Sea buckthorn oil is a popular remedy that may provide several health benefits, including more radiant hair and skin and a lower risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
Sea buckthorn oil has been used for thousands of years in Southeast Asia and Europe as a natural remedy for various ailments.
It’s extracted from the berries, leaves, and seeds of the sea buckthorn plant (Hippophae rhamnoides), which is a small shrub that grows at high altitudes in the northwest Himalayan region.
Sea buckthorn oil can be applied to your skin or taken orally. Some research suggests that it can be found in over 200 industrial products, ranging from shampoos and soaps to food additives.
Here are 11 science-backed benefits of sea buckthorn oil.
Sea buckthorn is rich in various vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds.
Researchers have identified more than 190 active biocompounds in sea buckthorn seeds, fruit, and juice. Some of these include:
Sea buckthorn is naturally full of antioxidants, which may help protect your body against aging and illnesses like cancer and heart disease.
Its seeds and leaves are also rich in phytosterols, a plant compound that may block cholesterol from your diet from being absorbed in your body. This is one way in which sea buckthorn oil may lower the risk of heart disease.
This oil is sourced from sea buckthorn seeds or berries, and is the most valuable component of the plant.
Sea buckthorn oil has been used as a natural skin treatment for centuries.
It’s rich in unsaturated fat, antioxidants, phytosterols, carotenoids, and vitamins E and K — all of which function together to protect your skin’s integrity and promote its renewal.
Sea buckthorn oil is also rich in palmitoleic acid (omega-7), a type of fat naturally found in human skin that can help treat burns and promote wound healing.
In fact, sea buckthorn oil is one of the only plant foods known to provide all four omega fatty acids, including omegas 3, 6, 7, and 9.
It’s a good source of the omega-6 fatty acids linoleic acid and gamma linolenic acid, which may help reduce acne and psoriasis and protect against dry or scaly skin.
Furthermore, compounds in sea buckthorn oil appear promising in protecting your skin from the damaging effects of UV rays from the sun.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, sea buckthorn is commonly added to various pro-aging support or wrinkle-reducing products. It’s also a common ingredient in products intended to treat dry, irritated, flaky, or itchy skin.
Sea buckthorn oil may benefit heart health in several ways.
For starters, it’s rich in phytosterols, plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions that help protect the body from damage and disease.
These compounds may help block the absorption of cholesterol from your diet, which can help prevent LDL (bad) cholesterol from creating blockages in your blood vessels and arteries.
Sea buckthorn oil is also a good source of quercetin, an antioxidant linked to a lower risk of heart disease.
Lastly, a 2017 study found that taking 0.15 teaspoons (0.75 mL) of sea buckthorn oil daily helped reduce blood pressure levels in people with hypertension (high blood pressure). Triglycerides and total and LDL cholesterol levels also dropped in those who had high cholesterol.
However, the effects on people with normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels were less pronounced.
Sea buckthorn oil may help manage blood sugar levels and prevent diabetes by promoting insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity.
In a 2021 study in 38 people with impaired blood sugar regulation — a risk factor for type 2 diabetes — one group of participants drank 3 ounces (90 mL) of sea buckthorn puree daily for 5 weeks, and another group had a placebo.
At the end of the study, the researchers found that the group that drank the sea buckthorn puree experienced a significantly larger decrease in fasting blood sugar levels. However, the drop in fasting blood sugar levels after 5 weeks was only 0.14 mmol/L, which is considered quite small.
Overall, the better your body is able to secrete insulin, and the more sensitive your cells are to it, the lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.
That said, more research is needed to better understand the role of sea buckthorn oil in blood sugar management.
Sea buckthorn oil may help protect your body against infections.
Some experts attribute this effect, in large part, to the oil’s high palmitoleic acid content. This fatty acid may help boost the immune system and decrease inflammation.
Sea buckthorn oil is also loaded with antioxidants. Flavonoids like quercetin and isorhamnetin, in particular, may help boost the immune system and increase resistance to illness. These beneficial plant compounds can help fight against oxidative stress by protecting the body’s cells against unstable molecules called free radicals.
That said, research in humans is lacking.
Sea buckthorn oil may contribute to a healthy liver.
That’s because it contains healthy fats, vitamin E, and carotenoids, all of which may safeguard liver cells from damage.
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Although these effects seem promising, more human studies are needed.
Compounds like flavonoids and antioxidants in sea buckthorn oil may have anticancer effects.
For instance, sea buckthorn is rich in quercetin. According to a 2020 review, some in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo studies found that this flavonoid appears to help kill cancer cells. Other antioxidants like carotenoids and vitamin E may also offer protection.
According to a 2018 review, some animal studies suggest that sea buckthorn extracts may help prevent the spread of cancer cells and safeguard healthy cells from the effects of radiotherapy, a common cancer treatment.
Keep in mind that these effects haven’t been tested in humans, so more studies are needed.
Although sea buckthorn oil is purported to give additional health benefits, not all claims are backed by science. Those with the most evidence include:
- May improve digestion: Some research suggests that sea buckthorn may help reduce gastrointestinal inflammation and prevent and treat stomach ulcers.
- May relieve symptoms of menopause: Sea buckthorn may reduce vaginal drying and act as an effective alternative treatment for people in menopause who cannot take estrogen.
- May treat dry eyes: A 2019 study linked daily sea buckthorn intake to reduced eye redness and burning.
- May improve hair appearance: Sea buckthorn contains small amounts of lecithin, a type of fat that may remove excess oil from your hair. It may also help repair damaged hair and restore its elasticity.
It’s important to note that more research is needed to better understand how sea buckthorn oil could help manage these conditions.
Sea buckthorn oil has been used for centuries and is generally considered safe. Side effects appear to be rare.
That said, in a 2014 study, a few participants reported an increase in digestive symptoms and joint pain after taking sea buckthorn oil for 3 months.
Plus, there’s currently no research on sea buckthorn’s safety in pregnant or nursing individuals, children, or when taken with medications or other supplements.
If you experience any unexplained symptoms after ingesting sea buckthorn oil or applying it to your skin, stop using it. If your symptoms persist, speak with a healthcare professional.
Sea buckthorn oil is a popular alternative remedy for a variety of ailments.
It’s rich in many nutrients and may improve the health of your skin, immune system, liver, and heart. It may also help protect against diabetes and certain types of cancer.
Sea buckthorn oil has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years and appears to have very few side effects. All the same, it’s best to speak with a doctor before adding it to your routine.