Effects of sea buckthorn oil intake on vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Vaginal atrophy, the thinning and drying of vaginal mucosa, is associated with menopause. The standard estrogen treatment is not suitable for all women. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of oral sea buckthorn (SB) oil supplementation on vaginal atrophy. METHOD: A total of 116 postmenopausal women experiencing symptoms of vaginal dryness, itching or burning were randomized to this placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Ninety-eight participants completed the intervention of three months, during which they consumed 3g of SB or placebo oil daily. At the beginning and end, factors of vaginal health were scored by a gynecologist, vaginal pH and moisture were measured and vaginal health index was calculated. Symptoms of atrophy and menopause were evaluated at study visits and by daily logbooks. Serum samples were collected for the analysis of circulating lipids, liver enzymes and C-reactive protein. RESULTS: Compared to placebo, there was a significantly better rate of improvement in the integrity of vaginal epithelium in the SB group when both compliant and noncompliant participants were included (odds ratio (OR)=3.1, 95% CI 1.11-8.95). A beneficial trend was observed when only the compliant participants were included (OR=2.9; 95% CI 0.99-8.35). There was a tendency (P=0.08) toward better improvement of vaginal health index from baseline to the end in the SB group [(0.8 (SD 2.8)] compared to placebo [-0.1 (SD 2.0)]. CONCLUSIONS: SB oil showed beneficial effects on vaginal health, indicating it is a potential alternative for mucosal integrity for those women not able to use estrogen treatment for vaginal atrophy.

Effects of sea buckthorn and bilberry on serum metabolites differ according to baseline metabolic profiles in overweight women: a randomized crossover trial.

BACKGROUND: Berries are associated with health benefits. Little is known about the effect of baseline metabolome on the overall metabolic responses to berry intake. OBJECTIVE: We studied the effects of berries on serum metabolome. DESIGN: Eighty overweight women completed this randomized crossover study. During the interventions of 30 d, subjects consumed dried sea buckthorn berries (SBs), sea buckthorn oil (SBo), sea buckthorn phenolics ethanol extract mixed with maltodextrin (SBe+MD) (1:1), or frozen bilberries. Metabolic profiles were quantified from serum samples by using (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. RESULTS: All interventions induced a significant (P < 0.001-0.003) effect on the overall metabolic profiles. The effect was observed both in participants who had a metabolic profile that reflected higher cardiometabolic risk at baseline (group B: P = 0.001-0.008) and in participants who had a lower-risk profile (group A: P < 0.001-0.009). Although most of the changes in individual metabolites were not statistically significant after correction for multiplicity, clear trends were observed. SB-induced effects were mainly on serum triglycerides and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and its subclasses, which decreased in metabolic group B. SBo induced a decreasing trend in serum total, intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and subfractions of IDL and LDL in group B. During the SBe+MD treatment, VLDL fractions and serum triglycerides increased. Bilberries caused beneficial changes in serum lipids and lipoproteins in group B, whereas the opposite was true in group A. CONCLUSION: Berry intake has overall metabolic effects, which depend on the cardiometabolic risk profile at baseline. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01860547.

Effects of oral sea buckthorn oil on tear film Fatty acids in individuals with dry eye.

PURPOSE: Evaporative dry eye is associated with meibomian gland dysfunction and abnormalities of the tear film lipids. Dry eye is known to be affected positively by intake of linoleic and γ-linolenic acids and n-3 fatty acids. Oral sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides) (SB) oil, which contains linoleic and α-linolenic acids and antioxidants, has shown beneficial effects on dry eye. The objective was to investigate whether supplementation with SB oil affects the composition of the tear film fatty acids in individuals reporting dry eye. METHODS: One hundred participants were randomized to this parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, which 86 of them completed. The participants daily consumed 2 g of SB or placebo oil for 3 months. Tear film samples were collected at the beginning, during, and at the end of the intervention and 1 to 2 months later. Tear film fatty acids were analyzed as methyl esters by gas chromatography. RESULTS: There were no group differences in the changes in fatty acid proportions during the intervention (branched-chain fatty acids: P = 0.49, saturated fatty acids: P = 0.59, monounsaturated fatty acids: P = 0.53, and polyunsaturated fatty acids: P = 0.16). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the positive effects of SB oil on dry eye are not mediated through direct effects on the tear film fatty acids. Carotenoids and tocopherols in the oil or eicosanoids produced from the fatty acids of the oil may have a positive effect on inflammation and differentiation of the meibomian gland cells.

Oral sea buckthorn oil attenuates tear film osmolarity and symptoms in individuals with dry eye.

Dry eye is a common condition that can severely impair the quality of life. We aimed to find out whether oral sea buckthorn (SB) oil, containing (n-3) and (n-6) fatty acids and antioxidants, affects dry eye. In this double-blind, randomized, parallel trial, 20- to 75-y-old women and men experiencing dry eye symptoms consumed 2 g of SB or placebo oil daily for 3 mo from fall to winter. One hundred participants were recruited and 86 completed the study. Clinical dry eye tests and symptom follow-ups were performed. Tear film hyperosmolarity is a focal factor in dry eye. There was a general increase in the osmolarity from baseline to the end of the intervention. Compared with the placebo group, the increase was significantly less in the SB group when all participants were included [intention to treat (ITT), P = 0.04] and when only participants consuming the study products for at least 80% of the intervention days were included [per protocol (PP), P = 0.02]. The maximum intensities of redness and burning tended to be lower in the SB group. In the ITT participants, the group difference was significant for redness (P = 0.04) but not for burning (P = 0.05). In the PP participants, the group difference was significant for burning (P = 0.04) but not for redness (P = 0.11). In conclusion, SB oil attenuated the increase in tear film osmolarity during the cold season and positively affected the dry eye symptoms.

Effect of a low dose of sea buckthorn berries on circulating concentrations of cholesterol, triacylglycerols, and flavonols in healthy adults.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies indicate beneficial effects of flavonoids on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. AIM OF THE STUDY: To study the effect of flavonoid-rich sea buckthorn berry (SBB) on circulating lipid markers associated with CVD risk and plasma flavonol concentration. Also investigated was whether changes in the circulating flavonol concentrations correlate with the SBB induced changes in C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration observed previously. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In all 229 healthy participants completed the randomized double-blind study and consumed daily 28 g of SBB or placebo for 3 months. Fasting blood samples for the analysis of lipid markers and flavonols were obtained at the beginning and end of the study. RESULTS: Compared to the placebo, the consumption of SBB increased the plasma concentration of the flavonols quercetin and isorhamnetin significantly [treatment differences 3.0 ng/ml (P = 0.03) and 3.9 ng/ml (P < 0.01), respectively]. The increase of kaempferol concentration was not significant [treatment difference 0.7 ng/ml (P = 0.08)]. SBB did not affect the serum total, HDL, LDL cholesterol, or the serum triacylglycerol concentrations. There was no correlation between the changes in flavonol and CRP concentrations of participants. CONCLUSIONS: The consumption of SBB significantly increased the fasting plasma concentration of quercetin and isorhamnetin indicating that it is a good dietary source of flavonols. However, this did not convert to affecting the circulating concentrations of lipid markers in healthy, normolipidemic adults having healthy diets.

Fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins in salted herring (Clupea harengus) products.

The fatty acid composition and contents of fat and fat-soluble vitamins of three salted products prepared from Icelandic herring were analyzed. The effects of storage on the products over their shelf life, 6 or 12 months, were investigated. The average oil content of salted, gutted herring and salted fillets in vacuum remained constant, 17 and 12% of wet weight, respectively. In the pickled product the oil content decreased during the 12 months of storage from 13 to 12%. The composition of the products was typical for herring, the most abundant fatty acids being oleic (18:1n-9), palmitic (16:0), cetoleic (22:1n-11), and gadoleic (20:1n-9) acids. Monounsaturated acids constituted clearly the main group with a proportion of >50% of all fatty acids. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) comprised together >12% of all fatty acids. During storage, some hydrolysis of triacylglycerol (TAG) occurred, causing a slight reduction in practically all esterified fatty acids. In none of the three products was the loss of polyunsaturated fatty acids from TAG greater than the loss of saturated ones, indicating that the loss of EPA and DHA was not due to oxidation. After packing, the average content of vitamins A, D, and E in the products varied between 27 and 87 microg/100 g (wet weight), between 17-28 microg/100 g (wet weight), and between 77-120 microg/100 g (wet weight), respectively. During storage, the level of vitamin A decreased significantly, whereas no loss of vitamin D was observed. The content of vitamin E was low in all products and showed wide variation. When compared to the recommended daily intake, it could be concluded that the products investigated were good and stable sources of long-chain n-3 fatty acids (EPA, DHA) and vitamin D.