NEWS: Be very wary of 'cure-all' oils

[Guest guest]

Health News/Science News Tuesday, November 16, 2004

WHAT'S IN THE BOTTLE?

Be very wary of 'cure-all' oils

UC BERKELEY WELLNESS LETTER

November 16, 2004

In the Guide to Supplements on our Web site (www .wellnessletter.com),

evening primrose oil draws more visitors than any other page.

Readers send us a lot of queries about it and about borage oil, a similar

supplement, made from the seed of the borage plant, a common weed. It's

claimed that evening primrose oil and the less expensive borage oil cure,

treat or prevent practically everything - from rheumatoid arthritis, breast

pain, hot flashes, premenstrual syndrome, eczema and other skin problems to

diabetic neuropathy, cancer, high blood-cholesterol levels and heart

disease. So why not go ahead and take some, just for good measure?

Evening primrose, a small yellow wildflower (Oenothera biennis), has been

used medicinally for centuries. The oil, pressed from the seed, is rich in

linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid. " Essential " means that we have to

consume the nutrient because the body does not produce it. Fortunately,

essential fatty acids are plentiful in foods, notably nuts and seeds. These

polyunsaturated fats are good fats, unlike the saturated fats that

contribute to heart disease.

Evening primrose oil also supplies another fatty acid, known as

gamma-linolenic acid, GLA (not to be confused with alpha-linolenic acid,

which is one of the omega-3 fatty acids).

Borage oil, too, is high in GLA, as is black currant oil. You actually don't

need to consume this particular fatty acid, because your body synthesizes

GLA from linoleic acid and converts it to hormone-like chemicals important

in processes such as controlling inflammation, clotting the blood and

synthesizing cholesterol.

Why buy GLA in a supplement when you make it yourself? Well, according to

some proponents, your body doesn't make enough of it, though no one knows

how much is enough.

It's true that some diseases, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis and

diabetes, decrease the ability to convert linoleic acid into GLA, but that

does not mean that GLA can be used to treat these diseases.

Knowledge vs. claims

Science has not neglected evening primrose oil and the fatty acids it

contains. A good deal is known about them, but the proposed benefits of the

supplements are unproven. You'll do well to ignore nearly all of the claims.

One very small study did show some reduction in LDL ( " bad " ) cholesterol, but

there are better ways to accomplish this.

A 2003 review of evidence by the American Board of Family Practice found

that evening primrose oil has not been shown to be effective against

diabetic neuropathy, despite the claims. And an English study in the British

Medical Journal found it ineffective against eczema.

One common use for evening primrose and borage oils is for relieving the

symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis - the kind that produces inflamed joints

(as opposed to osteoarthritis, which is caused by wear and tear on the

joints). There is some preliminary evidence that it may help, and the

Arthritis Foundation considers it worth trying for rheumatoid arthritis.

But you should talk to your doctor first.

Can't hurt, might help?

Evening primrose oil appears to be safe. Stomach upset, headaches and rashes

have been reported as side effects. None of these are fatal, of course. But

borage oil may contain liver toxins. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

in New York warns against it as a cancer therapy, even in " normal " doses,

unless it is certified free of these toxins, and lists it with chaparral and

comfrey as known liver toxins.

And yet another problem

In today's market, you don't know what you're getting. There's no such thing

as a standardized dose, and the supplements may not contain what the label

states. Such supplements can also turn rancid. Prices vary, and depending on

what kind you buy and how much you take, you could spend $15 to $50 a month

on what we believe is a waste of money.

Add it all up

Evening primrose oil and similar products are unproven, and their

manufacturers make troubling and often outrageous claims. Borage oil may be

dangerous unless the toxins have been removed. And why buy supplements when

you can so easily and cheaply get essential fatty acids from a wide range of

good foods?

Evening primrose oil

Claims, benefits: Cures, treats or prevents practically everything from

rheumatoid arthritis, breast pain, hot flashes, premenstrual syndrome,

eczema and other skin problems to diabetic neuropathy, cancer, high

blood-cholesterol levels and heart disease.

Bottom line: Nearly all the claims are unproven. Might be worth trying for

rheumatoid arthritis, but talk to your doctor first.

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