Sea Buckthorn
Summary
Sea buckthorn is an orange berry used as oil, juice or extract. Single trials found its oil eased dry-eye symptoms and vaginal dryness after menopause, and a fruit extract relieved constipation (grade D). The berries did not reduce colds. A meta-analysis suggests lipid improvements only in people whose lipids were abnormal to begin with.
Key facts
- The orange berries of Hippophae rhamnoides, used as juice, puree, seed or pulp oil, or extract[2][3][5]
- Dry eye (D), vaginal dryness after menopause (D), constipation (D), colds (no effect, D)[4][3][5][2]
- A 15-study meta-analysis found lower lipids only in people with abnormal lipids, with high heterogeneity[1]
- A Cochrane review found no convincing benefit from dietary supplements, sea buckthorn oils included[7]
- 4 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 10, 2026
How it works
ProposedSea buckthorn oil supplies fatty acids (including omega-3, omega-6 and the rarer omega-7), carotenoids and tocopherols, and the berries contain flavonols such as isorhamnetin and quercetin. These are proposed to support mucous membranes and dampen inflammation; the mechanism in people is not established.[6][4]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
At a glance: strongest evidence per outcome
| Outcome | Grade | Effect | Strongest evidence | Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infections | Grade D | Mixed | RCT · n = 254 · 2008 | 1 row |
| Menopause | Grade D | Improved | RCT · n = 116 · 2014 | 1 row |
| Eyes | Grade D | Improved | RCT · n = 100 · 2010 | 1 row |
| Constipation | Grade D | Improved | RCT · n = 90 · 2026 | 1 row |
Every graded row
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colds, digestive and urinary infections, and CRP | Mixed | Grade D | RCT · n = 254 · 2008 Healthy adult volunteers Form: Sea buckthorn berry product · Dose: Not stated in the abstract · Duration: Not stated in the abstract No difference from placebo in the number or duration of colds or digestive infections; serum CRP fell slightly more (median difference −0.059 mg/L, P=0.039). Urinary infections were too few to judge. | 17593932 (opens PubMed)Source [2] |
| Vaginal dryness and tissue health after menopause | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 116 · 2014 Postmenopausal women with vaginal dryness, itching or burning Form: Sea buckthorn oil · Dose: 3 g/day · Duration: 3 months Vaginal epithelial integrity improved more than with placebo in the intention-to-treat analysis (OR 3.1); the vaginal health index showed only a trend (P=0.08). | 25104582 (opens PubMed)Source [3] |
| Dry eye: tear film osmolarity and symptoms | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 100 · 2010 Adults aged 20–75 with dry eye symptoms Form: Sea buckthorn oil · Dose: 2 g/day · Duration: 3 months, autumn to winter Tear film osmolarity rose less than with placebo over the cold season (intention-to-treat P=0.04), and redness or burning were lower depending on the analysis; 86 of 100 completed. | 20554904 (opens PubMed)Source [4] |
| Bowel movements in chronic idiopathic constipation | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 90 · 2026 Adults with chronic idiopathic constipation Form: Hydroethanolic sea buckthorn fruit extract · Dose: 500 mg/day · Duration: 28 days Spontaneous complete bowel movements rose from 1.5 to 2.6 a week and stool consistency normalized, versus no change on placebo; bloating, abdominal pain and heaviness fell. No adverse events or rescue laxative use. | 41829976 (opens PubMed)Source [5] |
Forms
| Form | Elemental % | Absorption (human data) | GI tolerance | Studied for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea buckthorn oil capsules (seed or pulp oil) | Varies[3][4][7] | No human absorption data in our sources.[4] | The oil trial abstracts report no adverse effects.[3][4] | Dry eye and vaginal dryness trials (2–3 g/day) |
| Hydroethanolic fruit extract | Varies[5] | No human absorption data in our sources.[5] | No adverse events in a 90-person, 28-day trial.[5] | Constipation trial (500 mg/day) |
| Berries, puree or juice | Varies[2] | No human absorption data in our sources.[2] | No adverse effects reported in the abstract.[2] | Infection trial in healthy adults |
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 500 mg/day of fruit extract for 28 days to 2–3 g/day of oil for 3 months.[5][4][3]
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
None found in our sources.
Who should be careful
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children
- The trials cited here enrolled adults only and give no safety data for these groups.[2][3][4][5]
- Eczema
- A Cochrane review found no convincing evidence that dietary supplements, sea buckthorn oils included, help eczema.[7]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
Safety
Trials report few side effects.
- Side effects
- No adverse events occurred in the 90-person constipation trial.[5]
How to read the label
- Label dose vs clinical doseOil trials used 2 g/day (dry eye) or 3 g/day (vaginal dryness); the constipation trial used 500 mg/day of a hydroethanolic fruit extract.[4][3][5]
- Seed oil vs pulp oilSeed oil and pulp oil are different products; an eczema trial tested them separately against placebo.[7]
- Extract typeThe constipation result applies to one standardized fruit extract supplied by its maker.[5]
Cost per studied dose, without the sales pitch
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Cost per studied dose
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Frequently asked questions
Does sea buckthorn oil help dry eyes?
In a 3-month trial in 100 adults, 2 g/day of oil kept tear film osmolarity from rising as much as placebo over winter and eased redness or burning.[4]
Does sea buckthorn help vaginal dryness after menopause?
In 116 postmenopausal women, 3 g/day of oil for 3 months improved vaginal tissue integrity more than placebo; the overall vaginal health index was only a trend.[3]
Does sea buckthorn help constipation?
A 28-day trial in 90 adults found 500 mg/day of a fruit extract raised complete bowel movements from 1.5 to 2.6 a week. The extract maker sponsored it.[5]
Does sea buckthorn protect against colds?
No. In 254 healthy adults the berries did not reduce the number or length of colds, though CRP fell slightly.[2]
Does sea buckthorn lower cholesterol?
A 15-study meta-analysis found lipid improvements mainly in people with abnormal lipids, with high variation between studies.[1]
Sources
- [1]Effects of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) on factors related to metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trial.. Phytother Res, 2022. meta-analysis
- [2]Effects of sea buckthorn berries on infections and inflammation: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.. Eur J Clin Nutr, 2008. RCT
- [3]Effects of sea buckthorn oil intake on vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.. Maturitas, 2014. RCT
- [4]Oral sea buckthorn oil attenuates tear film osmolarity and symptoms in individuals with dry eye.. J Nutr, 2010. RCT
- [5]Hippophae rhamnoides L. Fruit Extract Relieves Chronic Idiopathic Constipation and Improves Bowel Function: A Monocentric, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Trial.. Nutrients, 2026. RCT
- [6]Sea buckthorn, its bioactive constituents, and mechanism of action: potential application in female reproduction.. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne), 2023. review
- [7]Dietary supplements for established atopic eczema.. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2012. systematic-review
What changed
- First draft. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (title and year taken from the record) and abstracts read for the cited rows.
- Adversarial review pass: every evidence row re-read against its PubMed abstract. No NIH ODS fact sheet or NCCIH herb page covers sea buckthorn, so no official monograph is cited. Industry ties: EPO S.r.l. sponsored the 2026 constipation trial and supplied the extract (PMC12987243); funding for the 2008, 2010 and 2014 trials is not stated in PubMed. Retraction, expression-of-concern, erratum and withdrawn checks on all 7 PMIDs: none flagged. Page set indexable. Independent browser review (4 parallel reviewers, every evidence row checked against its abstract and official sources on the Vercel preview) found: no issues.