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[MabelBabel]

Hello Ladies,

Have any of you used an Evening Primrose oil and Starflower oil supplement? Did it work for you or not?

Many thanks,

Mabel

[cubagirl]

I used Starflower capsules for sore boobs a while back, but no longer use. Not sure of actual benefits long term though. Maybe someone else on here can help.

[breeze]

I tried starflower for anxiety.  Made me worse.

[dangermouse]

My sister, who's thanksfully not had too many probs like me, had been getting very painful breasts for last few years. I found on this forum that Starflower Oil can be effective for this, she tried it and a month later she had gone down a breast size with much less pain.

I think the EPA (or whatever it's called in starflower and Evening Primrose Oil) blocks oestrogen receptors so may be something to do with that?

I don't do too well with herbs as find them too potent side effect wise and, possibly, phytoestrogen-wise.

[Hurdity]

When you say did they work - what do you want them to work for?

I bought starflower oil at great expense on the basis if its recommendation on here for hair and skin etc and used it for a while but it had no effect whatsoever so the half empty bottle of capsules sits on my kitchen shelf! I am on systemic HRT as well.

Re evening primrose oil - as far as I can make out there is no evidence that it has any effect on oestrogen receptors - please do post studies dangermouse if this is what you have found! Most of what I can find on it - re oestrogen etc is just anecdotal stuff extrapolated from the odd study... its main constituent is gamma-linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid. This used to be prescribed on NHS for breast pain - and I was prescribed it for this purpose years ago too. Again I did use it for a while but I don't think it made a difference so it sat in my medicine cupboard until long out of date..... It was removed from NHS licensing because of lack of evidence as to its efficacy. There is some info on Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oenothera_biennis    and elsewhere:
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/evening-primrose-oil
https://nccih.nih.gov/health/eveningprimrose

Hope this helps

Hurdity x

[dangermouse]

Yes that's the one, GLA! No I don't remember seeing any studies, it was just hypothesised that it may work by blocking oestrogen receptors.

Perhaps it's more for peri use when oestrogen is still high and overstimulating breast tissue? She was really pleased though as had had the problem for a few years.

[dangermouse]

I tried taking the Boots combined EPA and Starflower (in case it further lowered my oestrogen) and, like when I tried other fatty acid herbs, I got terrible gas pains so had to stop. However, when researching about the gas I did then come across a study on it antagonising oestrogen receptors in the breast tissue here https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/15027132/