Is Hawthorn Berries Good For Your Skin – The Hawthorn is often called “the herb of the heart” for its various cardio-protective abilities. Prized for its ability to uplift and strengthen the heart both 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 was 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 using this medicinal herb for respiratory and circulatory health disorders as well. (1)
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Is Hawthorn Berries Good For Your Skin
Hawthorn fruits, leaves and flowers are all 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)
Hawthorn Berry Health Benefits And How To Use
What makes hawthorn berries so medicinal? It seems to be their numerous flavonoids to begin with. Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants known to effectively reduce inflammation while boosting immune function. Eating a diet rich 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 exactly how a tiny hawthorn berry can actually 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) which belongs to the genus
. Hawthorn can come in the form of a hawthorn bush or a hawthorn tree. Most of the time, you can find hawthorn growing on the sides of sunny wooded hills. There are several species of Hawthorn, most of which are found in North America. (4)
Hawthorn: A Little Known Super Fruit
A hawthorn plant has berries as well as flowers that bloom in May. Hawthorn flowers are red, pink or white. The berries of the petite hawthorn appear after the flowers have bloomed. When hawthorn berries are fully ripe, they are typically red in color, but sometimes black. These berries are good for eating. How does it taste? Many people describe hawthorn berries as a mixture of sweet and sour.
Hawthorn herb is loaded with health beneficial compounds. These compounds have been shown to really boost heart health. Hawthorn’s antioxidant flavonoids improve blood flow, protect against damage to blood vessels, and even help dissolve blood vessels. (5)
These flavonoids include OPCs. What are OPCs? OPC refers to oligomeric proanthocyanidins. OPCs are some of the most prevalent polyphenolic substances found in plants. (6)
The Hawthorn berry is best known for its heart-helping teething effects. As a “cardiotonic herb,” hawthorn has proven to be an impressive aid to 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
Hawthorn Facts And Health Benefits
To date, research has shown that hawthorn may even have a helpful effect on congestive heart failure (CHF). Several studies have shown that hawthorn supplementation resulted in improved heart function based on a number of 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, the patients who received 200 milligrams of hawthorn three times a day had an increase in the heart’s work capacity, as well as a reduction in symptoms. The hawthorn group also showed a reduction in systolic blood pressure during physical activity. Another German study also showed that hawthorn extract (LI132 Faros®) worked almost as well as a prescription heart failure drug (captopril). And, the hawthorn extract had fewer side effects. (9)
) special extract either alone or as an addition to conventional treatment. After two years, fatigue, stress dyspnea and palpitations (the three main symptoms of heart failure) were all significantly reduced in the hawthorn group compared to the non-hawthorn group. (10)
Many herbal practitioners recommend hawthorn berries, flowers and leaves as natural blood pressure reducers. Scientific study published in
Hawthorn Benefits + How To Use To Lower Blood Pressure
Had 79 type 2 diabetic patients either take 1200 milligrams of hawthorn extract daily or a placebo for a total of 16 weeks. Antihypertensive drugs were also taken by 71 percent of study participants.
What did they find? The Hawthorn group experienced greater reductions in diastolic blood pressure. However, there were no group differences in the reduction of systolic blood pressure. (11) Hopefully more studies will come soon to support 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 is showing that hawthorn can be an effective natural remedy for the prevention and treatment of angina.
, Hawthorn bioflavonoids help to dilate both peripheral and coronary blood vessels. This can improve blood flow to the heart, making hawthorn very useful for angina. Hawthorn proanthocyanidins are also thought to reduce the tension of blood vessel walls. Again, this is very useful in discouraging angina. (12)
Hawthorn Berry ( Crataegus Monogyna )
In one study, 80 subjects (aged 45 to 65 years) with stable angina pectoris were randomly divided into four groups. The first group was the aerobic exercise group. The second group took hawthorn extract. The third group did aerobic exercise, as well as taking hawthorn extract. Finally, the fourth group was the control group. After 12 weeks, the researchers found that the combination of aerobic exercise and hawthorn supplements were “an effective complementary strategy to significantly reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and heart problems.” (13)
Animal studies have shown that Hawthorn berry extract can be a helpful natural remedy for lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol from the body. In China, the 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 wild Shan-Zha, which has larger hawthorn fruits.
This 2016 study showed that hawthorn berry extract not only reduced overall high cholesterol levels, but also significantly reduced LDL cholesterol, liver cholesterol and triglycerides as well as -body weight. (14)
Scientific research conducted in 2008 showed that hawthorn berry extract is excellent at reducing inflammation. This is huge for health as we know that inflammation is at the root of most diseases.
Big Green Organic Food Hawthorn Berry Ball, Healthy Snacks, All Natural, Sweet Treats (3 Packs)
Research also shows that hawthorn berry extract is a free radical scavenger. This is very beneficial to human health as free radicals can cause cellular damage (including DNA damage) by stealing electrons through a process called oxidation.
The 2008 animal study also showed how hawthorn berry extract has protective effects for the gastrointestinal system and appears to successfully kill several types of unwanted bacteria. (15)
How can you incorporate hawthorn berries into your life? There are a few options. You can opt for 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 take a Hawthorn supplement in capsule form or Hawthorn extract in liquid tincture form.
So far, safe doses of hawthorn appear to be between 160 to 1,800 milligrams per day for a period of three to 24 weeks. Noticeable improvement in symptoms may take six to 12 weeks. (18)
October 21, 2019 Harvesting Rose Hips And Hawthorn Berries, Honey, Seedlings, Book Work And More!
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 when taking hawthorn, you should stop use and seek emergency medical care.
For some users, hawthorn may cause nausea, upset stomach, fatigue, sweating, headache, dizziness, palpitations, nosebleeds, insomnia, agitation and other side effects.
While hawthorn is known to be excellent for the heart, it can interact with prescription medications taken for heart disease. Medicines for other heart concerns, high blood pressure and male sexual dysfunction are also known to interact with hawthorn. Some specific 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 note that heart failure is a very serious health condition. It is best not to treat yourself with hawthorn supplements if you suffer from this condition.
Nature’s Answer Hawthorn Extract 30ml
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Dr Ax on Facebook 32 Dr Ax on Twitter 22 Dr Ax on Instagram Dr Ax on Google Plus Dr Ax on Youtube Dr Ax on Pintrest 18 Share on Email Print Article 72 A very special key ingredient used by the organic skin care brand is Hawthorn Berry. All the main ingredients used by this brand are rich in nutritional values and benefits and Hawthorn berry