Evening Primrose Oil and Brain Health


The Alpha of the Omega
Of the two essential fatty acids we need for brain activity, the omega-3 has definitely gotten more attention. Found in things like salmon, walnuts and algae, omega-3 has gotten more press because it's become more depleted in our diets over the years due to things like over-processing of foods, decreased fish intake and a spike in sugar consumption. But the omega-6 fatty acid found in evening primrose oil is just as important for maintaining brain chemistry -- and a level head [source: Brain-Building Nutrition].


There are still plenty of questions about whether evening primrose oil can help treat brain-related conditions like hyperactivity, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), multiple sclerosis, depression, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease.


In one study involving psychiatric patients with tardive dyskinesia (abnormal, involuntary movements) who were given primrose oil for four months, researchers found the oil did nothing to stop the patients' involuntary movements, but did help improve their memory and calm their mental state [source: Hudson]. In studies of primrose oil's impact on children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the results have been mixed [source: Mayo Clinic].


The reason researchers even consider evening primrose oil for treating these types of conditions goes back to our friend, GLA. The importance of GLA, an omega-6 fatty acid also found in borage seeds and black current seeds, is that the body converts it to prostaglandin E1, which regulates body activity, including brain functioning [source: Schmidt].

Brain-Building Nutrition: How Dietary Fats and Oils Affect Mental, Physical,
and Emotional Intelligence - michael a Schmidt

http://health.howstuffworks.com/heal...mrose-oil4.htm