Supplement
Sea buckthorn is a shrub whose orange berries are rich in carotenoids, vitamin C and fatty acids, and its oil is used as a supplement that supplies these nutrients to the body. The strongest finding so far is for dry eye, where a small trial found people's symptoms improved, though the evidence is limited. That was one study of 86 people, and other small studies found a drop in carbohydrate absorption and no clear difference in a blood marker of inflammation.
Sources: PMID 20554904
- Updated
- How we grade
- 4 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade C
- Conditions studied
- 4
- Outcomes
- 12
- Graded outcomes
- 0021
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Eye Symptoms Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 1 study | 86 people | ||
Studies that measured dry eye symptoms | ||||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrate Absorption Small Decrease | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 10 people | |||
| Insulin | Changes; see studies | 1 study | 10 people | |||
End-Stage Renal Disease
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
- DNA Damage: changes; see studies
- Inflammation: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-Reactive Protein (CRP) No effect | NoneNo effect | 45 people | ||||
| DNA Damage | Changes; see studies | 1 study | 45 people | |||
| Inflammation | Improves (the measure goes down) | 45 people | ||||
General Cardiovascular Health
- Blood glucose
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL): improves
- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL): improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood glucose No effect | Small effect | 1 study | 12 people | |||
Studies that measured blood glucose | ||||||
| High-density lipoprotein (HDL) | Improves (the measure goes up) | 12 people | ||||
| Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) | Improves (the measure goes down) | 12 people | ||||
| Platelet Aggregation | Changes; see studies | 12 people | ||||
| Total cholesterol | Improves (the measure goes down) | 12 people | ||||
| Triglycerides | Improves (the measure goes down) | 12 people | ||||
Key findings
- Dry Eye SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)
- Carbohydrate AbsorptionImproves (the measure goes down)
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
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- Grade C
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Studies cited
4 studies from PubMed
- Sea buckthorn berry oil inhibits platelet aggregation
- The effect of sea buckthorn supplement on oral health, inflammation, and DNA damage in hemodialysis patients: a double-blinded, randomized crossover study
- Postprandial hyperglycemia and insulin response are affected by sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides ssp. turkestanica) berry and its ethanol-soluble metabolites
- Oral sea buckthorn oil attenuates tear film osmolarity and symptoms in individuals with dry eye