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Black Currant Seed Oil

Ribes nigrum
Evidence Level
Limited
2 Clinical Trials
6 Documented Benefits
2/5 Evidence Score

Black currant seed oil is cold-pressed or CO2-extracted from black currant seeds (Ribes nigrum). It provides both GLA (gamma-linolenic acid, omega-6) and SDA (stearidonic acid, omega-3), a combination found in few plant oils. SDA raises tissue EPA more effectively than ALA does, but SDA is only a few percent of the oil. 'Cassis' in French. Used for similar GLA applications as borage and evening primrose, plus modest omega-3 contribution.

Studied Dose 1-3 g/day (providing roughly 100-600 mg GLA + modest SDA); rheumatoid arthritis trials used 3 g/day for 6 weeks and 10.5 g/day (about 2 g GLA) for 24 weeks.
Active Compound GLA (about 11-19%), SDA (2-4%), ALA (about 10-19%), LA (about 47%).

Benefits

Combined GLA + SDA (Uncommon Among Plant Oils)

Distinguished from evening primrose and borage by containing SDA (stearidonic acid, omega-3) in addition to GLA. In a human feeding trial, SDA was about 30% as effective as EPA itself at raising tissue EPA, versus about 7% for ALA. SDA is only about 3% of the oil, and 3 g/day of black currant seed oil caused only minor changes in blood EPA.

Supported by Trial 2, Trial 1

GLA Anti-Inflammatory Effects

Same GLA mechanisms as borage and evening primrose: the DGLA → PGE1 anti-inflammatory pathway. Lower GLA content than borage, so more oil is needed for the same GLA intake.

Supported by Trial 2

Joint Comfort (GLA Oils)

May support joint comfort, but evidence is limited. In a 24-week placebo-controlled trial in adults with rheumatoid arthritis, symptom scores fell on black currant seed oil but not on placebo, yet overall clinical response was no better than placebo. A review pooling trials of GLA-rich oils (borage, evening primrose, black currant) found moderate evidence of some symptom relief.

Supported by Trial 1

Cardiovascular Effects (Mixed)

Direct cardiovascular evidence is limited. In a crossover trial in 15 healthy women, LDL cholesterol was lower after 4 weeks of black currant seed oil than after fish oil, but the oil caused only minor changes in blood EPA and DHA, so at 3 g/day its SDA added little EPA.

Supported by Trial 2

No Pyrrolizidine Alkaloid Concerns

Distinguished from borage oil by no PA contamination concern. Safer profile for chronic use.

Skin Health (Limited Evidence)

Evidence for skin benefits is limited. An independent review of 27 randomized trials found oral evening primrose and borage oil, the other main GLA-rich oils, no better than placebo for eczema. The one black currant seed oil trial cited here, in infants at raised allergy risk, found less eczema than olive oil at 12 months but no significant difference at 24 months.

Supported by Trial 2, Trial 1

Mechanism of action

1

GLA Pathway (Same as Borage/EPO)

GLA → DGLA → PGE1 anti-inflammatory series-1 prostaglandins.

2

SDA → EPA Conversion (Distinguishing Feature)

SDA (stearidonic acid, 18:4 ω-3) is one step further along the omega-3 conversion pathway than ALA (18:3 ω-3). In a human feeding trial, SDA was about 30% as effective as EPA itself at raising tissue EPA, versus about 7% for ALA. SDA-rich foods/oils provide more 'plant-based EPA' than ALA-rich foods.

3

Combined Pathway Effects

Provides both omega-6 anti-inflammatory pathway (GLA) and omega-3 cardiovascular/anti-inflammatory pathway (SDA → EPA). Theoretical advantage of dual mechanism.

4

Polyphenol Co-Delivery (Black Currant)

Black currants are rich in anthocyanins (in fruit, not significant in seeds). Black currant seed oil is the omega component; whole-fruit extracts provide anthocyanins.

Clinical trials

1
Black Currant Seed Oil for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Randomized, double-blind trial of black currant seed oil (10.5 g/day as 15 capsules, about 2 g GLA) vs soybean oil placebo for 24 weeks.

34 adults with active rheumatoid arthritis randomized (14 black currant, 20 placebo); 14 completed.

Signs and symptoms of disease activity fell in the black currant group (P<0.05) while the placebo group did not change, but overall clinical response (significant change in four measures) was no better than placebo. Many participants withdrew because of the 15 large capsules a day; none withdrew for adverse reactions.

2
Black Currant Seed Oil vs Fish Oil: Blood Lipids

Randomized, double-blind crossover trial: 3 g/day black currant seed oil vs 2.8 g/day fish oil, two 4-week periods separated by a 4-week washout.

15 healthy women.

Black currant seed oil raised GLA and DGLA in plasma lipids but caused only minor changes in EPA and DHA. LDL cholesterol was lower after black currant seed oil than after fish oil, while plasma glucose fell during the fish oil period.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Generally well-tolerated.
Mild GI distress.
Allergic reactions to black currant rare.
No PA contamination concern (advantage over borage).
Theoretical seizure threshold lowering at very high doses (less concerning than borage).

Important Drug interactions

Anticoagulants: modest additive bleeding risk.
Phenothiazines: less concerning than borage but theoretical.
Pregnancy: limited safety data; better safety profile than borage; avoid concentrated supplementation without medical guidance.
Lactation: limited data; moderate culinary intake of berries safe.
Pre-surgery: discontinue 1-2 weeks before.

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Frequently asked questions about Black Currant Seed Oil

What is black currant seed oil used for?

Black currant seed oil provides GLA (an omega-6) along with some omega-3 (ALA), giving it a balanced fatty-acid profile. It is used mainly for skin health and joint comfort, and a 2-month trial in healthy adults aged 65 and over found it modestly supported some immune responses.

How is black currant oil different from evening primrose or borage oil?

All three supply GLA. Black currant oil is notable for also containing some omega-3 (ALA) and the omega-3 stearidonic acid, giving a broader fatty-acid mix, while borage oil is highest in GLA and evening primrose is the most traditional.

How much black currant oil should I take?

Doses are based on GLA content; follow product labeling, often providing a few hundred milligrams of GLA per day. Take it with food and give skin or joint goals several weeks.

Is black currant oil safe?

It is generally well tolerated. Like other GLA oils, it may have mild blood-thinning activity, so check with your doctor if you take anticoagulants or are scheduled for surgery.

What is Black Currant Seed Oil?

Black currant seed oil is cold-pressed or CO2-extracted from black currant seeds (Ribes nigrum). It provides both GLA (gamma-linolenic acid, omega-6) and SDA (stearidonic acid, omega-3), a combination found in few plant oils.

Does Black Currant Seed Oil interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Anticoagulants: modest additive bleeding risk. Phenothiazines: less concerning than borage but theoretical. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for Black Currant Seed Oil?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Black Currant Seed Oil as Limited (2 out of 5). It is backed by 2 study summaries and 10 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(10 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Veselinovic M, Vasiljevic D, Vucic V, Arsic A, Petrovic S, Tomic-Lucic A, Savic M, Zivanovic S, Stojic V, Jakovljevic V. Clinical Benefits of n-3 PUFA and ɤ-Linolenic Acid in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Nutrients. 2017;9(4):325..PubMedUsed to support: Randomized 12-week trial in 60 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis: fish oil alone or fish oil plus evening primrose oil (a GLA source) was compared with no supplement; DAS28, tender joint count and VAS score fell notably in both supplemented groups. It did not test black currant seed oil, and because fish oil alone also improved scores it does not isolate GLA. Background for the GLA Anti-Inflammatory Effects and Joint Comfort (GLA Oils) benefits.
  2. Cameron M, Gagnier JJ, Chrubasik S. Herbal therapy for treating rheumatoid arthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011;2011(2):CD002948. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD002948.pub2.PubMedUsed to support: Cochrane systematic review covering herbal therapies for RA, including GLA-containing oils; found moderate evidence that GLA supplementation (from evening primrose, borage, or black currant seed oil) reduces RA symptoms. Supports the Joint Comfort (GLA Oils) and GLA Anti-Inflammatory Effects benefits; evidence applies to GLA-rich oils as a group. Its study table gives the black currant RA trial doses (3 g/day for 6 weeks; 10.5 g/day, about 2 g GLA, for 24 weeks) and the 24-week trial's enrollment (34 randomized, 14 completed).
  3. Leventhal LJ, Boyce EG, Zurier RB. Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with blackcurrant seed oil. Br J Rheumatol. 1994;33(9):847-52. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/33.9.847.PubMedUsed to support: 24-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of black currant seed oil in active rheumatoid arthritis: signs and symptoms fell within the treated group while the placebo group did not change, but overall clinical response was no better than placebo, and many withdrew because of the 15 large capsules a day. Dose (10.5 g/day, about 2 g GLA) and enrollment (34 randomized, 14 completed) come from the Cochrane review's study table. Supports the RA trial card and the Joint Comfort (GLA Oils) benefit.
  4. Bamford JT, Ray S, Musekiwa A, van Gool C, Humphreys R, Ernst E. Oral evening primrose oil and borage oil for eczema. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;2013(4):CD004416..PubMedUsed to support: Review of 27 randomized trials (1596 participants) of oral evening primrose oil and borage oil for eczema; neither improved global eczema symptoms more than placebo, and the authors judged them not effective for eczema. It covers the other GLA-rich oils, not black currant seed oil itself. Supports the evidence caveat in the Skin Health benefit.
  5. Linnamaa P, Savolainen J, Koulu L, Tuomasjukka S, Kallio H, Yang B, Vahlberg T, Tahvonen R. Blackcurrant seed oil for prevention of atopic dermatitis in newborns: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Clin Exp Allergy. 2010;40(8):1247-55..PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind trial in 313 pregnant mothers whose infants were at raised atopy risk: black currant seed oil vs olive oil from pregnancy through breastfeeding, then given to the infants until age 2. Atopic dermatitis prevalence was lower in the black currant group at 12 months (33.0% vs 47.3%) but not significantly different at 24 months. The only black currant specific skin trial, cited in the Skin Health benefit.
  6. Watson J, Byars ML, McGill P, Kelman AW. Cytokine and prostaglandin production by monocytes of volunteers and rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with dietary supplements of blackcurrant seed oil. Br J Rheumatol. 1993;32(12):1055-8..PubMedUsed to support: Black currant seed oil vs sunflower oil in rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy volunteers: morning stiffness improved in the RA patients on black currant oil, and monocyte production of IL-1 beta, TNF alpha, IL-6 and PGE2 was altered. The dose (3 g/day for 6 weeks) is from the Cochrane review's study table, which rated the results equivocal. Supports the 3 g/day RA dose in Studied Dose.
  7. James MJ, Ursin VM, Cleland LG. Metabolism of stearidonic acid in human subjects: comparison with the metabolism of other n-3 fatty acids. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;77(5):1140-5..PubMedUsed to support: Double-blind, parallel-group trial in healthy adults (n=15 per group) given encapsulated SDA, ALA or EPA at 0.75 then 1.5 g/day for 3 weeks each: SDA raised EPA and DPA but not DHA in red cell and plasma phospholipids, and the relative effectiveness at raising tissue EPA was 1 : 0.3 : 0.07 for EPA : SDA : ALA. Tested encapsulated SDA, not black currant seed oil. Supports the SDA-to-EPA figures in the description, benefit and mechanism.
  8. Tahvonen RL, Schwab US, Linderborg KM, Mykkänen HM, Kallio HP. Black currant seed oil and fish oil supplements differ in their effects on fatty acid profiles of plasma lipids, and concentrations of serum total and lipoprotein lipids, plasma glucose and insulin. J Nutr Biochem. 2005;16(6):353-9..PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind crossover trial in 15 healthy women: 3 g/day black currant seed oil (2.7% SDA, 12.6% GLA, 14.5% ALA, 47.5% LA) vs 2.8 g/day fish oil for 4 weeks each. Black currant oil raised GLA and DGLA in plasma lipids with only minor changes in EPA and DHA, and LDL cholesterol was lower after black currant oil than after fish oil. Supports the lipid trial card and the note that the oil adds little EPA.
  9. Ruiz del Castillo ML, Dobson G, Brennan R, Gordon S. Genotypic variation in fatty acid content of blackcurrant seeds. J Agric Food Chem. 2002;50(2):332-5..PubMedUsed to support: Fatty acid analysis of seeds from 36 blackcurrant genotypes: GLA generally 11-19% of total fatty acids (three genotypes reached 22-24%, similar to borage seed), SDA 2-4% and ALA 10-19%. Supports the GLA, SDA and ALA ranges in Active Compound and the note in GLA Anti-Inflammatory Effects that the oil has less GLA than borage.
  10. Wu D, Meydani M, Leka LS, Nightingale Z, Handelman GJ, Blumberg JB, Meydani SN. Effect of dietary supplementation with black currant seed oil on the immune response of healthy elderly subjects. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999;70(4):536-43..PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, soybean oil controlled trial in 40 healthy adults aged 65 and over given black currant seed oil for 2 months: the delayed-type hypersensitivity skin response to tetanus toxoid improved more than on placebo and PGE2 production fell, while several other immune measures did not change; the authors described a moderate immune-enhancing effect. Supports the immune mention in the FAQ.