Viartril S 1500mg (Glusosamine Sulphate) 30 sachet @ RM125 in Johor Bahru

Viartril®-S is the Crystalline Glucosamine Sulfate. It is the original and only Glucosamine Sulfate that has been fully tested in clinical trials for safety and efficacy.Clinical studies and the world-wide clinical experience have shown that Viartril®-S relieves the symptoms (pain and function limitation) of osteoarthritis (1). Recent, state-of-the-art clinical trials have also demonstrated that Viartril®-S is the first compound that, when given for long-term treatment courses (i.e. at least 3 years), can decrease the progression of osteoarthritis (2,3).

How does Viartril®-S work?

Anabolic-Effect – Viartril®-S stimulates the synthesis of proteoglycans, the building blocks of the Cartilage Matrix 

(4,5,6) .

Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Catabolic – Viartril®-S depress cartilage degradation activities by inhibiting the action of catabolic enzymes (6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15).

What is Glucosamine Sulfate?

Glucosamine Sulfate is the salt of the natural amino-sugar glucosamine, which is normally synthesized in the healthy body and is the preferred substances that form the cartilage matrix that are essential for cartilage health and function.

Is the original Glucosamine Sulfate contained in Viartril®-S different from other glucosamine products? 

Glucosamine Sulfate, for chemical reasons is a highly unstable compound and cannot exist unless in stabilised form. Products claiming to contain glucosamine sulfate without declaring how it is stabilised, most likely do not contain sufficient of this compound.  

Rotta Research Group has invented and patented several years ago a method to stabilize glucosamine sulfate, through a chemical process of co-precipitation with sodium chloride, thus obtaining Crystalline Glucosamine Sulfate(16).

How much glucosamine should one take daily?

According to the GUIDE studies published, Glucosamine Sulfate at the Oral once-daily dose of 1500mg is the preferred symptomatic medication in knee OA (20) .

1 x Sachet (1500mg)/day

3 x Capsules (500mg)/day

This statement is further supported by an IC50 trial, where 1500mg of Viartril®-S is able to provide maximum Glucosamine Concentration of 8.9μM in the body. This is significantly higher than the minimal requirement of 6.2μM to be effective in treating OA (21).

Viartril®-S contains sodium: Is it contraindicated in hypertension?

The sodium chloride (NaCl) in Viartril®-S is to stabilize the Glucosamine Sulfate through crystallization.NaCl content is 0.128g in each 500mg capsule. Therefore, the recommended daily dosage of capsules contain 0.384g NaCl (similar to 1 sachet).This is small compared with our standard daily intake of 6-10g of NaCl. For a hypertensive patient, a mild dietary sodium restriction of up to 5g NaCl is recommended. Therefore, the small quantity of sodium in Viartril®-S will not affect it. No health authority has ever contraindicated Viartril®-S in hypertension.

Is Viartril®-S safe for shell-fish allergy patients?

Viartril®-S is obtained by a synthesis process (ensuring a high degree of purity), starting from a substance called chitin which is of sea origin.Chitin is a highly purified polysaccharide and it does not contain protein impurities responsible for allergic reactions in certain individuals. Any other potential impurity would be eliminated by the synthesis process. Viartril®-S is therefore not contraindicated for individuals allergic to shell-fish.

Are there any interactions with other drugs when using Viartril®-S?

Due to its physic-chemical and pharmacokinetic properties, Glucosamine Sulfate is a compound with no potential for pharmacokinetic or other interactions with any other drugs.

Propecia 1mg 28s @RM145 in Johor Bahru

After few years on the market, more than 400,000 men in the United States were filling prescriptions for Propecia to reverse their male pattern baldness. While the drug’s active ingredient, finasteride, effectively blocks the hormone responsible for this common genetic form of hair loss, numerous studies suggest that it can also have damaging effects on users’ sexual health.

Before Propecia was approved for use in the United States in 1997, manufacturer Merck & Co. releasedclinical trial data on the drug’s safety. One study revealed that 3.8 percent of men treated with Propecia reported one or more adverse sexual side effects, compared with 2 percent of those given a placebo.

The most commonly reported sexual side effects of Propecia include:

• Erectile dysfunction
• Ejaculation disorder
• Decreased libido

While both Merck and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) assured patients that these complications would resolve once they stopped taking Propecia, later evidence would prove the contrary.

The preapproval trials were not especially reliable, as the information was drawn from a relatively small patient group treated for only six months to one year, and follow-up procedures were unclear. More recent investigations demonstrate that Propecia’s sexual side effects can persist even after cessation of use. In some cases, the complications are irreversible.

One case study describes a 24-year-old patient who started taking Propecia in 1999. Within one week, he experienced soreness in his testicles, a lack of sex drive and the inability to achieve an erection. He stopped taking the drug about a month later, and while some side effects disappeared, his sexual function never returned to normal. In a follow-up 11 years later, he still suffered from erectile dysfunction and loss of libido.

Although situations like this are rare, they can have a huge impact on quality of life for those affected. Starting in April 2012, claimants suffering persistent sexual dysfunction from Propecia use began filing lawsuits against Merck & Co. To better manage the growing caseload, the Propecia lawsuits were consolidated into a multidistrict litigation: MDL 2331. By January 2013, the MDL had grown to 139 lawsuits. More than 250 additional claims have been filed in New Jersey state courts.

Persistent Sexual Side Effects

One of the earliest indications that the sexual side effects of finasteride may continue even after patients stop using the drug came from a 2003 study funded by Merck. In the first year of treatment, 15 percent of men taking finasteride for an enlarged prostate (the drug’s other approved use) reported sexual side effects. Researchers stated that side effects later resolved in 50 percent of patients, but the other group with persistent sexual complications received no follow-up. The study concluded that the problems were most likely caused by factors unrelated to the drug.

This claim was challenged in 2011, when George Washington University urologist Michael S. Irwig and his colleague Swapna Kolukula published an assessment of 71 finasteride patients who reported long-term sexual side effects that persisted after discontinuation of the drug.

The selected group of patients, young men between the ages of 21 and 46, took a survey that revealed a wide range of sexual side effects that arose after Propecia use, including issues with erectile function, arousal, sexual desire, orgasm and orgasm satisfaction. These side effects appeared slowly and gradually, and persisted for an average of 40 months after the end of treatment.

Upon following up with 51 of these patients one year later, Irwig discovered that 96 percent of the men were still suffering from the sexual dysfunctions they initially reported. None of the men reported sexual, psychiatric or medical complaints before taking finasteride.

By 2012, the FDA published results from its own investigation into the adverse effects of finasteride. Using data collected from 1998 to 2011, this study identified persistent sexual dysfunction of at least three months in 14 percent of the 421 evaluated cases. While the agency stated that a clear causal link between finasteride and sexual side effects had not been established, warnings of these complications were added to the drug’s prescribing information.

Erectile Dysfunction

Drawing on data from six Propecia clinical trials, one review of the drug’s adverse sexual side effects reported that approximately 6 to 8 percent of patients experienced erectile dysfunction. This side effect repeatedly appears in Propecia studies, including double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trials.

Symptoms of erectile dysfunction may be persistent, and include:

• Difficulty getting an erection
• Difficulty maintaining an erection
• Low sexual desire

In a large observational cohort study of 14,772 men taking finasteride, erectile dysfunction was the most frequently reported of all side effects; 143 patients (roughly 1 percent of those involved) withdrew from treatment as a direct result of erectile dysfunction. According to the American Urological Association (AUA), erectile problems affected 8 percent of men on finasteride and 4 percent of those taking a placebo.

These complications can likely be attributed to Propecia’s suppression of DHT, a hormone that plays an important role in erectile physiology. Numerous animal and human studies have confirmed that Propecia and other 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor drugs can have an adverse effect on erectile response.

While lowering the body’s levels of DHT may correct hair loss, problems arise because this sex hormone is important for maintaining the structural integrity of nerves, smooth muscle, connective tissue and signaling pathways in the penis.

Loss of Libido

Another Propecia side effect that may persist long after men stop taking the drug is a reduced interest in sex. The AUA clinical practice guideline states that 5 percent of men taking finasteride experience a loss of libido, compared with 3 percent of the men given a placebo.

In Irwig and Kolukula’s study of 71 patients who experienced Propecia sexual side effects, 94 percent of men experienced  a decline in libido. The average duration of all sexual side effects, measured from the time of drug cessation, was 40 months.

While a persistent reduction in libido only occurs in a small subset of patients, it can be devastating for those affected. The problem can threaten relationships and often has a severe emotional toll on men and their partners.

Ejaculatory Disorder

Evidence of ejaculatory dysfunction has been observed in 20 finasteride trials, as well as in trials for other 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors like dutasteride. In one study, finasteride and dutasteride led to a decrease in ejaculatory function in week 26 and week 52 of treatment, according to results of a sexual function inventory.

Propecia use has been associated with numerous ejaculatory disorders, including retrograde ejaculation, ejaculation failure and a decrease in semen volume. According to the AUA clinical practice guideline’s review of 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor trials, 4 percent of men taking finasteride experienced some ejaculatory disorder, compared with 1 percent of men taking a placebo.

Can healthcare learn from Uber?

There is an increasing number of patrons of the transportation model provided by Uber, a US online network company that has grown by leaps and bounds since its foundation in 2009.

The Uber model functions on detailed information of cities – linking it with real-time data of prospective drivers, passengers and road conditions; simplifying decision-making; and presenting drivers with manageable options.

In short, it establishes, digitises and stores information that enables relationships to be established between prospective drivers and passengers.

The experience for Uber drivers and their passengers has generally been positive.

Passengers have found friendly drivers, reasonably clean vehicles, short waiting times and lower costs than the usual fares.

Drivers value the fact that they are the boss, the system’s flexibility and the low entry cost.

However, as with all things in life, there are downsides to Uber transportation.

There are potential safety risks to passengers that may be accentuated by drivers who drive irregularly.

There are also insurance and regulatory matters.

Notwithstanding these issues, Uber transportation continues to attract increasing patronage.

Healthcare also involves relationships: between patients and doctors, patients and healthcare facilities, as well as patients and payers.

image: http://www1.star2.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/sfit_fitmilton1812_ci_1.jpg

Uber works by compiling and analysing real-time data of prospective drivers, passengers and road conditions.

 A similar model could conceivably work in a healthcare app that delivers real-time medical expertise. 

Some of these relationships are long-term and strong, while others are transient.

The latter is particularly the case in the local setting where doctor-hopping is common.

So, can healthcare take a leaf from Uber’s book?

Uberhealth

Harvard Medical School Professor of Bioimedical Informatics Dr John Brownstein reported on a pilot project by Uberhealth, which is an outgrowth of his team’s Health-map Vaccine Finder tool and created in partnership with Uber, to deliver influenza vaccinations to people in the US cities of Boston, New York, Washington and Chicago one day in 2014.

Uber app and social media users in those cities were informed by e-mail that they could get influenza vaccines delivered to their home or office with the option of a nurse in an Uber vehicle to administer the vaccine.

Prof Brownstein stated that “substantial numbers of persons who are willing to be vaccinated against influenza, but are deterred by inconvenience will participate in a programme that provides vaccination when and where they want it”. (Source: Annals of Internal Medicine. Nov 17, 2015).

The pilot project was repeated in 2015, where residents in 35 US cities could request influenza vaccination through their Uber application, just like requesting for a ride.

There was an overwhelmingly positive response.

Uberhealth had reached thousands of people who would, otherwise, have not got influenza vaccinations.

image: http://www1.star2.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/flu-shot-1719334_640.jpg

Instead of requesting for a ride on Uber, people ask, via an app, for a health professional to stop by and give 

them a flu shot.

Prof Brownstein said: “The concept of bringing on-demand services… bringing physicians and nurses to people has so many opportunities.”

Uberhealth is not just about influenza vaccination, but is about an innovation, i.e. networked transactions, that many consider worthy of embracing in healthcare.

Mobile healthcare apps

Today, one can access with a smartphone or tablet, apps called Doctor on Demand (24-hour daily access to board-certified doctors in the US), Heal (an Uber-like app to call for a doctor in the US) and e-Nable (an app that matches people around the world who need prosthetic hands with those who build them with 3D printers).

There are also apps available on smartphones that enable patients to schedule appointments with their providers at a convenient time.

The number of such apps are increasing.

Other technology-driven changes have also impacted on healthcare.

Home blood glucose monitors have improved dramatically the management of diabetes; newer ones even provide advice and alerts.

These monitors have, more significantly, reduced the burden on healthcare providers and payers.

Wearable heart monitors continuously monitor parameters in patients discharged after a heart attack.

The information is transmitted by networks for interpretation and analysis.

Advice and alerts are then sent back to the patient, enabling potentially life-saving short-term interventions and long-term improvements in management.

Attending doctors can review data from many patients at a central location with reduced resource requirements, and more importantly, help patients to be in control of their own care.

Uberisation of healthcare?

After a ride on Uber, the passenger has an opportunity to provide feedback, which, if negative, will lead to an apology and a request for details.

Uber leaps at the opportunity to rectify passenger service gaps.

Compare that with the management of dissatisfaction in healthcare provision.

Waiting is the norm in the public healthcare sector, and to a considerably lesser extent, in the private sector.

Consider the situation when illness strikes while away from home or when one’s doctor is on leave.

The attending doctor would have no or limited access to the patient’s medical records.

Could the attending doctor, if he had Uber-like tools, provide the same care, or something close to it, as one’s own doctor?

A new dawn on healthcare delivery is appearing.

The Ubers of healthcare will shift some, but not all, of healthcare from relationships to transactions.

To be successful, they will have to do what Uber does, i.e. accumulate databases of population healthcare information; develop and improve real-time tracking; apply technology that discerns patterns of illness; focus on management options; and package this information for instant comprehension by patients and providers.

Success or failure will depend on the value the Ubers of healthcare provide to patients and their providers.

Needless to say, some healthcare cannot be delivered with Uber-like tools, and doctors and other healthcare providers will continue to be indispensable with their irreplaceable relationships with patients.

image: http://www1.star2.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/sfit_fitmilton1812_ci_2.jpg

At the end of the day, the relationship between a doctor and a patient cannot be replaced by an app, 

no matter how useful, as medicine is also an art. Photo: Filepic

The question is, how much of healthcare can be reduced to Uber-like algorithms.

Although the guesses of experts vary, the general consensus is substantial.

There is an increasing number of apps that connect patients and their providers.

What is needed are apps that make available medical expertise to the public.

However, the information technology used in healthcare requires radical updating, and regulatory issues will get in the way.

When useful apps, with networked knowledge, administrative automation and resource allocation, are widely available, healthcare can be Uberised.

The public would then find healthcare very convenient, quick, easy and relatively inexpensive.

More importantly, the relationship between patients and providers will be substantially better.

Although the road ride could be bumpy, the Uberisation of healthcare is not far away.

You may die earlier even if you have just one cigarette a day

Smoking less may not mean that your risk of death is low, says study.

Smokers who go through much less than a pack of cigarettes a day still have a higher risk of an early death than non-smokers, a new study suggests.

“There is no safe level of cigarette smoking,” said lead study author Maki Inoue-Choi, a researcher at the National Cancer Institute in Rockville, Maryland.

“Even smokers who consistently smoked less than one cigarette per day were more likely to die in our study than never smokers,” Inoue-Choi said.

Tobacco smoking poses a major public health challenge and claims about five million lives each year worldwide, researchers note in JAMA Internal Medicine.

A growing number of smokers tend to be “light” smokers, going through less than half a pack of cigarettes a day, the authors write. This used to be how people cut back gradually on the path to quitting, but it’s increasingly a pattern that smokers follow for years at a time.

To get a better picture of the health effects of light smoking, researchers tracked more than 290,000 adults aged 59 to 82, including more than 22,000 current smokers and more than 156,000 former smokers, who completed surveys in 2004 and 2005.

By 2011, compared to people who never smoked, adults who consistently smoked at least part of one cigarette a day were 64% more likely to have died of any cause, researchers report in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Smoking one to 10 cigarettes a day was associated with 87% higher odds of dying from all causes during the study than not smoking at all.

The odds of death from lung cancer were more than nine times higher with a habit of even one cigarette a day.

Lung cancer deaths in particular were much more likely among light smokers than non-smokers. The odds of death from lung cancer were more than nine times higher with a habit of even one cigarette a day, while smoking up to 10 cigarettes a day was associated with almost 12 times the risk of death from lung cancer.

Former smokers fared better when they quit at younger ages. For example, ex-smokers of one to 10 cigarettes a day who kicked the habit after age 50 had a 42% higher risk of death from all causes during the study period, compared to those who kicked the habit at younger ages. One limitation of the study is that researchers relied on participants to accurately recall and report on how often they smoked even may years in the past, the authors note.

Even so, the findings should reinforce that even light smokers can face serious health risks from the habit, the authors note.

“The take home message is that all smokers should stop smoking, even if they smoke only occasionally, or if they smoke very few cigarettes a day,” Jean-Francois Etter, a researcher at the University of Geneva in Switzerland who wasn’t involved in the study, said in an email.

The study also showed very little benefit from cutting back from two packs a day to half a pack a day, said Judith Prochaska, a researcher at Stanford University in California who wasn’t involved in the study.

“Low intensity smokers often downplay their use of tobacco – may even identify as non-smokers – and may rationalise their behaviour as low risk,” Prochaska said by email.

“The findings ought to compel physicians to intervene with patients who report any level of current tobacco use,” Prochaska added. “As a motivating message, the sooner individuals quit smoking, the greater the health benefits in extending years of life.” – Reuters/Lisa Rapaport

When men become infertile

Male infertility is usually caused by problems that affect either sperm production or sperm transport. Photo: Shutterstock

The incidence of male factor infertility has risen from about 10%-15% to approximately 40%-50% in the last 10 years.

Worldwide statistics show that in male infertility, the majority of men have problems with either sperm production or sperm transport blockage, or a combination of both.

Sperm production

Problems with sperm production can either be non-inherited or inherited. The most common non-inherited causes are lifestyle related.

Cigarette smoke contains numerous chemicals that are harmful to sperm. The chemicals reach the sperm production “factory” (testicles) via the blood stream and affect the balance of certain proteins that are required for optimal sperm production and integrity.

This process damages the DNA of sperm via oxidative stress. Thus, a smoker may have a normal sperm count, but the quality of his sperm is very much reduced.

Alcohol abuse also reduces sperm production by lowering the level of the male hormone called testosterone. Testosterone is needed for optimal sperm production.

Many health organisations recommend men to avoid habitual or binge drinking. Research has not conclusively identified the amount of alcohol that affects sperm quality, but as little as five units (one alcohol unit is measured as 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol; this equals one 25ml single measure of whisky [40% alcohol content], or a third of a pint of beer [5%-6% alcohol content] or half a standard glass of red wine [12% alcohol content]) of alcohol per week has been shown to have a negative effect on sperm.

Besides alcohol, oral testosterone intake can reduce or completely stop sperm production. Testosterone that is consumed can halt the natural production of hormones that are essential for sperm production.

The reversal back to normality can sometimes take years.

Obesity is a well known risk factor for heart disease. However, what is less well known is that obesity affects sperm production by lowering testosterone.

This can happen because fat cells can turn testosterone into a female hormone called oestrogen. High levels of oestrogen can reduce sperm production.

In addition, the insulating effect of fat increases scrotal temperature, thus reducing the optimal environment for sperm production.

Obesity also can cause erectile dysfunction.

Stress affects a man’s fertility health. Men with high levels of stress have lower sperm quality.

How stress affects sperm quality is not fully understood but it could be related to the release of steroids called glucocorticoids, which lower testosterone levels.

It has also been proposed that stress damages sperm by oxidative stress.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can also reduce sperm production by directly damaging the site of sperm production in the testicles.

Any man suspected to have an STI should seek appropriate consultation and treatment to avoid long term fertility health consequences.

Varicocele (dilated veins around the testicle) has long been proposed to reduce sperm production. However, only a moderate to large varicocele may impair sperm production by increasing scrotal temperature. Mild varicoceles do not reduce sperm production.

Failure of the testicles to descend into the scrotum during childhood (cryptorchidism) can lead to permanent damage involving sperm production. Testicles which failed to descend are in a “hotter” environment compared to its natural position in the scrotum. If treated surgically in early childhood, long term complications can be avoided.

Other less common causes of male infertility are injury to the genitals and medical treatment such as chemotherapy.

Sometimes, the cause is unknown. Inherited sperm production problems are rare. Conditions such as Klinefelter’s Syndrome, Y-Chromosome micro deletion and Down’s Syndrome can lead to either low sperm production or no sperm production (azoospermia).

Sperm transport blockage

In this condition, the sperm that is produced is unable to be ejaculated.

The ejaculate is a combination of semen and sperm. So, a man could still ejaculate out semen without any sperm (azoospermia).

The most common cause of a blocked sperm pathway is infections, especially STIs.

The inflammatory process damages the sperm transport pathway within and outside the testicle. However, most of the infections are asymptomatic and difficult to diagnose.

Prostate-related problem such as infection (prostatitis) or prostate surgery can lead to blockage. Other pelvic surgery, such as for inguinal hernia, can in some cases contribute to this problem.

In rare cases, the sperm transport channel is absent in a condition called cystic fibrosis. This condition is more prevalent in Western countries.

Sexual problems

Sexual problems lead to improper deposition of sperm in the vagina. Failure of ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, and retrograde ejaculation are some common examples.

Sexual problems can be due to an underlying medical condition such as uncontrolled diabetes mellitus.

Trauma to the spinal cord and pelvic or prostate surgery complicated by nerve damage can also lead to erectile dysfunction.

Hormones and sperm antibody

Diseases of the pituitary gland, congenital lack of hormones and Kallmann Syndrome can reduce the production of hormones needed for sperm formation. FSH (follicular stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinising hormone) are produced in the pituitary gland, and they drive sperm and testosterone production in the testicle.

Vasectomy (male sterilisation), injury or infection in the epididymis can lead to sperm antibody production. These sperm antibodies wrongly identify sperm as a foreign body and destroy the sperm.

Diagnosing male infertility

Diagnosis is based on a combination of clinical history, physical examination, semen analysis and additional hormone tests.

The first-line test is semen analysis (sperm test). Semen analysis looks at:

Sperm concentration: The lower range of normal is 15 million sperm for every millilitre of semen. Sperm concentration above this value is considered normal.

Vitality: This is the percentage of life sperm in the sample. It should be at least 58% (at least 58 out of 100 sperm are alive).

Motility: This parameter looks at the movement of sperm. At least 40% of the sperm should be moving. The movements are further graded according to speed and direction of movement.

Morphology: This parameter looks at the physical shape of a sperm. This is done under a high-powered microscope. At least 4% (you read it correctly!) of the sperm should be normal-looking to be considered “normal”.

Additional hormone tests are needed when there is no sperm (azoospermia).

A physical examination to look for any signs of testosterone deficiency, followed by blood tests for hormones (FSH, LH, testosterone), are done. The results will generally guide the fertility specialist as to the cause of azoospermia.

Treatment options

Sperm quality can be improved by lifestyle changes. The focus should be on reducing/stopping cigarette smoking, aiming for moderate alcohol intake, weight reduction, a healthy diet and reducing daily stress levels.

image: http://www1.star2.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/sfit_fitfertile0412_py_2.jpg

Photo: Reuters

Men should also consider adding antioxidants to their daily meal plan. Antioxidants potentially lower the level of oxidative stress on sperm, thus improving sperm quality.

However, any lifestyle modification will not show an immediate effect.

It takes at least two to three months before any improvement is seen because sperm production takes 72 days to complete.

Any improvement will be reflected in the new batch of sperm.

If azoospermia is due to vasectomy or obstruction, sperm can be obtained directly from the testicles. This requires a minor surgical procedure under sedation.

The severity of azoospermia will determine the type of surgical procedure required.

Is it safe to take evening primrose oil in pregnancy?

It’s probably best not to take evening primrose oil in pregnancy, as we can't be sure it’s safe. 

There aren’t any proven safety issues with evening primrose oil. However, the British National Formulary, which advises healthcare professionals about medicines, says evening primrose oil should be used with caution in pregnancy. 

You may have heard that taking evening primrose oil during pregnancy can reduce the risk of developing pre-eclampsia. Studies have shown that this is not case. And if you’re thinking of taking evening primrose oil later in pregnancy to bring on labour, there’s no evidence that this works either.

Evening primrose oil is a plant extract that has been used for centuries as a complementary medicine. It’s believed to ease a host of problems, from breast pain to premenstrual symptoms to skin disorders. However, evening primrose oil is not a licensed medicinal product, because there’s not enough evidence that it works.



If you’ve been taking evening primrose oil for a health problem, it’s best to find an alternative treatment, just to be on the safe side. You can continue taking evening primrose oil after your baby’s born. 

Evening primrose oil is also popular as a dietary supplement. It’s rich in linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid. Essential fatty acids are substances that our bodies need, but cannot make, so we have to get them from food. Evening primrose oil is also rich in gamma linolenic acid. This is used in the body to make hormone-like chemicals, such as prostaglandins, which are important for many body functions. 

During pregnancy, try to get essential fatty acids from foods such as seeds and oily fish, rather than from an evening primrose oil supplement. You can safely eat two portions of oily fish, such as tuna, a week. 

If you decide to take evening primrose oil, bear in mind that it can cause diarrhoea, nausea and bloating. When buying it as a food supplement, remember that each product will contain different doses, as well as other ingredients.