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Anti-Inflammatory

Sesamin

(1R,2S,5R,6S)-2,6-bis(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane
Evidence Level
Limited
5 Clinical Trials
4 Documented Benefits
2/5 Evidence Score

Sesamin is the main lignan in sesame seeds and sesame oil. As a supplement it is a concentrated capsule, often paired with its isomer episesamin and sometimes sold with vitamin E. Whole sesame seed, tahini and sesame oil are different products with their own page, and their results do not transfer to sesamin capsules. Human trials of sesamin are few, small and short, using 10 to 200 mg a day for 4 to 8 weeks. Against placebo, 200 mg a day lowered hs-CRP and TNF-alpha in women with rheumatoid arthritis and lowered TNF-alpha in adults with type 2 diabetes. A maker-run trial of sesame lignans with vitamin E slowed LDL oxidation more than placebo. Blood pressure and cholesterol findings rest on within-group changes and on pooled analyses that include whole sesame trials. Sesamin is made from sesame, a food allergen US supplement labels must declare.

Studied Dose 60 mg/day sesamin (blood pressure crossover); 200 mg/day sesamin (inflammation, antioxidant and lipid trials); 50 mg/day sesamin plus episesamin (28-day safety study); 10 mg/day sesame lignans with about 100 mg vitamin E (combination product). Trials lasted 4 to 8 weeks.
Active Compound Sesamin, a furofuran lignan from sesame seed and sesame oil. Supplements often pair it with its isomer episesamin (1:1 in the cited Suntory products).

Benefits

Blood pressure readings in adults with mildly raised levels

In a placebo-controlled crossover in 25 adults with mildly raised blood pressure, 60 mg a day of sesamin for 4 weeks lowered systolic pressure by 3.5 mmHg and diastolic by 1.9 mmHg from baseline, while placebo readings barely moved; the paper did not test sesamin against placebo. A pooled analysis of 4 trials, 2 of them whole sesame, found systolic pressure about 3.7 mmHg lower and no diastolic change.

Supported by Trial 3, Trial 1

Cholesterol levels with sesamin capsules

Pooling 5 placebo-controlled trials (3 of sesamin, 2 of whole sesame), total cholesterol was about 10.9 mg/dL lower and LDL about 8.4 mg/dL lower, with moderate variation between trials; HDL and triglycerides did not change. A 6-week sesamin trial reported higher HDL, but the pooled analysis found no significant difference from placebo in that trial. Whole sesame did not change cholesterol in a placebo-controlled trial.

Supported by Trial 1, Trial 4

Antioxidant markers and vitamin E retention

A maker-run trial of capsules with 10 mg of sesame lignans plus about 100 mg of vitamin E lengthened the time before LDL oxidized more than placebo in a 25-person substudy; the vitamin E may account for this. A 6-week trial of 200 mg a day of sesamin reported lower MDA and higher total antioxidant capacity, without stating a placebo comparison. In lab tests, sesamin blocks CYP4F2, an enzyme that breaks down vitamin E.

Supported by Trial 1, Trial 4

Inflammation markers such as hs-CRP and TNF-α

Sesamin capsules, 200 mg a day, lowered markers more than placebo in two small trials from one Iranian university: 6 weeks lowered hs-CRP, TNF-α and COX-2 in 44 women with rheumatoid arthritis, and 8 weeks lowered TNF-α in 48 adults with type 2 diabetes. A pooled analysis of 7 sesame trials in all forms found lower IL-6 but no overall CRP or TNF-α change; the sesamin capsule subgroup showed reductions.

Supported by Trial 1, Trial 2

Mechanism of action

1

CYP4F2 inhibition (vitamin E and 20-HETE)

In human liver and kidney microsomes, sesamin blocked 20-HETE production and was selective for CYP4F2 (IC50 1.9 micromol/L) over CYP4A11 (IC50 above 150 micromol/L). CYP4F2 breaks down vitamin E and makes 20-HETE, a blood vessel signaling compound. In the same report, 25 g a day of whole sesame (about 50 mg of lignans) lowered plasma 20-HETE by 28% and urinary 20-HETE by 32% versus control over 5 weeks, without changing blood pressure.

2

Nitric oxide-dependent vessel relaxation (animal and tissue studies)

In rat aorta rings, three sesamin metabolites relaxed precontracted vessels in an endothelium-dependent way, and a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor markedly blunted the relaxation from two of them. Sesamin feeding did not lower blood pressure in rats given that inhibitor long term or in mice lacking endothelial nitric oxide synthase. It has not been tested in people.

Clinical trials

1
Sesamin 200 mg/day vs Placebo: 6-Week RCT in Women With Rheumatoid Arthritis
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind (triple-blind in the later report), placebo-controlled parallel trial of 200 mg/day sesamin capsules or placebo for 6 weeks at Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences. Two papers with the same design and authors report it: a 2016 paper on weight, blood pressure, lipids, MDA and total antioxidant capacity (J Am Coll Nutr, PMID 26151734) and this 2019 paper on inflammatory markers and joint measures. (Helli et al. 2019, Phytother Res)

44 women with rheumatoid arthritis in Iran.

Compared with placebo, sesamin lowered hs-CRP, TNF-alpha and COX-2. Hyaluronidase and MMP-3 fell within the sesamin group, and tender joint count and pain fell. The 2016 report found lower MDA and higher total antioxidant capacity and HDL cholesterol at the end of the study without stating a placebo comparison; weight, blood pressure, total and LDL cholesterol and triglycerides fell within the sesamin group but did not differ from placebo.

2
Sesamin 200 mg/day vs Placebo: 8-Week RCT in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes
PubMed

Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled parallel trial of 200 mg/day sesamin capsules or 200 mg/day starch capsules for 8 weeks; waist and hip circumference also fell within the sesamin group. (Mohammad Shahi et al. 2017, J Diet Suppl)

48 adults with type 2 diabetes in Iran, 24 per group.

Compared with placebo, sesamin lowered fasting blood sugar, HbA1c and TNF-alpha. IL-6 fell and adiponectin rose only within the sesamin group, and the abstract gives no placebo comparison for hs-CRP.

3
Sesamin 60 mg/day vs Placebo: 4-Week Crossover in Mild Hypertension
PubMed

Double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover: 4 weeks of 60 mg/day sesamin capsules or placebo, separated by a 4-week washout. The paper compares readings before and after each period and does not report a statistical test of sesamin against placebo. (Miyawaki et al. 2009, J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo))

25 middle-aged adults with mild hypertension in Japan, matched by age and body mass index.

With sesamin, systolic pressure went from 137.6 to 134.1 mmHg (p = 0.044) and diastolic from 87.7 to 85.8 mmHg (p = 0.045). With placebo, systolic went from 135.0 to 135.1 mmHg and diastolic from 85.9 to 86.6 mmHg. These are changes within each period, not a tested difference between sesamin and placebo.

4
Sesame Lignans Plus Vitamin E vs Placebo: 8-Week RCT in Adults With Daily Fatigue
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel trial of a combination product (Sesamin E Plus, Suntory Wellness): 3 capsules a day with 10 mg sesame lignans (sesamin and episesamin 1:1), 55 mg alpha-tocopherol, 44 mg gamma-tocopherol and 2 mg tocotrienol, versus wheat germ oil placebo, for 8 weeks. Five of the six authors worked for Suntory Wellness. (Takemoto et al. 2015, Glob J Health Sci)

309 adults aged 30 to 69 in Japan who felt daily fatigue; 111 kept in the per-protocol efficacy analysis and 25 in the blood substudy.

Fatigue scores improved in both groups with no difference between them; only a subgroup aged 40 and over improved more than placebo on sleep and appearance scores. In the 25-person substudy, LDL oxidation lag time (how long LDL resists oxidation in a lab test) lengthened more than with placebo at 4 and 8 weeks. The capsules held about 100 mg of vitamin E, so this cannot be credited to the lignans alone. Adverse event rates did not differ from placebo.

5
Sesamin and Episesamin 50 mg/day vs Placebo: 28-Day Safety and Pharmacokinetic Study
PubMed

Single-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group multiple-dose study of 50 mg/day sesame lignans (sesamin and episesamin 1:1) or placebo for 28 days; the first author is from Suntory Wellness, a maker of sesamin supplements. (Tomimori et al. 2013, Biopharm Drug Dispos)

48 healthy adults, 24 per group; blood levels measured in 10 of the sesamin group.

No serious adverse events occurred. Sesamin peaked in plasma about 5 hours after a dose, and its main metabolite had a half-life of about 2.4 hours. Plasma levels reached a steady state by day 7, with no buildup over 28 days.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

In a 28-day placebo-controlled study in 48 healthy adults, no serious adverse events were seen with 50 mg a day of sesamin and episesamin; the study came from the maker's research institute.
In an 8-week trial in 309 adults, a sesame lignan and vitamin E product had adverse events at the same rate as placebo (maker-run trial).
Sesamin is made from sesame. Since January 1, 2023, US dietary supplements must label sesame as an allergen (FDA). People with a sesame allergy should check the label and ask the maker and a clinician before using sesamin products.
Trials of sesamin products lasted 4 to 8 weeks at 10 to 200 mg a day. They do not report on pregnancy or breastfeeding, so ask a clinician before use in those situations.

Important Drug interactions

Blood pressure medicines: sesamin lowered blood pressure by a few mmHg from baseline in a small trial, so effects could add to treatment; monitor your readings and tell your doctor.
Diabetes medicines: in adults with type 2 diabetes, 200 mg a day of sesamin lowered fasting blood sugar and HbA1c more than placebo; if you take glucose-lowering medicine, monitor your blood sugar.
Vitamin E supplements: in lab studies sesamin slows vitamin E breakdown by blocking the enzyme CYP4F2, and some sesamin products already contain vitamin E, so count the total vitamin E dose.

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Frequently asked questions about Sesamin

What is Sesamin used for?

Sesamin is a lignan extracted from sesame and sold in capsules, often with episesamin or vitamin E. Small placebo-controlled trials have looked at inflammation markers, antioxidant markers, blood pressure and cholesterol, at 10 to 200 mg a day for 4 to 8 weeks. The effects found were small, and several of the trials come from one research group in Iran or from a maker.

How is sesamin different from eating sesame seeds?

Sesame seed, tahini and sesame oil are foods with fats, fiber and a mix of lignans; 25 g of seed gave about 50 mg of lignans in one trial. Sesamin capsules concentrate one lignan at 50 to 200 mg a day. In a placebo-controlled crossover, 25 g of sesame a day did not change cholesterol or blood pressure, so results from capsules and foods should not be swapped.

What is the recommended dosage of Sesamin?

Trials used 60 mg a day for blood pressure, 200 mg a day for inflammation, antioxidant and lipid markers, and 50 mg a day of sesamin plus episesamin in a 28-day safety study. Follow the product label, and talk to a clinician first if you take medicine.

Is Sesamin safe, and does it have side effects?

In a 28-day study from the maker, 50 mg a day of sesamin and episesamin caused no serious adverse events, and an 8-week trial of a sesame lignan and vitamin E product found adverse events at the same rate as placebo. The trials were short. Sesamin comes from sesame, a labeled US allergen, so people with a sesame allergy should ask the maker and a clinician before use. If you take blood pressure or diabetes medicine, monitor your readings.

What is Sesamin?

Sesamin is the main lignan in sesame seeds and sesame oil. As a supplement it is a concentrated capsule, often paired with its isomer episesamin and sometimes sold with vitamin E. Whole sesame seed, tahini and sesame oil are different products with their own page, and their results do not transfer to sesamin capsules.

Does Sesamin interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Blood pressure medicines: sesamin lowered blood pressure by a few mmHg from baseline in a small trial, so effects could add to treatment; monitor your readings and tell your doctor. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for Sesamin?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Sesamin as Limited (2 out of 5). It is backed by 5 study summaries and 13 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(13 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Sun Y, Ren J, Zhu S, Zhang Z, Guo Z, An J, Yin B, Ma Y. The Effects of Sesamin Supplementation on Obesity, Blood Pressure, and Lipid Profile: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022;13:842152. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.842152.PubMedUsed to support: Meta-analysis of 7 placebo-controlled trials (212 participants); 3 of the 7 used whole sesame or black sesame meal rather than sesamin (full text, Table 2). Systolic pressure was 3.66 mmHg lower (4 trials, 2 of them whole sesame), total cholesterol 10.9 mg/dL lower and LDL 8.4 mg/dL lower (p = 0.031; 5 trials, 2 whole sesame; I2 53%, heterogeneity p = 0.073). HDL, triglycerides, diastolic pressure and weight did not change. In its forest plots, neither sesamin blood pressure trial and not the HDL result of the sesamin trial in rheumatoid arthritis was significant on its own. Authors declared no conflicts.
  2. Helli B, Shahi MM, Mowla K, Jalali MT, Haghighian HK. A randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, evaluating the sesamin supplement effects on proteolytic enzymes, inflammatory markers, and clinical indices in women with rheumatoid arthritis. Phytother Res. 2019;33(9):2421-2428. doi: 10.1002/ptr.6433.PubMedUsed to support: Triple-blind RCT in 44 women with rheumatoid arthritis: 200 mg/day sesamin or placebo for 6 weeks. hs-CRP, TNF-α and COX-2 fell significantly versus placebo; hyaluronidase and MMP-3 fell in the sesamin group, and tender joint count and pain fell. Supports the inflammation marker benefit.
  3. Helli B, Mowla K, Mohammadshahi M, Jalali MT. Effect of Sesamin Supplementation on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis. J Am Coll Nutr. 2016;35(4):300-7. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2015.1005198.PubMedUsed to support: Report of the same trial (44 women with rheumatoid arthritis, 200 mg/day sesamin or placebo for 6 weeks; university-funded). The abstract says that at the end of the study sesamin lowered MDA (p = 0.018) and raised total antioxidant capacity (p = 0.020) and HDL cholesterol (p = 0.007) but does not state that these were tests against placebo; the full text is paywalled. Weight, body fat, systolic pressure, triglycerides, total and LDL cholesterol fell within the sesamin group but did not differ significantly from placebo. A later meta-analysis recalculated the HDL difference as not significant.
  4. Mohammad Shahi M, Zakerzadeh M, Zakerkish M, Zarei M, Saki A. Effect of Sesamin Supplementation on Glycemic Status, Inflammatory Markers, and Adiponectin Levels in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. J Diet Suppl. 2017;14(1):65-75. doi: 10.1080/19390211.2016.1204404.PubMedUsed to support: Double-blind RCT in 48 adults with type 2 diabetes: 200 mg/day sesamin or starch placebo for 8 weeks. Fasting blood sugar, HbA1c and TNF-α fell versus placebo. IL-6 fell and adiponectin rose only within the sesamin group. Supports the TNF-α part of the inflammation benefit and the diabetes medicine caution.
  5. Rafiee S, Faryabi R, Yargholi A, Zareian MA, Hawkins J, Shivappa N, Shirbeigi L. Effects of Sesame Consumption on Inflammatory Biomarkers in Humans: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021;2021:6622981. doi: 10.1155/2021/6622981.PubMedUsed to support: Meta-analysis of 7 RCTs (310 participants) of sesame in any form (2 sesamin capsule trials, 3 seed and 2 oil trials): IL-6 fell (WMD -0.90, I2 = 80.4%), with no significant pooled effect on CRP or TNF-α. Subgroups that used sesamin capsules showed reductions. Supports the caveat that pooled sesame evidence on inflammation is null overall for CRP and TNF-α.
  6. Miyawaki T, Aono H, Toyoda-Ono Y, Maeda H, Kiso Y, Moriyama K. Antihypertensive effects of sesamin in humans. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2009;55(1):87-91. doi: 10.3177/jnsv.55.87.PubMedUsed to support: Double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover in 25 middle-aged adults with mild hypertension: 60 mg/day sesamin for 4 weeks. Systolic pressure went from 137.6 to 134.1 mmHg (p = 0.044) and diastolic from 87.7 to 85.8 mmHg (p = 0.045) within the sesamin period, with little change on placebo. The abstract reports within-period tests only, not a direct test of sesamin against placebo.
  7. Takemoto D, Yasutake Y, Tomimori N, Ono Y, Shibata H, Hayashi J. Sesame Lignans and Vitamin E Supplementation Improve Subjective Statuses and Anti-Oxidative Capacity in Healthy Humans With Feelings of Daily Fatigue. Glob J Health Sci. 2015;7(6):1-10. doi: 10.5539/gjhs.v7n6p1.PubMedUsed to support: Combination product, not sesamin alone: maker-run (Suntory Wellness) double-blind RCT of 10 mg/day sesame lignans plus about 100 mg vitamin E versus wheat germ oil placebo for 8 weeks in 309 adults with daily fatigue. Fatigue did not differ from placebo in the per-protocol analysis (111 people). In a 25-person substudy, LDL oxidation lag time lengthened more than with placebo. Adverse event rates did not differ (full text).
  8. Tomimori N, Tanaka Y, Kitagawa Y, Fujii W, Sakakibara Y, Shibata H. Pharmacokinetics and safety of the sesame lignans, sesamin and episesamin, in healthy subjects. Biopharm Drug Dispos. 2013;34(8):462-73. doi: 10.1002/bdd.1862.PubMedUsed to support: Single-blind, placebo-controlled study from Suntory Wellness in 48 healthy adults: 50 mg/day sesamin and episesamin (1:1) or placebo for 28 days. No serious adverse events; sesamin peaked at 5 hours, plasma levels reached steady state by day 7, and no accumulation was seen. Supports the safety and dose lines.
  9. Wu JH, Hodgson JM, Clarke MW, Indrawan AP, Barden AE, Puddey IB, Croft KD. Inhibition of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid synthesis using specific plant lignans: in vitro and human studies. Hypertension. 2009;54(5):1151-8. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.109.139352.PubMedUsed to support: Lab and whole-food study, not a sesamin capsule trial. In human microsomes sesamin selectively inhibited CYP4F2 (IC50 1.9 micromol/L) over CYP4A11 (IC50 above 150 micromol/L). In a 33-person crossover, 25 g/day of whole sesame (about 50 mg/day of lignans) lowered plasma and urinary 20-HETE by 28% and 32% versus control; blood pressure did not change. Supports the CYP4F2 mechanism.
  10. Wu JH, Hodgson JM, Puddey IB, Belski R, Burke V, Croft KD. Sesame supplementation does not improve cardiovascular disease risk markers in overweight men and women. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2009;19(11):774-80. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2009.01.003.PubMedUsed to support: Whole sesame, not sesamin capsules: in a placebo-controlled crossover in 33 overweight adults, 25 g/day of sesame for 5 weeks did not change blood lipids, blood pressure or markers of inflammation and oxidative stress. Supports the point that whole sesame foods did not lower cholesterol.
  11. Wichitsranoi J, Weerapreeyakul N, Boonsiri P, Settasatian C, Settasatian N, Komanasin N, Sirijaichingkul S, Teerajetgul Y, Rangkadilok N, Leelayuwat N. Antihypertensive and antioxidant effects of dietary black sesame meal in pre-hypertensive humans. Nutr J. 2011;10:82. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-10-82.PubMedUsed to support: Whole-food product, not sesamin: 2.52 g/day of black sesame meal capsules (about 3 mg sesamin a day by the reported content) or placebo for 4 weeks in 30 adults with prehypertension. Systolic pressure fell (129.3 to 121.0 mmHg), MDA fell and plasma vitamin E rose in the sesame group. Glutathione and total antioxidant capacity were not measured. The authors were applying for a patent on black sesame meal. Listed for context only.
  12. Nakano D, Kwak CJ, Fujii K, Ikemura K, Satake A, Ohkita M, Takaoka M, Ono Y, Nakai M, Tomimori N, Kiso Y, Matsumura Y. Sesamin metabolites induce an endothelial nitric oxide-dependent vasorelaxation through their antioxidative property-independent mechanisms: possible involvement of the metabolites in the antihypertensive effect of sesamin. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2006;318(1):328-35. doi: 10.1124/jpet.105.100149.PubMedUsed to support: Animal and tissue study: sesamin metabolites relaxed rat aorta rings through endothelial nitric oxide, and sesamin feeding did not lower blood pressure in rats given a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor or in mice lacking endothelial nitric oxide synthase. Supports the nitric oxide mechanism in animals only.
  13. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FASTER Act: Sesame Is the Ninth Major Food Allergen. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2024;Web page, content current as of April 12, 2024 (accessed 2026)..SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed; FDA web page. States that as of January 1, 2023, sesame must be labeled as an allergen on packaged foods and dietary supplements, and that some manufacturers changed recipes after the FASTER Act took effect.