Systematic review, 1996
Does evening primrose oil help premenstrual syndrome?
Probably not. The best-designed studies found no benefit, though the studies were small enough that a small effect can't be completely ruled out.
What they did
Systematic review searching for clinical trials of evening primrose oil for PMS. Researchers found 7 placebo-controlled trials, but only 5 clearly showed randomization (random assignment to groups). The most rigorous 2 trials were examined in detail.
What they found
The two most well-controlled studies failed to show any beneficial effects of evening primrose oil compared to placebo. Different trials used inconsistent scoring and ways to measure success, making it impossible to combine the data in a proper statistical analysis.
What it means for you
Evening primrose oil appears to be of little value for PMS treatment. The main limitation is that the trials were small, so a modest benefit cannot be completely excluded. Inconsistent measurement methods across trials also make it hard to reach firm conclusions.
7
Placebo-controlled trials found
5
With clear randomization
2
Most well-controlled studies
About the study
- Original title
- Is evening primrose oil of value in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome?
- Authors
- Budeiri D, Li Wan Po A, Dornan JC
- Journal
- Controlled clinical trials
- Year
- 1996
- Study design
- Systematic review
- What was tested
- Evening primrose oil vs placebo
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/0197-2456(95)00082-8
Topics
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