Hawthorn is an herb that we say every man you love over forty should take.
This is the skinny on hawthorn from my clinic blog:
The use of any plant provides many ingredients in one natural package. Hawthorn contains: Anthocyanin-type pigments, choline, citric acid, cratagolic acid, bioflavonoids, flavonoid glycosides, tannins, glavone, glycosides, inositol, PABA, purines, saponins, sugar, tartaric acid, minerals and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, and C.
Due to its hodgepodge of active ingredients, Hawthorn berry can be used for a variety of illnesses. It increases the ability of the heart muscle to use oxygen, opens coronary blood vessels and increases each cell’s ability to function more efficiently with less oxygen. Since it opens blood vessels in your body, blood pressure decreases and the load on the heart lessens. It has been shown to lower cholesterol and increase the level of protective antioxidants in the blood. It can also be used for treating insomnia, hepatitis, diarrhea and diabetes.
The Cochrane Review, one of the most stringent evaluators of scientific research in the world, agreed that in studies of over 855 chronic heart failure patients, Hawthorn improved heart function significantly. They found that it increased exercise tolerance and oxygen use of the heart muscle and lowered shortness of breath and fatigue. Since over 5 million Americans are suffering from this condition, this is a very hopeful finding.
References:
Hawthorn evokes a potent anti-hyperglycemic capacity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. J Herb Pharmcother. 2003;3(2):19-29. Hawthorn: pharmacology and therapeutic uses. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2002 Mar 1;59(5):417-22
A randomised double blind placebo controlled clinical trial of a standardized extract of fresh Crataegus berries in the treatment of patients with congestive heart failure NYHA II.Phytomedicine. 2003;10(5):363-9.
Hypotensive effects of hawthorn berries for patients with diabetes taking prescription drugs: a randomised controlled trial. Br J Gen Pract. 2006 Jun;56(527):437-43. Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition
Pittler MH, Guo R, Ernst E. Hawthorn extract for treating chronic heart failure. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 1.
