What Is Hawthorn Good for and Are There Side Effects?

Hawthorn is a common plant with some extraordinary properties. Hawthorn is good for heart disease, arthritis, and inflammation and potential side effects include drug interactions.

Hawthorn is a common plant with some extraordinary properties. This humble shrub is a great source of antioxidants and has been used to treat a variety of ailments for hundreds of years. Today, researchers continue to look into its potential use as a therapeutic, particularly for people with heart disease.  

A relative of the rose bush, hawthorn is a moderately large, thorny shrub. The plant is found in temperate areas, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere, and is native across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Several parts of the hawthorn plant are harvested and used. The shrub flowers in late spring before producing small red or black berries. Leaves from the plant can be harvested and used during most of the year. 

Hawthorn has a centuries-long history of medicinal use. The earliest recorded use of hawthorn was by the ancient Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides in the first century AD, making it one of the oldest medicinal plants used in Europe. Hawthorn also has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. 

Hawthorn is available in American markets as a dietary supplement. Recently, Western medicine has shown a renewed interest in the plant, with several studies noting its positive effects on a variety of conditions.

Hawthorn’s therapeutic effects may be due to the high level of antioxidants contained in its leaves, flowers, and berries. In particular, the leaves and flowers have high concentrations of flavonoids and oligomeric procyanidins, two groups of antioxidant compounds. 

Antioxidants, like those found in hawthorn plants, help to reduce the negative effects of free radicals in the body. Free radicals are unstable compounds that can cause significant damage to cells and DNA. 

Free radicals naturally increase with age. Additionally, exposure to environmental toxins like pollution and radiation, or behaviors such as smoking or taking certain medications can increase the body’s levels of free radicals. Antioxidants help to stabilize free radicals and prevent them from causing damage. 

While hawthorn has been used in traditional medicine for centuries, modern researchers are still unclear about its potential benefits. Some research suggests that hawthorn may be beneficial for treating heart disease, lowering cholesterol, aiding digestion, and improving anxiety. However, more research needs to be done to confirm these effects.

Heart disease

Most modern studies examining the therapeutic effects of hawthorn have looked at its impact on heart disease. Hawthorn may have a beneficial effect on several underlying conditions related to heart disease, such as atherosclerosis, heart failure, and blood pressure. 

Atherosclerosis. This disease of the arteries occurs when cholesterol, fat, and blood cells begin to build up in the bloodstream. Eventually, these particles form a plaque that blocks the flow of blood in the arteries. Plaques are also prone to bursting, which can cause serious problems such as heart attack and stroke.

One study found that hawthorn can stabilize existing plaques and help prevent new ones by reducing the level of circulating cholesterol. The study also found that hawthorn promoted plaque stability, reducing the chance of existing plaques bursting and causing blood clots. 

Other studies have confirmed that hawthorn reduces the total concentration of cholesterol and triglycerides in the bloodstreams of humans and animals. 

Heart failure. Numerous studies have also examined the effect of hawthorn on heart failure, which limits the amount of oxygen sent to the organs. 

In one study, people with heart failure were given hawthorn or an inactive placebo. The study found that after two months, those given hawthorn were able to exercise significantly longer than those given the placebo. 

However, another study found that hawthorn did not reduce the likelihood of having a future heart attack or other cardiac event. Of note, this study gave hawthorn to subjects who were already taking other approved heart medications, so it’s unclear how or if hawthorn was interacting with those other drugs.

Other studies show that hawthorn can improve blood flow, protect blood vessels from damage, and lower blood pressure, but more research is needed to determine its full therapeutic effects. 

Indigestion

There are a handful of studies that have examined the effect of hawthorn on digestion. One study done on mice found that adding hawthorn to their diet helped to increase digestive enzyme activity and the speed that food moved through the digestive tract.

Another study on humans found that adding a yeast hawthorn compound to the diet improved appetite and food intake with no harmful side effects.

Inflammation

Inflammation is an important immune system response. However, chronic inflammation can cause significant issues in the body and is linked to diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. 

Studies suggest that hawthorn inhibits pro-inflammatory compounds that can lead to chronic inflammation. One study also found that hawthorn reduced nitric oxide levels, a molecule produced during inflammation that can cause damage to cells when present in high quantities. 

Anxiety

Hawthorn has traditionally been used as a treatment for anxiety, but little research has been done to confirm these therapeutic effects. One study found that hawthorn extract, in combination with extract from the California poppy, was effective at reducing anxiety symptoms. 

One possibility is that hawthorn’s effect on blood vessels helps to decrease heart-related anxiety symptoms, such as palpitations or the feeling of a racing heart. However, since hawthorn was combined with California poppy, it’s unclear whether the improvement in anxiety was due to the hawthorn, the poppies, or both. More research has to be done to determine what effect, if any, hawthorn has on anxiety symptoms. 

There are few reported negative side effects of taking hawthorn. The most common are dizziness and vertigo, though there are some reports of nausea, fatigue, heart palpitations, and headache.

Interactions with medications. Although hawthorn taken on its own has few side effects, it can have negative interactions with other medications and supplements. In particular, hawthorn can enhance the effects of commonly prescribed heart medications such as digoxin, beta blockers, and calcium channel blockers.

Hawthorn can also interact with other drugs such as nasal decongestants and erectile dysfunction medications. While nasal decongestants constrict blood vessels, hawthorn dilates them, so taking both can reduce the decongestant’s effects. Hawthorn combined with erectile dysfunction medications can cause an intense drop in blood pressure that can result in fainting. 

It’s important to consult with your primary care physician and ask about possible drug interactions before starting any new supplements like hawthorn.

Pregnancy. People who are pregnant or breastfeeding should consult with their physician before taking hawthorn supplements since it's unclear if the plant causes adverse effects in this population. 

In general, hawthorn supplements are safe to take. However, it’s important to note that supplements are loosely regulated, if at all. Make sure you purchase supplements from a reputable source and that you’re taking the recommended dose. 

Along with hawthorn supplements or extracts, the hawthorn plant itself is generally safe to eat. Hawthorn berries are often used to make jams, candy, and even wines. 

Hawthorn is a common plant found in numerous parts of the world and has been used for centuries to treat various ailments. Some studies suggest that hawthorn is particularly useful in treating heart disease, indigestion, inflammation, and anxiety. However, since many of these studies weren't conducted in humans, more research has to be done to confirm hawthorn's therapeutic effects. The research that is available is promising and future studies may help untangle hawthorn's beneficial effects on health.

Although we don't know for sure what effects hawthorn has on certain illnesses, the hawthorn plant is safe to consume and typically causes no side effects. If you choose to take hawthorn supplements, be sure to purchase them from a reputable source and consult with your doctor about dosage.