About Evening Primrose Oil (GLA)
Evening primrose oil is an omega-6 supplement whose active component is gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, ~8–10% of oil weight). Despite widespread popularity, clinical evidence is largely negative. Cochrane review (27 studies, n=1596) found no benefit for eczema. Multiple systematic reviews found no benefit for PMS. A 2021 meta-analysis (13 RCTs, n=1752) found no superiority over placebo for mastalgia. One RCT in healthy adults showed improvements in skin moisture, elasticity, and roughness at 12 weeks. High-dose pure GLA (1.4–2.8 g/day) showed some benefit for RA, but pooled evidence is inconsistent. Borage oil (20–26% GLA) and blackcurrant seed oil (15–20% GLA) are more concentrated GLA sources.
What Evening Primrose Oil (GLA) supports
- May improve skin moisture and elasticity (limited evidence)
- Source of omega-6 GLA fatty acid
How much Evening Primrose Oil (GLA) to take
Clinical studies typically use 1000–3000 mg of Evening Primrose Oil (GLA). 1–3 g/day EPO (providing ~90–270 mg GLA). EPO contains ~8–10% GLA by weight.
- Effective range
- 1000–3000 mg
Clinical evidence
Limited clinical evidence. Cochrane review found no benefit for eczema; multiple reviews found no benefit for PMS or breast pain
Examine.com