Sea Buckthorn Berries Improve Cardiometabolic Markers

The deciduous shrub Hippophae (family Elaeagnacea) yields sea buckthorn berries – abundant in Vitamin C as well as flavanols. Petra S. Larmo, from the University of Turku (Finland), and colleagues  analyzed the effects of sea buckthorn and select fractions, on the overall metabolic profile of overweight women.  Researchers enrolled 80 overweight women, who were randomly assigned to consume dried sea buckthorn berries, sea buckthorn oil, or  sea buckthorn extract, or frozen bilberries, for 30 days. The berries yielded improvements in triglycerides and very-low density lipoprotein (VLDL), in women with higher cardiometabolic risk; the oil improved total intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL) as well as low density lipoprotein (LDL) in higher risk women.  The study authors write that: “Berry intake has overall metabolic effects, which depend on the cardio-metabolic risk profile at baseline.”