Hawthorn Herb Can Help Your Heart

Hawthorn is a big genus of trees and shrubs that belong to the rose family and thrive in Europe, North America, and Asia.  These shrubs grow up to 15 meters tall and have thorny branches and little pome fruit.

They usually have smooth grey barks that develop into narrow ridges in older trees. Its leaves grow in clusters on spur shoots. Its fruit, also known as “haw”, looks like a berry and has 1-5 pyrenes that are similar to the “stone” of peaches and plums.

Medicinal Uses

This herb is also known for treatments of many ailments.  Hawthorn berry leaf and flower extracts are believed to treat chronic heart diseases.

Hawthorn herb is rich in antioxidants such as flavonoids, flavonols and procyanidins. These compounds help normalize blood flow throughout the body and lower the resistance to blood flow in peripheral blood vessels. In effect, the coronary artery blood flow is improved. Moreover, it strengthens contractions of the heart muscles.

Two or three doses daily of the herb in supplement form (which should be about 160-900 mg of the flowers and leaves extract), is the recommended daily dose to help improve conditions, like congestive heart failure.

However, not only does this herb help improve heart conditions, it is also known to treat postural hypotension when it is combined with D-camphor. he dried berries of the tree is often used as digestive aid naturopathy and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Other benefits include its ability to lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol, and treat anxiety disorder. The research, however, that proves its effect on these conditions is very limited.

Hawthorn supplements are also known to improve stamina and is useful for persons who want to exercise without experiencing exhaustion and shortness of breath.

As with all supplements, before taking them, make sure to consult your physician first, especially if you are pregnant, lactating or using using prescription drugs.

Even though there are no known side effects from long term, normal usage, overdosing could cause mild rash, dizziness, headache, palpitations, agitation and gastrointestinal symptoms. If you follow the recommended dosage, you should be fine.

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