other
Evening Primrose Oil
What it’s good for
Evening Primrose Oil for Acne
Evidence1 study · 1 supporting · 0 against
Thought to steady hormone swings and shift skin oil toward a less inflammatory mix.
Dose: 240–480 mg
Tested as: GLA from borage oil
Evening Primrose Oil for Hot Flashes
No Benefit3 studies · 0 supporting · 2 against
How it was tested: The Menopause Society does not recommend herbal supplements for hot flushes.
Its active fat is thought to act on the signals that widen blood vessels during a flush.
Dose: 500–1000 mg
Tested as: evening primrose oil capsules, 500 mg twice daily (1,000 mg/day total) in the most-cited RCT; other trials in the meta-analysis used comparable gram-level daily doses.
Evening Primrose Oil for Dry Skin
No Benefit2 studies · 1 supporting · 1 against
How it was tested: A Cochrane review of 27 trials in 1,596 people found it did no better than placebo for eczema.
Meant to rebuild the skin barrier and supply an anti-inflammatory fat.
Dose: 240–480 mg