Benefits
Tear film and eye comfort
In a single trial lasting 3 months, 100 adults with dry eye symptoms (86 completed) took 2 g/day of sea buckthorn oil or placebo oil. Tear film osmolarity rose less than with placebo in both analyses. Redness and burning were each lower in one of two analyses but not in the other, and tear film fatty acids did not change.
Vaginal tissue comfort after menopause
In a single trial lasting 3 months, 116 postmenopausal women with vaginal dryness (98 completed) took 3 g/day of sea buckthorn oil or placebo oil. The oil gave a better rate of improvement in vaginal epithelial integrity than placebo when all randomized women were analyzed, but only a trend among compliant women. The lead author was affiliated with a sea buckthorn oil maker.
Blood lipid support in people with raised lipids
A meta-analysis of 15 randomized trials found lower triglycerides and total and LDL cholesterol and higher HDL cholesterol, but only in people with abnormal lipids, with high heterogeneity and no effect on blood pressure or blood sugar. Placebo-controlled trials in healthy adults and in adults with hypercholesterolemia found no significant change in cholesterol.
Inflammation marker CRP in healthy adults
In a 3-month trial in 254 healthy adults, 28 g/day of sea buckthorn berries did not reduce the number or length of colds, the primary outcome. Serum CRP, a secondary outcome, fell slightly compared with placebo.
Bowel movement frequency
In a single trial lasting 4 weeks, 90 adults with chronic idiopathic constipation took 500 mg/day of a fruit extract or placebo. The extract increased weekly complete bowel movements and improved stool consistency compared with placebo. The sponsor supplied the study products.
Source of vitamin C, carotenoids and flavonols
Berry vitamin C varies widely by subspecies and cultivar: about 53 to 131 mg per 100 g in one analysis of eight cultivars and about 400 mg per 100 g in another analysis. In a placebo-controlled trial, eating the berries daily raised plasma quercetin and isorhamnetin.
Mechanism of action
Palmitoleic acid (omega-7) in the pulp oil
Sea buckthorn pulp oil is rich in palmitic (33%), oleic (26%) and palmitoleic (25%) acids, while the seed oil is rich in linoleic (34%) and alpha-linolenic (25%) acids. Taking 5 g/day of pulp oil for 4 months raised the proportion of palmitoleic acid in plasma phospholipids and neutral lipids.
Tear film effects not explained by tear fatty acids
In the dry eye trial, changes in tear film fatty acid proportions did not differ between the oil and placebo groups. The investigators proposed that carotenoids, tocopherols or eicosanoids made from the oil's fatty acids may act on inflammation and meibomian gland cells; this was not tested directly.
Flavonol absorption
Sea buckthorn is a rich source of flavonols, especially isorhamnetin. Flavonols eaten in oatmeal porridge were rapidly absorbed, and a small amount of sea buckthorn oil in the porridge seemed to raise their bioavailability at the higher dose. Daily berries raised fasting plasma quercetin and isorhamnetin compared with placebo.
Platelet aggregation
In a small crossover in 12 healthy men, 5 g/day of supercritical CO2 extracted sea buckthorn berry oil for 4 weeks lowered the rate and maximum of ADP-induced platelet aggregation, while plasma fats and glucose were unchanged. The authors called the study preliminary.
Clinical trials
Double-blind, randomized, parallel trial in Finland: 2 g/day sea buckthorn oil or placebo oil for 3 months, from fall to winter. A companion paper from the same trial analyzed tear film fatty acids (Jarvinen et al. 2011, Cornea). (Larmo et al. 2010, J Nutr)
100 adults aged 20 to 75 with dry eye symptoms were recruited; 86 completed.
Tear film osmolarity rose in both groups over the cold season, but the rise was smaller with sea buckthorn oil (P = 0.04, all participants; P = 0.02, compliant participants). Redness was lower in the all-participant analysis (P = 0.04) but not the compliant analysis (P = 0.11); burning was the reverse (P = 0.05 and P = 0.04). Tear film fatty acid changes did not differ between groups.
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial: 3 g/day sea buckthorn oil or placebo oil for 3 months. The lead author was affiliated with Aromtech Ltd, a Finnish company that makes sea buckthorn oil ingredients. (Larmo et al. 2014, Maturitas)
116 postmenopausal women with vaginal dryness, itching or burning; 98 completed.
Compared with placebo, the rate of improvement in vaginal epithelial integrity was better with sea buckthorn oil when all randomized women were analyzed (odds ratio 3.1, 95% CI 1.11 to 8.95), but only a trend among compliant women (odds ratio 2.9, 95% CI 0.99 to 8.35). The vaginal health index showed a nonsignificant trend (P = 0.08).
Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial: 28 g/day of sea buckthorn berries or placebo for 3 months. The primary outcome was the number and duration of colds; digestive and urinary tract infections and CRP were secondary outcomes. Plasma flavonols and the fasting blood fat panel were reported in a second paper from the same trial (Larmo et al. 2009, Eur J Nutr). (Larmo et al. 2008, Eur J Clin Nutr)
254 healthy adults randomized and 233 completed (229 in the flavonol analysis).
No difference from placebo in the number or duration of colds (relative risks 1.15 and 1.05) or of the other infections tracked. Serum CRP fell compared with placebo (difference in median change -0.059 mg/L, P = 0.039). Plasma quercetin and isorhamnetin rose compared with placebo, while the fasting blood fat panel did not change.
Placebo-controlled trial, 8 weeks. The juice added 462 mg vitamin C, 3.2 mg alpha-tocopherol, 1.0 mg beta-carotene and 355 mg flavonoids per day. Plasma total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol did not change between groups; nonsignificant rises of 20% in HDL cholesterol and 17% in triacylglycerols were seen. (Eccleston et al. 2002, J Nutr Biochem)
20 healthy men.
No significant differences between groups in the plasma fat markers measured, platelet aggregation or soluble ICAM-1. The abstract reports a moderate decrease in the susceptibility of low-density lipoprotein to oxidation with the juice, without a stated between-group test.
Small randomized crossover described by the authors as preliminary: 5 g/day supercritical CO2 extracted sea buckthorn berry oil or fractionated coconut oil (control) for 4 weeks each, with a 4 to 8 week washout. (Johansson et al. 2000, J Nutr Biochem)
12 healthy men with normal blood fat levels.
The rate and maximum of ADP-induced platelet aggregation decreased with the sea buckthorn oil. Phospholipid fatty acids, plasma fats and glucose were unaffected. The authors said dose-response studies are needed before practical use.
Placebo-controlled, double-blind trial: 5 g/day (10 capsules) of seed oil, pulp oil or paraffin oil (placebo) for 4 months. Within the pulp oil group, HDL cholesterol rose from 1.38 to 1.53 mmol/L. A Cochrane review of dietary supplements for eczema, which included this trial, found no convincing evidence of benefit. (Yang et al. 1999, J Nutr Biochem)
49 adults with atopic dermatitis.
Dermatitis improved within the pulp oil group (P < 0.01) and within the paraffin oil placebo group (P < 0.001); the seed oil group change was not significant (P = 0.11). The abstract reports no advantage of either oil over placebo. No changes in total or specific IgE were seen.
Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial: 90 mL/day sea buckthorn puree or placebo for 90 days; total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides did not change. (Zhou et al. 2022, Anim Biotechnol)
111 adults with hypercholesterolemia.
The puree did not change the main fasting blood fat markers compared with placebo. A lower diastolic pressure than placebo was reported with p > 0.05, and hsCRP fell moderately in the puree group. Changes in ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 showed no correlation.
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover: 4 capsules/day of 500 mg sea buckthorn oil or placebo for 8 weeks each, with a 4-week washout. (Rodhe et al. 2013, J Ren Nutr)
45 hemodialysis patients.
No significant changes in DNA breaks or oxidative DNA lesions in salivary gland tissue, in salivary flow rates, or in blood inflammation markers. Plasma phosphate and sodium increased and plasma iron decreased.
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial: 500 mg/day hydroethanolic fruit extract or placebo capsule for 28 days. Study products were supplied free of charge by the sponsor, EPO S.r.l.; the authors declared no competing interests with the sponsor. (Morone et al. 2026, Nutrients)
90 adults with chronic idiopathic constipation.
Weekly spontaneous complete bowel movements, the primary outcome, rose from 1.5 to 2.6 with the extract and stool consistency normalized, with no change in the placebo group (time by treatment interaction P < 0.001 for both). Bloating, abdominal pain and heaviness fell; flatulence did not differ between groups. No adverse events were reported.