Among the herbs that are used for pms (premenstrual syndrome) is Evening Primrose Oil. Often known as EPO, evening primrose oil is said to be effective for menstrual cramps, period pain, acne, anxiety, mood swings, headaches, irregular periods and heavy menstrual periods.It may seem that this is a large amount of menstrual cycle symptoms that claim to be treated effectively by EPO.

How does evening primrose oil help pms and what does it do for pms? Does Evening Primrose Oil (EPO) help with menstrual cramps and how does Evening Primrose Oil (EPO) affect your period?

Actual Evening Primrose Oil may not affect your period at all but it will certainly affect your life during your menstrual cycle.

How can this be?

Well there are several stages to a woman‘s menstrual cycle and her “period” is just one of them and perhaps the one that Evening Primrose Oil (EPO). Why is that?

Well let’s look at what is involved in treating the symptoms that occur with many women during their menstrual cycle.

Stages of the Menstrual Cycle: The first stage is actually before the cycle begins and it is the host of PMS (premenstrual syndrome). The syndrome carries across the first three stages of the cycle.

Premenstrual Stage: This stage occurs a couple of weeks before the menstrual cycle actually begins but estrogen production does have an uptick here and that can start headaches, backaches and cramps a little early. There are a group of women especially susceptible to strong PMS in this stage.

Follicular Stage: This is the stage that prepares the way for ovulation. Estrogen levels are pumped up and the lining of the uterus is built-up. This causes some of the bloating, water retention and cramping as the uterus becomes thicker and pushes on the organs.

Luteal Stage: Ovulation occurs in this stage and bloating is not a prevalent. The egg moves into the fallopian tubes and the system is now flooded with progesterone instead of estrogen. The estrogen levels begin to decline but that means there is still a great hormone imbalance.

Period or Bleeding Stage: This is the stage that occurs when pregnancy doesn’t and the unfertilized eggs, along with the excess uterine lining and water and blood. It is at this point that premenstrual syndrome (PMS) ends and most if not all symptoms stop.

Post Menstrual Syndrome: There are a small percentage of women for whom the symptoms of pms carry over into the weeks after the period ends and they therefore suffer from PMS (Post Menstrual Syndrome). This can include headaches, cramps and backaches.

So if EPO is effective during pms , how much Evening Primrose Oil should I take for pms? When should I take Evening Primrose Oil for pms?

Let’s look at these questions. “A study at St. Thomas Hospital in London found that when PMS sufferers were given evening primrose oil three times daily, 67% of the participants were symptom-free and 22% achieved partial relief. In all total, 89% had positive results with the evening primrose oil.” (www.hhnews.com/epo.htm)

So if EPO is given three times a day how is it prepared and how long does Evening Primrose Oil take to work for pms and what is the best form to take it in?

Is it best in a supplement, a capsule or a tablet?

Native Americans were known to eat the seeds directly from the Evening Primrose plant however that is not the recommended method or dosage. EPO creates prostaglandins which are a hormone like substance that relieves cramps, pain, depression and irritability. “A 1991 study published in the Journal of Nutrition Medicine found that women with breast diseases or PMS appear to be deficient in GLA – gamma-linolenic acid (essential fatty acid) and might benefit from taking evening primrose oil, notes the University of Michigan Health System. Several studies published in the journal Controlled Clinical Trials in 1996 found that taking evening primrose oil supplements helped to relieve PMS symptoms, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.” (http://www.livestrong.com/article/169303-evening-primrose-for-pms-cramps/)

This is because Evening Primrose Oil provides essential fatty acids that the body needs especially during the menstrual cycle. Essential fatty acids cannot be produced internally by the body. Therefore it must be ingested from something external like EPO. The dose that is usually suggested for Evening Primrose Oil is between 3 and 6 grams of EPO making sure the dose has 270 to 540 mg of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), although there has not been any real standardization of dosages and the FDA does not regulate herbs like Evening Primrose. These fatty acids can also make your hair shine and your nails strong. It unclogs pores and helps with the prevention of acne.

You can rub Evening Primrose Oil onto sore breasts during the menstrual cycle for some relief. You can also rub the oil on your abdomen for pain as well. Most usage of Evening Primrose Oil is through capsules and as a part of a supplement. For most users of EPO having it as part of a supplement is the best possible and most effective means of administering Evening Primrose for PMS. When you combine Evening Primrose with other herbs, vitamins and minerals you increase the potential medicinal factors in the EPO.

So what are the other vitamins, herbs and minerals that it is best to combine with EPO for maximum effectiveness?

The most effective product on the market today might be Period Vitamin. It contains an effective mix of Evening Primrose Oil with other vitamins, herbs and minerals to treat many if not all aspects of pms. Here are the other ingredients that make Evening Primrose Oil its most effective against pms:

• Chaste Berry has been used for thousands of years by women in the regulation of ovulation and for the cramping and pain of pms.

• White Willow Bark was the first known source for aspirin so you know immediately that it has good anti-inflammatory properties and pain relief properties.

• Cranberry is included here because it fights bacteria in the urinary tract and walls of the bladder. It is these antibacterial properties that make it a good item for mixing with EPO.

• Red Raspberry helps slow down the speed with which blood flows through the body and this helps to slow down the cramping during pms.

• Black Cohosh reduces spasms in the uterus and is also an anti-inflammatory agent. So you can see how this would aid with EPO to reduce cramps and pain.

• Wild Yams which can be used for sore breasts in particular are also a great place to find phytohormones that the body can use to produce other hormones and regulate the body’s hormone balance.

• Cramp Bark has been used for centuries by women of many cultures in an attempt to relieve the cramping of the uterus during pms. It has been very successful and effective in doing this.

• Damiana strengthens the nervous system and balance the hormones in order to raise the woman’s energy levels. This herb helps with low estrogen, anxiety and depression.

• Dong Quai is used extensively in Asian medicine and homeopathic treatment. It is a member of the celery family and it is the root that is used for menstrual cramping and irregular menstrual bleeding.

• Calcium is a mineral that helps to alleviate cramping, menstrual pain and bloating/water retention.

• Magnesium is a mineral that when it is deficient in the woman’s system results in severe pms symptoms especially pain from cramping. It helps to relax the uterine and pelvic muscles.
  Iron is an obvious need if a woman experiences very heavy menstrual flow and irregular flows. It can help to decrease the amount of blood flow.

• Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin A all assist with heavy bleeding, as an antioxidant.

• Vitamin B1,Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, VitaminB12: Also known as the B complex of vitamins these give a woman more energy and are very helpful in relieving cramping, bloating and swelling.

• Pantothenic acid, Niacin, Folic Acid and Vitamin K1 round out the other herbs, vitamins and minerals that help make Evening Primrose Oil so effective.