Hawthorn is a supplement that some people believe helps lower hypertension, or high blood pressure. While there is little research to support this claim, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, UMMC, physicians in the United States have used hawthorn since the early 1800s to treat blood and breathing disorders. Consult your physician before taking hawthorn or any other supplement to treat your high blood pressure.
About Hypertension
Hypertension is a serious chronic disease that affects about 33 percent of Americans, according to the U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. It is entirely possible that you may have hypertension and not know it. The disease often exhibits no symptoms. Hypertension develops when your arteries become clogged, restricting blood flow and forcing your heart to work harder to pump blood. According to the institute, your blood pressure is normal if the systolic pressure, or top number in a reading, is below 120 and your diastolic pressure, or bottom number, is below 80.
Description of the Hawthorn Plant
The hawthorn plant is a member of the rose family. It is a shrub that can grow over 5 feet high. The plant blooms pink, white or red flowers and sprouts red berries. According to the UMMC, the hawthorn plant's berries, flowers and leaves are used to make supplements that can help open blood vessels and increase the flow of blood through the arteries.
Research on Hawthorn and Hypertension
There has been little academic research supporting the positive effect hawthorn on high blood pressure, as of 2010. Dr. Wei-Tien Chang, a physician at the University of Chicago's Department of Medicine, performed a clinical review of the effectiveness of hawthorn. In the April 2005 issue of the "American Journal of Chinese Medicine," Dr. Chang noted that while there is some evidence hawthorn lowers blood pressure, more studies are needed to prove its effectiveness and safety.
Recommended Hawthorn Dosage
The recommended dosage of hawthorn varies. The UMMC points to one study that suggests taking 1200mg of hawthorn daily. In the March 2002 issue of the "American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy," Dr. Janene Rigelsky writes that a daily dose of 160 to 900mg of hawthorn effectively lowers blood pressure. Daily doses of hawthorn up to 1200mg are safe up to 24 weeks in duration.
Hawthorn Side Effects and Drug Interaction
Possible side effects of taking hawthorn include nausea, a racing heart and headache. Do not take hawthorn if you are also taking beta-blockers, digoxin or calcium channel blockers such as diltiazem for high blood pressure.
References
- UMMC: Hawthorn
- NHLBI: High Blood Pressure
- "American Journal of Chinese Medicine"; Hawthorn: Potential Roles in Cardiovascular Disease; Wei-Tien Chang, Ph.D.; April 2005
- "American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy"; Hawthorn: Pharmacology and Therapeutic Uses; Janene Marie Rigelsky; March 2002
