Can Primrose Oil Lower my blood sugars?

In the last two decades many individuals have started taking primrose oil for a number of medical ailments. Some just take the primrose oil for routine prophylaxis for a better life style. Others take primrose oil because their friends take it and then there are others who take primrose oil because they are hoping for a miracle.
Evening primrose oil (EPO) is known to contain an omega-6 essential fatty acid which is believed to be the active ingredient. There has been a lot of research on Primrose oil. The majority of research has been sponsored by companies who manufacture the product. The substance has been widely used in Europe for decades for the treatment of arthritis, constipation, fibromyalgia, premenstrual syndrome, headaches, nausea, eczema, atopic dermatitis, hypertension, diabetes, weight loss, etc. There are many reports from diabetic individuals that daily intake of primrose oil can lower blood sugars. However, high-quality evidence for its use in most conditions is still lacking. In addition, primrose oil does not lower blood sugar in everyone and its effects are unreliable and inconsistent.

Conditions where there is some clinical evidence about the benefits of Primrose oil include skin disorders like eczema, chronic fatigue syndrome, herpetic infections and diabetes. But one has to remember that all the evidence is anecdotal. There are no randomized clinical studies which have evaluated the benefits of primrose oil and no one has any idea what the other ingredients in Primrose oil are.
With regard to diabetes, the few available reports do indicate the blood glucose levels decrease after regular intake of the chemical. Other individuals with long standing diabetic neuropathy have also claimed that the pain and tingling that occurs with diabetes disappears with oral intake of primrose oil.

Unfortunately, such isolated reports are often made by vendors of the product and have little scientific validity.
At the moment, Primrose oil is not a substitute for the standard treatment of diabetes. It may be used as an adjunct to insulin and the other oral hypoglycemic drugs. Side effects of Primrose oil include headaches, abdominal pain, diarrhea and occasionally drop in blood pressure. There is not enough information to recommend the safe use of evening primrose oil during pregnancy or breastfeeding.