Hawthorn is the leading herbal cure for heart failure. It is well documented to strengthen various facets of the heart’s function. In part three of my series, I highlight some studies that you might find interesting.
The following bulleted points are high-quality studies that have used hawthorn extract to treat chronic heart failure:
— Researchers enrolled 135 patients for eight weeks, using 160 milligrams (mg) of hawthorn. They found positive objective and subjective improvements (shortness of breath, ankle edema, etc.) in comparison to calcium antagonists and ACE inhibitors.
— Researchers enrolled 209 patients for 16 weeks, using 900 mg or 1,800 mg of hawthorn. They found improvement in exercise capacity and heart failure symptoms.
— Researchers enrolled 143 patients for eight weeks and found that hawthorn significantly improved the heart failure condition.
— Researchers enrolled 952 patients for two years, using 450 mg of hawthorn. They found that patients had significantly reduced fatigue, stress-related shortness of breath, and palpitations.
— Researchers enrolled more than 1,000 patients for 24 weeks, using 450 mg of hawthorn. They found that: two-thirds of patients felt better; three-quarters of doctors noted a good or very good efficacy; and 99% had no adverse effects at all.
— Researchers enrolled 88 patients for 12 weeks, using “Rob 10” hawthorn drops (a standardized extract), at 75 drops a day. They found that this improved patients’ exercise time, quality of life, irregular heart rhythm, and fatigue.
— And one last good one to round this off. This one looked all the previous studies done on the hawthorn and heart failure. They found eight out of 26 that were especially good quality. These totaled 632 chronic heart failure patients, treated with a daily dose of hawthorn (160 mg to 1,800 mg) for anywhere from three to 16 weeks.
Researchers in this last study reached the following conclusions: “Hawthorn extract has significant benefits, compared with placebo, as an adjunctive treatment for patients with chronic heart failure. Reported adverse events were infrequent, mild, and transient.”
In other words, hawthorn might be the ticket to heart health.
To read part one of this series, click here.
To read part two of this series, click here.