Rich in antioxidants and other health-enhancing compounds, the hawthorn berry is a bitter fruit widely used as a medicinal herb. Diabetics with heart-related risks and complications sometimes use hawthorn to slow destruction caused by cell-damaging free radical molecules. Talk to a trusted health care provider about the benefits and risks of hawthorn berry before experimenting with the herb.
History and Use
A common prickly shrub in the rose family, the hawthorn plant grows throughout the world and produces fruit and flowers. Reaching about 5 feet in height, a single leafy plant can yield a multitude of red- or black-colored berry clusters. Herbalists and American doctors have long recognized their medical value. Since the early 1800s, doctors have offered hawthorn berries to patients with circulatory disorders and respiratory illnesses. Other traditional uses of the herb include treating chest pain, high blood pressure, heartbeat irregularities, heart failure and hardening of the arteries (artherosclerosis). The antioxidants in the plant provide its health-nourishing benefits. Although the flowers, berries and leaves all contain these substances, due to their potency modern preparations use the flowers and leaves more often than berries. Capsules, liquid extracts and teas are available in health food stores.
Heart Disease
By comparison to non-diabetics, diabetics are twice as likely to develop heart disease or a stroke, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. Additionally, diabetics tend to develop heart disease and have strokes at younger ages than non-diabetics. The cardio-protective effects of hawthorn berries might help these individuals improve their heart health and lessen their chances of having a stroke. In fact, according to DiabetesWeb, the herb not only feeds and strengthens the heart and arteries, it might even help a damaged heart.
Hypertension
According to the American Diabetes Association, because as many as 2 of 3 adults with diabetes have high blood pressure hawthorn berries can be a useful tool in a diabetic's health kit. The University of Maryland Medical Center cites a study following hypertensive, type-2 diabetics. Those using 1,200 mg of hawthorn extract daily for 16 weeks in conjunction with their other prescribed medicines experienced lower blood pressures than those using a placebo.
Side Effects and Cautions
Hawthorn berries are generally safe for diabetic adults who use the herb on a short-term basis. Side effects, although rare, might include stomach discomfort, dizziness and headache. People who use other medications should talk to their doctors about potential risks and drug interactions.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Hawthorn; Steven D. Ehrlich, NMD; March 2009
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Hawthorn; July 2010
- American Diabetes Association: High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse; Diabetes, Heart Disease and Stroke; December 2005
- DiabetesWeb: Strengthen the Heart With Hawthorn Berry
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