Subject: Re: Evening Primrose Oil

From: [email-masked] (Kathy Carlson)
Date: Sat, 12 Aug 1995 01:53:29 GMT

Annemarie Rodger ([email-masked]) wrote:
: I have heard of the benefits of Evening Primrose Oil for such things as
: PMS, anxiety and hypertension.  I would like to know more.

: What are its active ingredients?  What is the dosage? Are there any side
: effects?

: If you could enlighten me or point me in the right direction, I would be
: most grateful.

Hi -
There is a booklet available in health food stores called:
"Evening Primrose Oil" by Richard A. Passwater, Ph.D.

I've seen it in every health food store I've been in - shouldn't be
hard to find.

Kathy
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                                             [email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (bwind on BIX)
Date: 12 Aug 95 06:19:26 GMT

The main 'ingredient' that primrose is usually known for is GLA
(the acronym for gamma-Linolenic Acid, a fatty acid with three
double bonds starting at the 'gamma' position from the end carbon.
It also contains other fatty acids LA (Linoleic acid - a constituent
of various oils, i.e. sunflower oil, safflower oil, canola oil, etc.)
(should be 'such as LA').

If you can find the book 'Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill', Udo Erasmus,
Alive Books, 1994 (I think), it has a good description of the contents
of evening primrose oil, its uses and why it probably works.  There
are also pamphlets that you can pick up at health food stores and from
mail order catalogs.  Also, Dr. Mary Dan Eades' book 'The complete
vitamin and mineral guide for doctors' (paperback, I don't have the
publisher handy) gives some good explanations and therepeutic uses
for EPO.  I've seen her book at bookstores and healthfood stores,
including GNC (if you're in the US).

My wife uses EPO for PMS with very good results, she usually uses a
maximum form 1300-1500 mg 2-3 capsules a day.  Less than that and
the pms returns.  It ended up being a trial and error type thing for
determining the effective amount.

Alternatives are Borage oil and Black Current oil both of which
normally have higher concentrations of GLA (and therefore might be
less expensive in the long run).

Also, various books on medicinal herbs usually have info on these oils.

Hope this helps.

Brian

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From: [email-masked] (Annemarie Rodger)
Date: Fri, 11 Aug 1995 19:59:26 GMT

I have heard of the benefits of Evening Primrose Oil for such things as
PMS, anxiety and hypertension.  I would like to know more.

What are its active ingredients?  What is the dosage? Are there any side
effects?

If you could enlighten me or point me in the right direction, I would be
most grateful.