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Alternative Treatment: 8 Things You Should Know About Hawthorn's Effect On Coronary Heart Disease

by — Last updated: 2020-01-21 in Cardiovascular Disorders and Diseases

Many people turn to alternative treatments as an add-on to traditional heart disease therapy. One herb that has been around for a long period of time is the hawthorn berry, which has powerful cardioprotective effects.

A group of trees that are part of the rose family, known as the hawthorn berry, are thought to have significant health benefits. Hawthorn berries are native to temperate areas in Europe, Asia, North America, and the Middle East. In fact, some regions of the Middle East consider Hawthorn berry plants sacred and some historians believe that a crown of Hawthorn berries was worn by Jesus during the time of the crucifixion.

The hawthorn berry, which is used as an herb, is known as one of best natural therapies to help improve heart function. It is also endorsed by Commission E, the branch of the German government that researches and approves the use of natural therapies. For this reason, hawthorn berries are quite commonly used in Europe for:

  • Improving the functioning of the cardiovascular system
  • Treating chest pain (angina)
  • Treating hypertension (high blood pressure)
  • Treating cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm)
  • Treating congestive heart failure
  • Strengthening walls of the heart and blood vessels
  • Restoring healthy muscle back to the heart wall
What should you know about hawthorn berries if you have coronary heart disease?

1. Hawthorn berry is antioxidant

Hawthorn berries contain large amount of strong antioxidants that help reduce levels of toxic molecules known as free radicals, which cause stress and damage to healthy tissue. Hawthorn berries are actually packed with a unique blend of anti-oxidants, as they are composed of a group of anti-oxidants known as phytonutrients. These are the anti-oxidants included in hawthorn berries:

  • Tannins
  • Flavonoids
  • Proanthocyanidins
  • Phenolic acids

Hawthorn berries are always composed of 2.2 percent flavonoids and 18.75 percent proanthocyanidins.

2. Hawthorn berries have been studied scientifically

The use of hawthorn berries has been studied in people with congestive heart failure across six major studies, five of which showed that the use of the berries led to a significant improvement in the symptoms of their disease, including shortness of breath and fatigue.

Another study showed that when people took 900 mg a day of Hawthorn for two months, the effects were similar to those obtained by taking low doses of the leading heart medication captopril. Hawthorn berries led to an improvement in common symptoms of patients with congestive heart failure.

3. Hawthorn opens up blood vessels

In addition to having a significant effect as a powerful antioxidant, Hawthorn is also used as a potent vasodilator, which means that it widens blood vessels, allowing blood to flow through blood vessels without too much resistance. Hawthorn berries help open up blood vessels by improving function of the endothelium, which is the outer lining of blood vessels composed of endothelial cells. Vasodilation leads to greater blood flow to working tissues and an improvement in the utilization of oxygen.

This vasodilation effect is due to the function of flavonoids (particularly rutin and vitexin) as well as proanthocyanins.

4. Hawthorn berries improve heart cell metabolism

Studies have shown that using Hawthorn berries leads to an improvement in heart cell metabolism, which helps enhance the flow of electrolytes across heart cells. The correction of the balance of these electrolytes helps prevent or correct the heart rhythm abnormalities and leads to an improvement in heart rhythm.

5. Hawthorn berries improve the functioning of cardiac enzymes

Hawthorn berries are composed of flavones that improve the functioning of specific cardiac enzymes. This helps:

  • Improve the force by which the heart is able to contract
  • Increase the volume of blood that is emitted by the heart and goes to the rest of the body
  • Increase the heart’s tolerance to conditions of low oxygen (hypoxia)
  • Improve the ability of the heart to create energy
  • Improve the ability of the heart to withstand stress

6. Hawthorn berries improve blood pressure

Hawthorn berries improve blood pressure by inhibiting the the enzyme angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), high levels of which cause an increase in vasoconstriction (narrowing of arteries). This makes it harder for blood to flow through, increases resistance and leads to an increase in blood pressure.

Hawthorn berries help regulate the levels of ACE, normalizing blood pressure and decreasing the stress that is placed on the cardiovascular system. Blood pressure lowering effects are usually seen about two to four weeks after you start taking hawthorn, as it takes that long for your body to adapt to the herb. However, it has lasting effects on blood pressure.

7. Hawthorn berries help protect joints

Due to its unique blend of antioxidants, Hawthorn berries help protect joints. These antioxidants, particularly phytonutrients, help fight a specific group of free radicals that are known to cause damage to joints in arthritis.

8. Where can you find hawthorn berries?

If you decide to get hawthorn berries, make sure to get the whole plant including the leaves, the flower and the berries. The berries are what contains the proanthoxyanins, while flowers and leaves have vitexin. If you can’t get the fresh hawthorn plant, you should choose hawthorn in a dried and ground form, which can be added to your tea.

With either the fresh or the dried plant, you can add it to your shakes or teas and consume it every day. Since it has great cardiovascular effects, you can use it before or after exercising, which leads to increased oxygen flow and helps neutralize free radicals. 

  • Rigelsky, J. M., & Sweet, B. V. (2002). Hawthorn: pharmacology and therapeutic uses. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 59(5), 417-422.
  • Fong, H. H., & Bauman, J. L. (2002). Hawthorn. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 16(4), 1-8.
  • Tassell, M. C., Kingston, R., Gilroy, D., Lehane, M., & Furey, A. (2010). Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Pharmacognosy reviews, 4(7), 32.
  • Photo courtesy of SteadyHealth

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