Hawthorn For Blood Pressure & Its Diuretic Effects

Hawthorn is a natural diuretic that appears to have a positive effect on your blood pressure. Doctors prescribe diuretics, or water pills, to treat high blood pressure and several other conditions. Diuretics decrease the volume of fluids flowing through your blood vessels by causing your kidneys to produce more sodium. The sodium is then excreted in your urine, taking with it excess water from your blood. This process reduces stress on your arteries, thereby lowering your blood pressure. Before taking any supplements, always discuss them with your physician.

Effectiveness

In his book "Complementary and Alternative Cardiovascular Medicine," Dr. Richard A. Stein writes that hawthorn effectively improved heart performance of patients with congestive heart failure. (See References 1, pages 36-37) In an article published in the June 2006 issue of "The British Journal of General Practice," Dr. Ann Walker wrote that diabetic patients given hawthorn over a period of 16 weeks, along with their prescribed diabetes medication, experienced a drop in their diastolic pressure, but not their systolic pressure. (See References 2) Systolic pressure, or the top number in your blood pressure reading, measures the force with which your heart pumps blood. Diastolic pressure, or the bottom number, measures the force that blood exerts against your arterial walls. This would seem to further validate the diuretic properties of hawthorn.

About Hawthorn

The berries of the hawthorn plant are filled with flavonoids, a type of antioxidant mainly found in fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants help protect the body from the effects of aging. In the March 2002 issue of the "American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy," Janene M. Rigelsky wrote that it is possible that the flavonoids in hawthorn are responsible for its positive effect on blood flow. (See References 3) Rigelsky is the an associate professor at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Pharmacy.

Dosage

There is no official recommendation for the dosing of hawthorn. In Dr. Walker's study, patients were given 1200 mg daily of hawthorn extract. (See References 2) In "Complementary and Alternative Cardiovascular Medicine," Dr. Stein writes that since the quality of supplements varies so greatly, it is important to verify the purity and potency of hawthorn supplements prior to purchase. (See References 1) For instance sometimes hawthorn leaves, which are ineffective, are mixed in with the berries, which are effective.

Warning

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, Hawthorn may interact with beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers, prescription medicine used to treat heart disease. Possible interactions include digoxin, atenolol, norvasc, cardizem, metoprolol, procardia and propranolol. (See References 4)