Roll Call

“Safflower Oil?”Here!

Plant

Hasn’t appeared in a scanned product yet.

As a supplement

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Roll Call does not check drug interactions or assess personal safety.

An oil pressed from safflower seeds, composed mainly of linoleic acid, an essential omega-6 fatty acid.

Why it’s used

Taken as a source of dietary linoleic acid, and marketed in some products for general fat or weight-management support.

What the evidence says

Safflower oil itself has not been well studied for specific health outcomes in isolation. Some confusion exists with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a chemically altered derivative sometimes made from safflower oil, which is a different substance with its own separate and mixed evidence base.

Where we looked

There was no paper to cite here, so this is the search instead — run it yourself and see what we saw.

  • PubMed: 77 records · searched September 2026"Safflower Oil"[Title/Abstract] AND (review[pt] OR "safety assessment"[Title/Abstract] OR "risk assessment"[Title/Abstract] OR toxicology[Title/Abstract] OR toxicity[Title/Abstract] OR characterization[Title/Abstract] OR characterisation[Title/Abstract])
  • PubMed: 84 records · searched September 2026"Safflower Oil"[Title/Abstract] AND ("dietary supplements"[MeSH] OR supplementation[Title/Abstract] OR supplement[Title/Abstract] OR supplements[Title/Abstract] OR "oral administration"[Title/Abstract]) AND (randomized controlled trial[pt] OR clinical trial[pt] OR meta-analysis[pt] OR systematic review[pt]) AND humans[MeSH]
  • PubMed: 1564 records · searched September 2026"Safflower Oil"[Title/Abstract]

This says what this database holds under these terms. It is not a finding that no research exists.

Context

Where weight-related claims appear on labels, they typically trace back to CLA research, not plain safflower oil, and that research itself is inconsistent.

Insufficient dataToo little has been studied to say either way.

Rumors

  1. Safflower oil is inflammatory because of its high linoleic acid (omega-6) content.

    We haven’t found evidence strong enough to support this or rule it out.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

    • Perfect Keto — a brand: sells keto food and supplements
      How we know who this is
      • “95% of people say that Perfect Keto helps them stay consistent on a keto diet” (their page)
      • “Provides food, supplements, and education to millions struggling to reach their health goals.” (their page)

  2. Taking safflower oil reduces belly fat and helps you lose weight.

    We haven’t found evidence strong enough to support this or rule it out.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

    • Get Holistic Health — a publisher: online health and lifestyle guide
      How we know who this is
      • “Consider Get Holistic Health to be your one-stop-shop for any discussion that's worth listening to.” (their page)
      • “Welcome to Get Holistic Health ( GHH ), the ultimate online guide to living well.” (their page)

  3. Daily safflower oil improves blood sugar, insulin sensitivity and good (HDL) cholesterol.

    We haven’t found evidence strong enough to support this or rule it out.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

    • ScienceDaily — a publisher: science news site funded by advertisements and referral programs
      How we know who this is
      • “ScienceDaily features breaking news about the latest discoveries in science, health, the environment, technology, and more -- from leading universities, scientific journals, and research organizations.” (their page)
      • “Financial support for ScienceDaily comes from advertisements and referral programs.” (their page)

  4. Safflower oil supplements stop new fat from forming (inhibit lipogenesis) and reduce body fat.

    We haven’t found evidence strong enough to support this or rule it out.

    What was measured is not yet noted.

    Who’s saying this

  5. A daily dose of safflower oil helps reduce the risk of heart disease.

    Does not support — suggestivehealth and safety evidence

    Studied in: men aged 30-59 with a recent coronary event (secondary prevention).

    Measured as an outcome.

    Who’s saying this

    • ScienceDaily — a publisher: science news site funded by advertisements and referral programs
      How we know who this is
      • “ScienceDaily features breaking news about the latest discoveries in science, health, the environment, technology, and more -- from leading universities, scientific journals, and research organizations.” (their page)
      • “Financial support for ScienceDaily comes from advertisements and referral programs.” (their page)