Study, 2009
Does evening primrose oil help treat PMS?
No. Based on current evidence, evening primrose oil is likely ineffective for PMS. Most studies to date have had major methodologic flaws.
What they did
Reviewed published studies examining evening primrose oil's use for women's health conditions, including PMS and breast pain.
What they found
Evening primrose oil does not provide significant improvement for PMS or cyclical breast pain. Minor side effects include gastrointestinal upset and headaches. The review noted that optimal dosing standards and treatment approaches are not yet clear.
What it means for you
Current evidence does not support using evening primrose oil for PMS. The main limitation is that existing studies have significant design flaws, so better-designed research is needed. Avoid during pregnancy.
About the study
- Original title
- Evening primrose oil
- Authors
- Bayles B, Usatine R
- Journal
- American family physician
- Year
- 2009
- Study design
- Study
- What was tested
- evening primrose oil
- Read the paper
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20000302/
Topics
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