Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides): Uses, Evidence and Safety
Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides): what small trials found for cholesterol, vaginal dryness, dry eye and burns, how oil and cream studies differ, and what safety data we could not find.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Supplements can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read mushroom safety and interactions before you use any mushroom product.
What is Sea buckthorn good for?
What the body uses it for, and how strong the evidence is. A normal job in the body is not proof that extra supplements add benefit; each card says which.
Blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides)
Preliminary or mixedA pooled analysis of 15 trials found lower triglycerides, total and LDL cholesterol and higher HDL, but only in people with abnormal blood fats. Results varied a lot between trials.
Supplements: Promising but limited; no effect on blood sugar, blood pressure or BMI overall.
Vaginal dryness after menopause
Preliminary or mixedIn 116 postmenopausal women, oral oil for three months gave a better rate of improvement in vaginal lining integrity than placebo; a vaginal health index change was only a trend. One trial; one author had a company link.
Supplements: One trial; not confirmed by others in sources we read.
Second-degree burns (topical cream)
Preliminary or mixedIn 55 hospital patients, burns treated with sea buckthorn cream healed faster than with 1% silver sulfadiazine dressing. Burns need medical assessment, not home treatment.
Supplements: One trial of a cream; does not apply to oral products.
Dry eye (oral oil)
Not enough evidenceIn 100 people, 2 g a day of oil for 3 months did not change tear film fatty acids compared with placebo. The abstract did not report symptom relief.
Supplements: Not shown.
Mouth dryness and inflammation in dialysis patients
Not enough evidenceIn 45 hemodialysis patients, an oil extract did not change DNA damage, saliva flow or inflammation markers.
Supplements: No benefit shown in this trial.
Blood sugar, blood pressure, weight
Not enough evidenceThe pooled analysis found no overall effect on blood sugar, blood pressure or BMI.
Supplements: No effect found.
Stress resistance ("adaptogen" label)
Lab or animal research onlyRat studies of leaf extracts from other Hippophae species and subspecies tested tolerance to cold, low oxygen and restraint. No human stress trial was found; a plant thriving at altitude does not show a supplement helps people.
Supplements: Not shown in people.
Gaps: medicines, pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, liver, allergy
Not enough evidenceThe sources used on the site page did not describe interactions, pregnancy or children's safety. Not described is not the same as safe; ask a clinician.
Supplements: Not applicable.
Connected topics
Open a group to see how each topic connects and how strong the evidence is.
Health goals (2)
- Cholesterol BalancePreliminary or mixed
A pooled analysis of 15 trials found lower blood fats, but only in people who already had abnormal lipids, and results differed a lot between trials.
- Menopause SupportPreliminary or mixed
One placebo-controlled trial in 116 postmenopausal women found a better rate of improvement in vaginal lining integrity with oral oil; another measure showed only a trend.
Body systems (1)
- Kidney & UrinaryDocumented risk
In 45 hemodialysis patients, blood phosphate and sodium rose and iron fell during an oil trial. People with kidney disease should ask their kidney team first.
Body parts (2)
- KidneysDocumented risk
In one dialysis trial of oil capsules, blood phosphate and sodium rose and iron fell. This is a single small trial.
- SkinPreliminary or mixed
One 55-patient trial found second-degree burns healed faster with a sea buckthorn cream than with a standard silver sulfadiazine dressing. Burns need medical care.
Biomarkers (4)
- LDL CholesterolPreliminary or mixed
The pooled analysis found lower LDL cholesterol with sea buckthorn, mainly in people with abnormal lipids; trials differed widely.
- TriglyceridesPreliminary or mixed
The pooled analysis found lower triglycerides, mainly in people with abnormal lipids; trials differed widely.
- HDL CholesterolPreliminary or mixed
The pooled analysis found a small rise in HDL cholesterol overall, with high heterogeneity.
- IronDocumented risk
In 45 hemodialysis patients, plasma iron decreased during sea buckthorn oil capsules in one crossover trial. Not shown in other groups.
Conditions & symptoms (3)
- HyperlipidemiaPreliminary or mixed
Pooled trials found lower blood fats only in people with abnormal lipid metabolism, with high variability between trials.
- Chronic Kidney InsufficiencyDocumented risk
In hemodialysis patients, blood phosphate and sodium rose and iron fell during an oil trial; ask the kidney team first.
- Vaginal DrynessPreliminary or mixed
One placebo-controlled trial in postmenopausal women found better improvement in vaginal lining integrity with oral oil; other measures only trended.
Documented risks and interactions (3)
- Safety: possible effect on platelet aggregation and bleeding. A systematic review of herbs tested in healthy people listed sea buckthorn berry among plants that inhibited platelet aggregation. No source we read documents actual bleeding or blood-thinner interactions, so this is unconfirmed; tell the surgical team and pharmacist.
- Safety: changes in blood phosphate, sodium and iron in dialysis patients. In the dialysis trial, plasma phosphate and sodium rose and iron fell with oil capsules. People with kidney disease should ask their kidney team before using it.
- Safety: higher blood glucose in a rat study. In a 90-day rat study of a fruit extract, plasma glucose rose at the higher amounts and returned to normal after stopping. Animal data only; relevance to people is unknown.
Know the limits. Most sea buckthorn research is small, and several studies tested an oil or a cream, not the berries. Results for one product do not transfer to another. The sources we read did not describe medicine interactions, bleeding risk, pregnancy or children's safety for sea buckthorn. Not described is not the same as safe. Ask a pharmacist or clinician before using it, especially with blood thinners, before surgery, or with kidney disease.
What it is
Sea buckthorn is Hippophae rhamnoides L., family Elaeagnaceae, an accepted name in the GBIF plant database. [1] Berries, oils pressed from them and creams are different materials, and the trials below tested different ones: oral oil in capsules or liquid, a cream, and pooled products. The trial reports we read did not say whether the oil came from the pulp or the seed. We did not read a source comparing the two for human outcomes, so Proper evidence not found for which type is better.Traditional use (not proof)
The sources we read did not describe named traditional uses of sea buckthorn, so we list none. Traditions are separated from research on Traditional Use vs Research Evidence.What research shows (research, not tradition)
| Use | What the source found | Evidence label | Population and form studied |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cholesterol and blood fats | A meta-analysis of 15 randomized trials found lipid improvements only in people with abnormal lipid metabolism. The authors noted high heterogeneity (results differed a lot between trials). [2] | Promising but limited | Adults, various sea buckthorn products |
| Blood sugar, blood pressure, weight | The same meta-analysis found no effect on blood sugar, blood pressure and BMI overall. [2] | No good evidence of benefit | Adults, various products |
| Vaginal dryness after menopause | In 116 postmenopausal women, 3 g a day of sea buckthorn oil for three months gave a significantly better rate of improvement in the integrity of the vaginal lining than placebo. A trend in the vaginal health index did not reach the usual cutoff (P=0.08). [3] | Promising but limited (one trial) | Postmenopausal women; oral oil. One author was affiliated with a company. |
| Dry eye | In 100 people, 2 g a day of oil for 3 months did not change tear film fatty acids compared with placebo. [4] | Insufficient evidence | Adults with dry eye; oral oil. This trial measured tear fatty acids, not symptoms. |
| Mouth dryness and inflammation in dialysis patients | In 45 hemodialysis patients, an oil extract had no significant effect on DNA damage, saliva flow or inflammation, and blood phosphate and sodium rose while iron fell. [5] | No good evidence of benefit; a possible safety signal | Hemodialysis patients; oil capsules |
| Second-degree burns | In 55 patients, burns treated with sea buckthorn cream healed faster than with a standard 1% silver sulfadiazine dressing. [6] | Promising but limited (one trial) | Hospital patients; topical cream |
Do not treat a burn at home with a plant product. Burns need medical assessment. For skin topics, see Herbs for Skin, Acne, Eczema and Wounds. For menopause, see Herbs for Menopause Symptoms.
Forms and why the form matters
Oil capsules, creams and berry products are different things. The vaginal dryness trial used oral oil, the burn trial a cream, and the cholesterol analysis pooled various products. [3][6][2] See Herb Forms and Preparations.Safety and who should ask first
- Bleeding and surgery: readers often ask about bleeding. We searched PubMed for sea buckthorn with bleeding and blood thinners but did not read a source that documents it, so we can neither confirm nor rule it out. Tell the surgical team about it. See Supplements Before Surgery and Herbs and Blood Thinners.
- Kidney disease: in the dialysis trial, phosphate and sodium rose and iron fell. [5] People with kidney disease should ask their kidney team first. See Herbs and Kidney Disease.
- Medicines, pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, older adults, liver, allergy: not described in the sources we read. See How Interactions Work and Pregnancy and Breastfeeding.
- Quality: oil content and purity vary. See Quality Testing and Certifications.
Official statements
We did not find a readable regulator page on sea buckthorn (EMA, Health Canada, NCCIH or FDA). Proper evidence not found for an official position in the sources we read.Frequently asked questions
Does sea buckthorn lower cholesterol?
A meta-analysis of 15 trials found lower blood fats only in people with abnormal lipids, with high heterogeneity. [2]
Is sea buckthorn oil good for dry eye?
In one trial, 2 g a day for 3 months did not change tear film fatty acids. [4] Proper evidence not found for symptom relief in the sources we read.
Is sea buckthorn proven for menopause dryness?
One placebo-controlled trial in 116 women found a better rate of improvement in vaginal lining integrity. Other measures showed only a trend. [3]
Does sea buckthorn help burns?
One trial of 55 patients found faster healing with a cream than with silver sulfadiazine. [6] Seek medical care for burns.
Are there safety concerns?
We did not find documented bleeding or interaction data in our sources. A dialysis trial saw changes in blood phosphate, sodium and iron. [5] Ask a clinician.
References
- GBIF Secretariat. Hippophae rhamnoides L., species match. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Read 2026-10-23.
- Geng Y, et al. Effects of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) on factors related to metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytotherapy Research, 2022. Read 2026-10-23.
- Larmo PS, et al. Effects of sea buckthorn oil intake on vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Maturitas, 2014. Read 2026-10-23.
- Järvinen RL, et al. Effects of oral sea buckthorn oil on tear film fatty acids in individuals with dry eye. Cornea, 2011. Read 2026-10-23.
- Rodhe Y, et al. The effect of sea buckthorn supplement on oral health, inflammation, and DNA damage in hemodialysis patients: a double-blinded, randomized crossover study. Journal of Renal Nutrition, 2013. Read 2026-10-23.
- Sea buckthorn cream versus silver sulfadiazine dressing for second-degree burns: a randomized triple-blind clinical trial. Wound Repair and Regeneration, 2021. Read 2026-10-23.