What is Primrose Oil?

Primrose oil contains about 10 percent gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega 6 essential fatty acid. The body cannot produce essential fats and they must be taken in through the diet. Your body uses GLA to produce hormone-like substances (eicosanoids) that support cardiovascular health. Let's further discover how primrose can support your health.

Health Benefits of GLA

As mentioned, primrose contains GLA, which supports heart health. It also helps maintain cholesterol levels because healthy fats build HDL cholesterol.

HDL cholesterol is responsible for moving fat, from storage or plaques, into the liver where processing and excretion of fat occurs. By decreasing fatty build-up on arteries it helps to regulate blood pressure.

GLA reduces the production of an inflammatory compound called arachidonic acid. Arachidonic acid causes pain and inflammation in conditions such as arthritis. GLA helps to make the sheath (myelin) that surrounds the nerves that conduct messages from the brain to the muscles and organs of your body, performing a similar function to the insulation sheathing of electrical wires. If this protective sheath degenerates (as in MS), a "shorting out" of the message that the nerve is carrying occurs.

Since healthy fats play a large role in hormone formation, primrose oil can thus help optimize hormone levels in both men and women.

Primrose Supplement Varieties

GLA supplements are used to help atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, arthritis, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, PMS, menopausal discomforts, multiple sclerosis and liver cirrhosis.

Ensure your primrose supplement is not processed with heat because it damages the acids and creates free radicals. Some of the damaged fats turn into trans-fatty acids, which are well known for their promotion of cardiovascular disease. Supplements should also contain some vitamin E to prevent rancidity.

Primrose oil promotes estrogen production and so should not be used by cancer sufferers with estrogen receptor positive tumours. Instead, use black currant seed oil as a source of GLA.