The Effects Of Evening Primrose On Reducing Body Fat

The seeds of the evening primrose flower are used to make evening primrose oil, a supplement sometimes used in herbal medicine. Evening primrose oil contains gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA, an essential fatty acid that may be responsible for the beneficial effects of this supplement. Some people take evening primrose oil to lower the amount of body fat they have.

Evening Primrose and Body Fat

Evidence of the benefits of evening primrose oil for reducing body fat is preliminary and contradictory. Rats fed gamma-linolenic acid had lower body fat percentages than those in the control group, which received soybean oil, in a study published in 1994 in the "Journal of Nutrition." However, another small study, published in August 1993 in "Prostaglandins, Leukotrines, and Essential Fatty Acids," found that although people with diabetes given evening primrose oil, fish oil and vitamin E lost significant amounts of body fat, the losses did not differ from those in the control group.

Side Effects

Evening primrose oil can cause side effects such as abdominal pain, headache, indigestion, loose stools and nausea. Some people may also experience allergic reactions, although these are not common. Evening primrose oil decreased blood pressure in some animal studies, but this effect hasn't consistently occurred in studies using people. If you suffer from a seizure disorder or take a medication that can increase your risk for seizures, do not take evening primrose oil, because it may increase the frequency of your seizures.

Safety

Stop taking evening primrose oil at least two weeks before any scheduled surgery, and do not take evening primrose oil if you are taking blood thinners, because this supplement may increase your risk for bleeding. Evening primrose oil may also interact with medications including NSAIDs, medications for psychiatric disorders and clopidogrel.

Considerations

Do not take evening primrose oil without first speaking with your doctor to make sure it is safe for you, and do not take evening primrose oil in place of any treatment your doctor has prescribed for you. Exercising and following a low-calorie diet are proven methods for reducing body fat, while evening primrose oil's effects on body fat are still unclear.