How Does Evening Primrose Oil and Starflower Oil Complement Each Other
What are evening primrose oil and starflower oil?
Evening primrose oil is extracted from the plant known as Oenothera biennis. Just found in eastern and central North America, its seeds are edible and traditionally used as a vegetable. Starflower oil, also called borage oil, is found in the Mediterranean region and grows in the UK's gardens. It is a blue star-shaped flower that was also consumed as a vegetable.
The evening primrose comes from the seeds of a plant called Oenothera Biennis, also known as evening primrose. It is used as a leaf vegetable because its leaves are edible. The oil is extracted from the mature seeds of the plant. Starflower oil, on the other hand, is an annual herb found in the Mediterranean region and was traditionally consumed as a vegetable. It was mostly known for its culinary and medicinal uses, but today it is used for commercial purposes.
Components of Evening Primrose Oil and Starflower Oil
Evening primrose oil and starflower oil contain GLA or gamma-linolenic acid, an omega-six fatty acid that can be lacking in an average person's diet. GLA is converted into a hormone-like compound known as prostaglandins in our body. This component is found in every cell of our body and helps to regulate inflammation.
Both of these oils do not have much difference except that starflower has the highest amount of GLA concentration.
Top five benefits of having Evening Primrose Oil and Starflower Oil
Here are the five benefits of having evening primrose oil and starflower oil.
Treating hormonal imbalance
Both evening primrose oil and starflower oil contain a high amount of GLA. Borage seat oil contains 2 to 3 times more GLA than evening primrose oil. It is rich in GLA, which supports the hormones in our body. It helps to balance estrogen levels by lowering inflammation and improving liver health. In a study conducted on estrogen-sensitive breast cancer, it was found that taking GLA supplements along with an estrogen-blocking cancer drug known as Tamoxifen improved the drug's effectiveness.
Reduce inflammation
GLA is an amazing component that reduces inflammation. It has shown excellent results for the hormonal pain that occurs with PMS. Studies show that certain people did better when they combined GLA along with omega-3 supplements.
An important cause of PMS is the imbalance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. GLA helps to convert into prostaglandins PgE1 and PgE3, which are natural painkillers and suppresses PgE2, which is the cause of the pain.
People with rheumatoid arthritis have also seen great results from using GLA, reducing joint inflammation, stiffness, and pain. Fish oil and GLA are a great combination to reduce pain and inflammation and act as a natural painkiller.
Relieving PMS symptoms
GLA has been proven to help with PMS symptoms such as cramps, irritability, and mastalgia. One of the most important reasons for PMS pain is the imbalance between the anti-inflammatory and low-inflammatory prostaglandins. So GLA converts itself into a natural painkiller and suppresses the pain.
Improving skin
A study was conducted on women with dry and sensitive skin who started to reap the benefits of borage supplements. It improved their skin condition by providing it hydration and reducing roughness. This could be due to its ability to restore the skin to its actual pH levels.
An imbalance in the pH level of the skin can cause certain conditions and disorders like-
Some studies have also shown that GLA supplements can be great for acne, but the research is only at the beginning. In another study, it was seen that it could also improve rosacea. By the end of the study, people who had rosacea had better results after consuming GLA supplements which proved to be a great addition to the traditional rosacea treatment.
Slow down Hair damage
Deficiencies related to fatty acids like GLA may cause hair loss in certain people. According to certain doctors, GLA improves the hair texture and makes it stronger and healthier. It is also a powerful blocker of one enzyme found within the hair follicle called five alpha-reductase. This enzyme helps in binding testosterone and converts it to dihydrotestosterone.
Dihydrotestosterone or DHT is terrible for hair follicles as it destroys them over time, disrupting the normal growth of hair. It slows down the growth or kills the hair follicle causing frontal hair loss in women who could be genetically susceptible.
It is important to ensure that you have adequate GLA in your diet to have thick and healthy hair.
Importance of including Evening Primrose Oil and Starflower Oil in your diet
Evening primrose oil and starflower oil both contain a good amount of GLA, which is extremely important for carrying out certain functions in our body. It has many benefits and can improve our health conditions to a great degree.
Both these oils can be introduced into a diet as supplements. Here are some of the important benefits of starflower oil and evening primrose oil -
- They help in reducing symptoms of PMS like cramps, irritability
- They also increase the cervical mucus and promote successful conception and fertility
- They help in correcting hormonal deficiency that can cause hair loss
- They help with arthritis by improving pain, swelling, and morning stiffness
- They also reduce hormonal acne
- They help in regulating hormone levels and reduce hot flashes for women going through menopause
Frequently Asked Questions
What is better, Evening Primrose or Starflower Oil?
Starflower oil and evening primrose oil are both great for the body. But starflower oil contains 20% GLA, whereas evening primrose oil contains 10% GLA.
What are Evening Primrose and Starflower Oil used for?
Evening primrose oil and starflower oil are consumed because of their GLA content. It is extremely important for the body as it helps with PMS, fertility, hair loss, acne, skin health, and many more functions.