Evening Primrose Oil is one of the most commonly prescribed and recommended remedies for PMS, even by traditional doctors. Check out its many wonderful benefits.
When looking to alleviate your PMS symptoms, you will find a plethora of pharmaceutical and natural remedies that promise to help ease the discomfort.
From hormone pills to acupuncture, from natural herb and plant supplements to yoga and meditation, experts and laypeople alike, have been searching for a PMS cure for years, looking into every possible health modality.
In the process they have come up with some very interesting results, including truly effective remedies, some not so effective, and some that are completely ridiculous by today’s standards.
Nature vs. Chemistry
Most of us when confronted with the need to take medication find ourselves in the face of a modern-day dilemma: Should we go for a chemical pharmaceutical solution or should we try something natural?
What we seem to forget is that even chemical solutions come from natural ingredients or from chemicals mimicking the properties of particular natural ingredients like plants and herbs.
Therefore, we should base our choice on effectiveness and on what remedy has less side-effects.
For the purposes of this article we are going to start with the presentation of a very common natural remedy.
Evening Primrose Oil
Anyone who has looked into natural remedies for PMS has probably stumbled on this one. Evening Primrose Oil is one of the most commonly prescribed and recommended remedies, even by traditional doctors.
The oil comes from the seed of the flower, and it is among other things a mild sedative. Evening Primrose is a yellow wildflower that comes from the Onagraceae family, (more commonly known as the Willow herb family), and not the Primrose family of flowers, as its name suggests.
The Benefits of Evening Primrose Oil
Regulate Menstrual Cycles
Evening Primrose Oil is used to regulate menstruation in cases where bleeding doesn’t always happen every month, or when the cycle is not stable. (Vitex is another effective remedy for regulating menstrual cycles.)
Promote Emotional Balance
It adjusts the hormonal fluctuations during the cycle providing a steadier emotional balance and a more relaxed mood.
Alleviate PMS Symptoms
It also diminishes the symptoms of PMS and dysmenorrhea (painful periods). Specifically, Evening Primrose Oil can be used during the whole month in order to help with the following PMS symptoms:
- Headaches and Migraines
- Emotional Sensitivity
- Bloating
- Insomnia
- Abdominal Pain
- Breast Tenderness
- Cravings
Beautify the Skin
Though not a PMS related benefit, it’s worth mentioning that Evening Primrose Oil can give radiant skin and increased skin elasticity!
Ways to Use Evening Primrose Oil
You can find the oil in the form of liquid softgels online or at any drugstore.
Evening Primrose Oil is available in bottles as well, which can be used in massages and in homemade cosmetics.
You can also eat the unprocessed Evening Primrose plant, though the oil is concentrated in the seeds and not the leafy parts, so it is harder to consume the required amount in this way.
Other than taking the softgels orally you can also opt for taking the oil in liquid form. The liquid form works great as massage oil, although its high cost can deter people from using it in that way.
An excellent way of cutting down the cost, but still getting all the benefits, is mixing one tablespoon of Evening Primrose Oil with the massage oil of your choice and giving yourself a full body massage.
This can work great during PMS, and it takes full advantage of the sedative properties of the oil.
Massaging yourself with the oil helps you get its benefits much faster than taking the capsules, because of the rapid absorption of the nutrients by your skin.
It will not only calm you down and fight insomnia, but you will almost immediately notice relief from headache and abdominal pain.
If you don’t have the time needed for a full body massage, you can still massage the oil straight on the abdominal and hip area to relieve cramping, and on the chest to help relax you.
Precautions
Remember to always consult with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new supplements in order to take into account your individual needs and requirements.
If your doctor gives the OK to use supplements, but you notice side effects, make sure you stop taking them immediately. Pregnant women or women who take hormonal supplements, should not take Evening Primrose Oil.
Leann says
February 10, 2016 at 7:38 amI took EPO on Nov 2015 because of my cycle is not regular. I hve found out that my period came on time on Dec 2015.But on Jan, my period missed until today.It is about 18dpo.I’m married and on TTC.I have done the pregnance test but the result was negative.My only concern is does taking EPO can disturb my period cycle?
Chelaine says
April 26, 2015 at 2:19 pmI’ve stopped taking birth control pills in Jan 2015 and missed my cycle for Feb. I started taking a chinese supplement similar with bak foong pills and also pueraria lobata and my menses return in 16 March. But now its missing again. I know that it will take some mths for my cycles to return to normal after stopping bcp. I tried adding in epo and took it together with the Chinese supplememt which has dang gui..but after 2 weeks plus on epo..I find myself to gain another 2kg..and my stomach is bloated and my thighs swollen with more water retention. I was taking 500mg x 2 softgels per day.
Can EPO increase estrogen and makes you retain more water and bloated? Or the side effects are due to imbalance between omega 6 and 3 which means I must add in fish oil as well? What is the best way to regulate back my cycles since stopping bcp makes me gain more weight due to the imbalance in hormones now?
maila says
September 25, 2013 at 4:46 amIve been taking Evening Primrose Oil for almost 2 months now. And on the first month im impressed with the benefits it gives to my skin,its plump and glowing and most of all my hormonal acnes are gone! Ive read some articles that there is no much proven research or evidence that it could help with acne but im one of those who swear that it did help me with my acne. Before EPO Id get 3-5 acnes during the time of the month or week before my period, but now theres none. For my menstrual cramps which is my other concern for taking it, it did lessen during the 2nd cycle since I take EPO but im not sure if its just because of it since I was also watchful with my diet that time and do exercise which I think also helps. My only concern is when I continue taking EPO during my period, it became heavier and last up to 10 days. Normally it last 8 days and only heavy during 2nd-3rd day. Is there a reason behind it? Or should I just stop taking it during period. By the way im taking 1000mg of EPO twice a day. ItS recommended to take 3000mg but im taking womens multivitamins with 650mg EPO on it. Does it matter? Im afraid id get over dose so I just take 2000mg a day plus the 650mg in my multivitamins. Please advice anyone..Thanks in advance 🙂
Judith says
October 7, 2013 at 11:43 amDear Maila,
I’m glad to hear the EPO worked so great on your skin 🙂
Since you’re taking EPO through multivitamins, I think you did well by reducing the recommended dosage. However, maybe it would be even better to take it slower. Per example, maybe you could reduce your daily intake to 500mg and add this same amount every 2 weeks until you reach 2000mg… That way, your body would adapt easier to the new ailment you’re adding to your diet.
There is no contraindication regarding the intake of EPO during your period, but if the symptoms persist, you should consider reducing the dosage… Also, be sure to check with your pharmacist for any medications interactions if you’re taking prescribed drugs.
Be well and let us know how it goes for you!
Charlene says
September 13, 2013 at 1:48 pmSuzanne, I think you are having a huge dose to start with..start by having 500mg first, and enlarge the dose if you don’t have any side effects. It worked for me like this-or else you are just giving your body a shock.
Suzanne says
September 1, 2013 at 2:23 amI’m having an odd side effect to EPO. I’ve been on 3000 mg per day to help with PMS moodiness and painful cramps. Well the mood swings have become minimal before my period and I have no cramps now. But I get PMS-like symptoms a week AFTER my period such as depression, lethargy and bloating. At first I thought the moodiness was from emotional stress because my period was over. But now I am certain this is hormone-related due to the physical aspects such as bloating which only previously happened during PMS time.
So it looks like EPO does not take away PMS, it just moved it elsewhere in my cycle! Help please? I want to get rid of PMS entirely. The mood swings are affecting my life.
Jing says
September 1, 2013 at 8:01 amSuzanne, thanks for sharing your experience! It seems that the EPO didn’t take away the PMS symptoms for you, just postponed it. You may want to check out Xiao Yao Wan, Chinese Happy Pill for PMS. It’s a safe and balanced Traditional Chinese medine herbal formula, which has helped me and many other women. Please take good care!
Charlene says
September 13, 2013 at 1:48 pmSuzanne, try starting your dose with 500mg instead, youre taking way too much to start with- youre shocking the body. it worked with me lik this 🙂