Hawthorn Berries Benefit – Hawthorn is often called “the heart herb” for its various cardio-protective abilities. Valued for its ability to stimulate and strengthen the heart emotionally and physically, the hawthorn berry has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for all kinds of serious heart concerns. These include angina, high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, irregular heartbeat and even congestive heart failure.
In fact, hawthorn has been used to treat heart disease as far back as the first century! Fast forward to the early 1800s and doctors in the United States were also using this medicinal herb for respiratory and circulatory health ailments. (1)
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Hawthorn Berries Benefit
The fruit, leaves and flowers of the hawthorn are used medicinally today. Hawthorn fruit comes in the form of small red berries. Native American tribes enjoyed eating them and also used hawthorn to treat heart problems, as well as gastrointestinal complaints. (2)
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What are the healing properties of hawthorn berries? Their abundance of flavonoids appears for starters. Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants known to effectively reduce inflammation while boosting immune function. Eating a diet high in flavonoid-rich foods, beverages, and herbs has been linked to the prevention of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases as well as cancer. (3)
Let’s take a closer look at how a tiny little hawthorn berry can really make a big improvement in the health of many people.
The hawthorn bush, also called thornapple or May-tree, is a deciduous plant. It is a member of the rose family (Rosaceae) belonging to the genus
. Hawthorn can come in the form of a thorny hawthorn bush or a hawthorn tree. Often, you’ll find hawthorn growing on the side of a sunny forested hill. There are many different types of hawthorn, many of which are found in North America. (4)
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A hawthorn plant has berries as well as flowers that bloom in May. Hawthorn flowers are red, pink or white. Small hawthorn berries appear after the flowers bloom. When hawthorn berries are fully ripe, they are usually red in color, but sometimes they are black. These berries are edible. How do they taste? Most people describe hawthorn berries as a mix of sweet and sour.
The hawthorn herb is full of beneficial health compounds. These compounds have been shown to actually boost heart health. Hawthorn’s antioxidant flavonoids improve blood flow, guard against blood vessel damage, and even help dilate blood vessels. (5)
These flavonoids include OPCs. What are OPCs? OPC stands for oligomeric proanthocyanidins. OPCs are some of the most abundant polyphenolic substances found in plants. (6)
The hawthorn berry is known for its beneficial toning effects on the heart. As a “cardiotonic herb,” hawthorn has shown itself to be wonderfully helpful for all kinds of serious heart concerns. These include heart failure, heart disease, angina pectoris, heart rhythm changes, and atherosclerosis. According to a 2016 study published in the journal
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So far, research has shown that hawthorn may have a beneficial effect on congestive heart failure (CHF). Several studies have shown that hawthorn supplementation resulted in an improvement in cardiac function based on several parameters. These parameters include blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output and exercise tolerance.
One trial in particular gave 78 patients with NYHA Class II heart failure a commercial preparation of hawthorn leaves and flowers. After two months, patients who received 200 milligrams of hawthorn three times per day had a higher working capacity of the heart, as well as a reduction in symptoms. The hawthorn group also showed a decrease in systolic blood pressure during physical activity. Another German study also showed that a hawthorn extract (LI132 Faros®) worked almost as well as a prescription heart failure drug (captopril). And, hawthorn extract has less side effects. (9)
) special extract alone or as an add-on to traditional treatment. After two years, fatigue, stress dyspnoea and palpitations (the three main symptoms of heart failure) were significantly reduced in the group that took hawthorn compared to the group that did not take hawthorn. (10)
Many herbal practitioners recommend hawthorn berries, flowers and leaves as a natural blood pressure reducer. A scientific study published in
Impressive Hawthorn Berry Benefits, Dosage, & Side Effects
Had 79 type 2 diabetic patients take 1200 milligrams of hawthorn extract daily or a placebo for a total of 16 weeks. Hypotensive medications were also taken by 71 percent of study participants.
What did they find? The hawthorn group experienced a greater reduction in diastolic blood pressure. But, there was no group difference in reducing systolic blood pressure. (11) Hopefully more studies are forthcoming to back up the use of hawthorn in lowering blood pressure.
Decreased blood flow to the heart causes chest pain known as angina. Sometimes it is confused with indigestion. But, true angina can be a symptom of coronary heart disease. So far, research shows that hawthorn may be an effective natural remedy for the prevention and treatment of angina.
, hawthorn bioflavonoids help dilate both peripheral and coronary blood vessels. It can improve blood flow to the heart, making hawthorn very useful for angina. Hawthorn’s proanthocyanidins are also believed to reduce the tension of blood vessel walls. Again, this is very helpful to prevent angina. (12)
The History, Mythology, And Offerings Of Hawthorn
In one study, 80 subjects (aged 45 to 65 years) with stable angina pectoris were randomly divided into four groups. The first group is the aerobic exercise group. The second group took hawthorn extract. The third group did aerobic exercise, and they took hawthorn extract. Finally, the fourth group is the control group. After 12 weeks, the researchers found that the combination of aerobic exercise and hawthorn supplementation was “an effective complementary strategy to significantly reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and heart problems.” (13)
Animal studies have shown that hawthorn berry extract may be a useful natural remedy for reducing LDL (“bad”) cholesterol from the body. In China, hawthorn is called “Shan-Zha.” A study using animal subjects showed some really impressive health results from an ethanol extract of Zhongtian hawthorn, a cultivar of the wild Shan-Zha, which has larger hawthorn fruit.
This 2016 study revealed that hawthorn berry extract not only reduced overall high cholesterol levels, it also significantly reduced LDL cholesterol, liver cholesterol and triglycerides as well as body weight. (14)
Scientific research conducted in 2008 revealed that hawthorn berry extract is effective in reducing inflammation. This is huge for health because we know inflammation is at the root of most diseases.
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Research also shows that hawthorn berry extract is a free radical scavenger. This is very beneficial to human health because free radicals can cause cellular damage (including DNA damage) by stealing electrons through a process called oxidation.
A 2008 animal study also showed how hawthorn berry extract has protective effects for the gastrointestinal system and appears to successfully kill a variety of unwanted bacteria. (15)
How can you incorporate hawthorn berries into your life? There are several options. You can choose hawthorn berry tea, either prepackaged or loose. Loose hawthorn berries can often be purchased in the bulk section of many health food stores. You can also choose a hawthorn supplement in capsule form or a hawthorn extract in liquid tincture form.
Currently, safe doses of hawthorn appear to be between 160 to 1,800 milligrams per day for a three to 24 week period of time. Noticeable improvement in symptoms may take six to 12 weeks. (18)
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You should not take hawthorn if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Do not give hawthorn products to children. Hawthorn supplementation is recommended for short-term use by adults. If any symptoms worsen while taking hawthorn, you should discontinue use and seek emergency medical care.
For some users, hawthorn may cause nausea, upset stomach, fatigue, sweating, headaches, dizziness, palpitations, nosebleeds, insomnia, anxiety and other side effects.
Although hawthorn is known to be good for the heart, it can interact with prescription heart disease medications. Medications for other heart concerns, high blood pressure and male sexual dysfunction are also known to interact with hawthorn. Certain medications known to possibly interact with hawthorn include digoxin, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers (CCBs), nitrates, phenylephrine and phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors. If you have heart disease or any other health condition or are currently taking medication(s), check with your doctor before taking a hawthorn berry product or any other hawthorn supplement. (19, 20)
It is also important to remember that heart failure is a very serious health condition. It is best not to self-treat with hawthorn supplements if you suffer from this condition.
How Healthy Is Hawthorn?
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Dr. Ax on Facebook 560 Dr. Ax on Twitter 3 Dr. Ax on Instagram Dr. Ax on Google Plus Dr. Ax on Youtube Dr. Ax on Pintrest 2315 Share on Email Print Article 2.9KThe hawthorn berry, also known as “haw,” has been a popular ingredient in desserts and wine and has been a major medicinal herb for thousands of years. In ancient Rome, it was used to