Potential cardiovascular implications of Sea Buckthorn berry consumption in humans

• Published in: International journal of food sciences and nutrition Vol. 65; no. 5; pp. 521 - 528
• Main Authors: Sayegh, Marietta, Miglio, Cristiana, Ray, Sumantra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa UK Ltd 01.08.2014; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Berries; Blood lipids; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Carotenoids - chemistry; Correlation analysis; Diet; Fatty Acids - chemistry; Feeding Behavior; Food science; Fruit - chemistry; Hippophae - chemistry; Humans; inflammation; Phytochemicals; Phytochemicals - chemistry; phytonutrients; platelet aggregation; Polyphenols - chemistry; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Risk Factors; sea buckthorn berries; Vegetables; Vitamins - chemistry; sea buckthorn berries; Blood lipids; inflammation; phytonutrients; platelet aggregation
• ISSN: 0963-7486; 1465-3478
• DOI: 10.3109/09637486.2014.880672

Abstract Diets rich in fruits and vegetables have been correlated with decreased risks of cardiovascular disease. Particularly, berry consumption has been associated with reductions in cardiovascular risk. Despite the range of potentially beneficial phytochemical components (vitamins, polyphenols, carotenoids, and fatty acids), there is little evidence underpinning the cardiovascular effects of sea buckthorn (SB) berries. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the benefits of SB consumption on cardiovascular health in human trials. Only six human studies were found, which examine the effect of SB berries on cardiovascular outcomes (i.e. lipid metabolism, platelet aggregation, and inflammation). Although there appears to be an inverse association between SB consumption and cardiovascular risk factors, the evidence is still scarce and the results are inconsistent. In addition, limitations in study design made it difficult to form firm conclusions. More "high-quality" human clinical trials are needed in order to establish the cardio-protective benefits of SB berries.