Does evening primrose oil help with weight gain during perimenopause?

Evening primrose oil is sometimes mentioned as a support for weight management, and there is some preliminary evidence that GLA may modestly affect body composition. However, the evidence is mixed and the effects are small. It is not a meaningful weight loss tool on its own, and it should not be approached as one.

Evening primrose oil contains gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA. GLA converts in the body to DGLA and then to prostaglandin E1, which has anti-inflammatory properties. Some animal research and a small number of human studies have suggested that GLA may influence fat metabolism, potentially by activating brown adipose tissue, a type of fat tissue that burns energy rather than stores it. A few studies have found modest reductions in body fat percentage with GLA supplementation, but the effect sizes have been small and the evidence is not consistent across trials. This is an area where the science is genuinely mixed, and overstating the benefit would be misleading.

Weight gain in perimenopause is driven by several intersecting factors. As estrogen declines, fat distribution shifts from the hips and thighs toward the abdomen, an area more metabolically active and more associated with cardiovascular risk. Muscle mass declines with age, lowering basal metabolic rate. Insulin sensitivity can decrease, making it easier for the body to store fat. Sleep disruption, a near-universal perimenopause complaint, raises cortisol and ghrelin levels, both of which promote fat storage and increase appetite. Evening primrose oil does not directly address any of these drivers. Its anti-inflammatory effects may reduce some of the systemic inflammation associated with metabolic dysfunction, but that is a very indirect connection to weight. Chronic low-grade inflammation does impair insulin signaling, so if reducing inflammation through GLA has any downstream effect on metabolism, that would be the plausible pathway. But it is a long chain of steps with no direct clinical confirmation for perimenopause.

No large, well-designed clinical trials have demonstrated that evening primrose oil meaningfully reduces perimenopause-related weight gain. The most honest framing is that it may play a modest supporting role in a broader strategy, but it is not going to move the needle on its own. Resistance training to preserve muscle mass, protein-adequate nutrition, quality sleep, and stress management all have considerably stronger evidence for managing perimenopausal weight changes.

Studies have used a range of GLA doses. For general perimenopausal symptoms, studies have used 3,000 to 4,000 mg of evening primrose oil per day. Always take it with food to improve absorption and reduce stomach upset. Talk to your healthcare provider about the right dose for your situation, and discuss whether other interventions might be a better fit for your specific metabolic concerns.

Before starting evening primrose oil, review these important safety points. If you have or have had a hormone-sensitive condition such as breast cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids, discuss evening primrose oil with your healthcare provider before using it. Evening primrose oil may interact with blood thinners and anticoagulants. It may also lower the seizure threshold, so discuss with your provider if you take any seizure medications. If you take any prescription medications, check with your provider before adding this supplement.

If you decide to try evening primrose oil as part of a broader strategy, give it at least 8 to 12 weeks and track your results with objective measures rather than just how you feel. Weight fluctuates day to day for many reasons, so weekly tracking under consistent conditions gives more reliable data than daily weigh-ins. Tracking waist circumference alongside body weight can be more informative than weight alone in perimenopause, since the shift toward abdominal fat can happen even when the scale does not move significantly.

See your healthcare provider if you are gaining weight rapidly without a clear explanation, if weight gain is accompanied by significant fatigue, cold intolerance, constipation, or hair loss, or if you have tried multiple lifestyle strategies without any effect. Thyroid dysfunction, insulin resistance, and cortisol dysregulation are all medical conditions that can drive weight gain and respond to specific treatment. Evening primrose oil is not a substitute for that evaluation.

Tracking your weight alongside sleep, stress, and cycle phase can reveal patterns that explain why the scale moves when it does. The PeriPlan app (https://apps.apple.com/app/periplan/id6740066498) lets you log weight and related symptoms daily so you can spot whether patterns shift over time. This content is for informational purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider about your specific situation.