has been disappointing, with clinical studies showing no positive effect. Consult your doctor before trying evening primrose oil.
Menopause Features
A woman is considered to have completed menopause -- also known as the climacteric -- when she hasn't had a period for an entire year. The average age for undergoing menopause -- 51 years -- may vary considerably from individual to individual. Menopause is preceded by perimenopause, an interval lasting four to five years during which a woman develops signs and symptoms of menopause but still continues to menstruate. Decreasing levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body are responsible for menopause symptoms. In addition to night sweats and hot flashes -- feelings of intense heat accompanied by flushing -- symptoms can include dizziness, heart palpitations, insomnia and mood changes such as depression and irritability. If your symptoms are so severe that they affect your ability to function, consult your doctor.
EPO Constituents and Effects
Evening primrose oil is made from the seeds of the plant botanically known as Oenothera biennis, a wildflower indigenous to North America that features short-lived yellow blooms that last for one night only. Primrose oil contains omega-6 essential fatty acids, also known as gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA. GLA is needed to stimulate skin and hair growth, promote brain function and regulate the metabolism. Evening primrose oil also contains tannins and oleic, palmitic and stearic acids, as well as the anti-inflammatory agent beta-sitosterol. Herbalists and natural healers recommend evening primrose oil to treat arthritis and diabetic neuropathy; some clinical evidence supports these uses. Drugs.com -- which provides peer-reviewed medical information to consumers -- reports that research does not support the use of evening primrose oil to alleviate menopause symptoms, and notes that The North American Menopause Society similarly fails to endorse primrose oil for menopause relief for the same reason.
Research
In a scientific systemic review published in 2003 in Menopause, the authors concluded that there was no convincing evidence for the ability of evening primrose oil to alleviate menopause symptoms. In a review of randomized, controlled trials published in 2002 in Annals of Internal Medicine, the authors noted that evening primrose oil had no effect on hot flashes.
Considerations
Evening primrose oil is available in the form of oil or capsules, and should be refrigerated to prevent it from becoming rancid. When purchasing evening primrose oil, look for oil certified as organic and marked with a freshness date. According to University of Maryland Medical Center, the usual dose of evening primrose oil ranges from 2 to 8 g daily. Evening primrose oil is safe when used in recommended doses. Consult your doctor before using evening primrose oil. If you are an epileptic or take blood thinning medications, you should not use evening primrose oil.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Menopause; UMMC Staff; November 2009
- Drugs.com: Complete Evening Primrose Oil Information
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Evening Primrose Oil, UMMC Staff; November 2008
- Blue Shield Complementary and Alternative Health: Evening Primrose Oil
- Menopause; A Systemic Review of Herbal Medicinal Products For The Treatment of Menopausal Symptoms; A.L. Huntley and E. Ernst; September 2003
- Annals of Internal Medicine, Complementary and Alternative Medicine For Menopausal Symptoms: A Review Of Randomized, Controlled Trials; F. Kronenberg and A. Fugh-Berman; November 2002
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