How Hawthorne Berry Helps the Heart

by Vic Shayne PhD

Hawthorne berry extract is a key ingredient in our VasCor formula.

The health of the cardiovascular system depends on several important functions:

First, there has to be adequate electrical impulses to stimulate the heart muscle and keep it in rhythm.

Second, there must be an unobstructed flow of blood.

Third, the blood vessels must be kept pliable and strong.

Focusing on clogged arteries

When blood vessels become cracked or damaged, the biochemistry responds by sending calcium, cholesterol and other material as “patching” material.

Unfortunately, this “patching” material can cause unwanted obstructions.

Obstructed blood vessels starve the heart and rest of the body – with the ability to cause heart attack, stroke and ischemia (not enough oxygen) to not just the heart and brain, but also to muscles and other cells.

Hawthorne is a vasodilator

Dilating the blood vessels means more blood flow and increased oxygen.

Hawthorne Berry has been shown to help with blood vessel dilation.

While there’s no replacement for sound nutrition, avoiding bad fats, exercise, not smoking and keeping the blood vessels pliable, hawthorne berry extract can be a good adjunctive supplement.

Hawthorne’s Heralded Heroism

Noted herbalist Christopher Hobbs writes:

In pharmacological tests on both animals and humans, hawthorn has been shown to improve the contractility of the heart muscle (which can lead to a stronger pumping action of the heart), increase cardiac performance and output, lower the peripheral vascular resistance (reducing the workload of the heart), steady the heartbeat (antiarrhythmic effect), as well as increasing the heart’s tolerance to oxygen deficiency, such as might happen during stress or excitement, or in diseases where the arteries are partially blocked.

( Hobbs, Christopher, Hawthorne for the Heart, 1998, christopherhobbs.com)

WebMD on hawthorne:

Research suggests that hawthorne can lower cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad cholesterol”), and triglycerides (fats in the blood). It seems to lower accumulation of fats in the liver and the aorta (the largest artery in the body, located near the heart). Hawthorn fruit extract may lower cholesterol by increasing the excretion of bile, reducing the formation of cholesterol, and enhancing the receptors for LDLs. It also seems to have antioxidant activity.

(Hawthorne, webmd.com)

Hawthorne Berry Found in Vascor

While VasCor has a number of very important foods and herbs to support cardiovascular health, hawthorne berry extract is valuable for chronic and acute situations.

And, while VasCor is good for the heart, several doctors use it as well for situations wherein blood flow and increased oxygenation is needed – for athletics, pain, headaches and injuries.

Read more about the valuable nutrients we’ve put in our VasCor formula – click here.