Discovering the Secrets of Sea Buckthorn Berry for Anti-Aging

Discovering the Incredible Anti-Aging Properties of Sea Buckthorn Berry

Very few natural products can be found both on top-tier restaurant menus and in health food stores, but sea buckthorn berry is one such superfood. This ancient berry, known by various names like “Holy Fruit of the Himalayas”, “Liquid Gold”, and “Wonder Berry”, is rich in health-boosting compounds and healing properties.

As a natural supplement, sea buckthorn berry can aid in supporting the body's stem cells and slowing down the aging process. Let's delve deeper into how these tiny wonder berries can benefit you and your loved ones.

Overview

• Sea buckthorn berry is a nutrient-packed superfood containing essential vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, plant compounds, and a plethora of antioxidants.

• Scientific studies, including human clinical trials, have demonstrated the numerous health advantages of sea buckthorn berry. Extracts from the berry can enhance circulating stem cells, which play a crucial role in combating various aging and disease-related processes.

• Integrating sea buckthorn berry into the diet can be achieved through a variety of sources such as foods, beverages, oils, and supplements.

Sea Buckthorn Berry: An Age-Old Healing Solution

Originating from Europe and Asia, sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L) is a deciduous golden shrub that bears orange-yellow berries. These sea buckthorn fruits, also referred to as sea berries, are packed with essential nutrients, earning them the status of a true superfood.

Sea berry is renowned as one of the most potent natural remedies and has been a staple in Asian medicine for centuries. It finds mentions in ancient Chinese medicinal texts dating back over 1,500 years and in Tibetan medical manuscripts from the eighth century.

In recent years, scientists have taken notice of this remarkable plant, conducting numerous lab studies that validate its traditional medicinal uses. These investigations reveal that the impressive array of health benefits associated with sea buckthorn can be attributed to its nearly two hundred nutritional and bioactive components, including a rich reserve of antioxidants.

Incredible Superfood: A Nutritional Powerhouse

Sea buckthorn fruit boasts high levels of vitamin C, with one analysis showing 275mg per 100g – more than five times the amount found in an orange! Additionally, these berries are abundant in various essential vitamins such as A, E, K, and B vitamins including B12.

Among its diverse mineral content, sea buckthorn contains significant amounts of potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. The fruit also provides a wide range of amino acids, including eight out of the nine essential ones. Moreover, sea buckthorn pulp oil serves as a rich source of essential fatty acids like omegas 3, 6, 7, and 9.

Unique Antioxidants for Healthy Aging

The rich assortment of antioxidants found in sea buckthorn makes it a vital component for maintaining good health. These berries are abundant in antioxidants ranging from flavonoids to carotenoids. Their antioxidant properties have earned sea buckthorn berries recognition from the International Sea Buckthorn Association for their exceptional health benefits. Some of the key botanicals present in sea buckthorn include:

Carotenoids – responsible for the berry's distinctive orange-yellow color, these antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin play a crucial role in eye health and help prevent age-related macular degeneration.

Polyphenols – the fruit contains nearly a hundred polyphenols, which contribute significantly to its antioxidant activity. Sea buckthorn's polyphenol content is at least five times higher than blueberries and ten times higher than strawberries. These polyphenols are often credited for the health benefits associated with many natural antioxidant remedies.

Flavonoids – a group of polyphenolic antioxidant compounds, with ninety-five identified in sea berry plants, may have potential roles in preventing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other age-related chronic conditions. Flavonoids are the antioxidant components responsible for the health benefits of various fruits and vegetables.

Phytosterols – Researchers have identified fourteen phytosterol compounds in sea berry. These antioxidant-rich phytosterols aid in reducing cholesterol levels and preventing cardiovascular diseases. Phytosterols can be found in several nuts, fruits, and vegetables, significantly improving overall health.

You can benefit from the antioxidant properties of each of these compounds by consuming sea buckthorn berries or by taking sea buckthorn extract in supplement form.

Enhancing Overall Health from Head to Toe

Given the abundance of powerful antioxidants in sea buckthorn berries, it's no surprise that they offer a multitude of health benefits. Scientific research, whether in laboratories or clinical settings, has confirmed the various advantages of sea buckthorn berries, including:

• Combatting an excess of harmful free radicals

• Reducing inflammation

• Protecting against harmful pathogens like bacteria and viruses

• Nourishing vital organs like the liver, kidneys, and brain

• Enhancing skin appearance by reducing wrinkles

• Preventing cancer

• Supporting cardiovascular health by reducing platelet aggregation, preventing blood clots, and lowering high blood lipid levels

• Reducing the risk of obesity

• Lowering high blood sugar levels

• Improving cognitive function by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation

• Facilitating skin and mucous membrane health to aid in wound healing and prevent skin conditions

• Improving bone mineral density

• Shielding against the detrimental effects of radiation exposure

• Modulating the immune system to protect against overactive responses and enhance immunity in immune-compromised individuals

Several clinical studies have indicated that sea buckthorn berries are particularly beneficial for heart health, skin health, mucous membranes, and wound healing.

Human Studies Unveil Sea Buckthorn Berry's Role in Natural Anti-Aging

Heart Health Benefits - A systematic review of eleven randomized controlled trials involving individuals with elevated blood lipid levels or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease revealed that sea buckthorn supplementation significantly decreased total cholesterol, LDL "bad" cholesterol, and triglycerides, while increasing HDL “good” cholesterol levels in those at risk of cardiovascular issues. Other studies have demonstrated reductions in C-reactive protein levels, a key marker of inflammation, as well as improvements in apolipoprotein B levels, a risk factor for atherosclerosis. Additionally, sea buckthorn supplementation was associated with reduced waist circumference in overweight individuals and lowered blood pressure.

Skin Healing Properties: Sea buckthorn oil, derived from the berries and rich in essential fatty acids, acts as a natural skin moisturizer and healing agent. In the form of sea buckthorn cream, it accelerated the healing of second-degree burns compared to a commonly used pharmaceutical lotion in a study involving 55 hospital patients. Another study showed improvement in psoriasis patients who applied a sea buckthorn preparation versus a placebo.

Support for Mucous Membranes: In a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial involving 116 postmenopausal women experiencing symptoms like vaginal dryness, itching, or burning, the consumption of three grams of sea buckthorn oil over three months resulted in a significantly better improvement rate in the integrity of the vaginal epithelium compared to placebo.

The benefits of this exceptional berry are extensive, especially given its effects on stem cells, as we will explore shortly. But first, let's understand the significance of stem cells.

Preserving Youthful and Healthy Stem Cells

A significant amount of medical research today focuses on leveraging stem cells to address age-related ailments and potentially slow down the aging process.

Stem cells present in the bone marrow start as blank slates, awaiting signals to differentiate into specific cell types like skin cells, brain cells, or liver cells as needed. These cells are crucial in medicine for their ability to replace damaged or diseased cells throughout the body.

Post-birth, "adult" stem cells reside in the bone marrow and can circulate to various tissues, though not all tissues, making them multipotent. These stem cells can remain dormant in different organs or tissues for years until they are required to replace injured or damaged cells.

While much of the stem cell research is still in the experimental phase and undergoing trials, approved stem cell therapies are currently limited in the United States. Stem cell transplantation holds immense promise, but widespread application may take years. Therefore, it is essential to explore natural ways to maintain the youthfulness of stem cells for improved health, such as with methods like electroacupuncture.

Aging Gracefully: Stem Cells and the Aging Process

Adult stem cells constitute only about one in every 100,000 cells in the body, making them relatively rare and precious.

When an adult stem cell divides, one new cell retains its stem cell properties while the other transforms into a somatic cell, which is any cell except a reproductive cell. This new stem cell can continue generating new somatic cells as needed. However, this process is not perfect, and as we age, stem cells lose some of their ability to produce new somatic cells. Over time, our stem cell reserves also deplete, a phenomenon known as stem cell exhaustion, a hallmark of aging.

As researchers from Loma Linda University in California explain: "...there is now convincing evidence that the aging process adversely affects stem cells, and that the aging effects on stem cells play essential roles in the pathophysiology of various age-related diseases." They emphasize that "it is evident that we age partly because our stem cells age alongside us."

In essence, maintaining youthful and healthy stem cells can potentially:

• Reduce chronic low-grade inflammation associated with aging – “inflammaging.”

• Regulate the immune system to help counteract the decline in immune function with aging – immunosenescence.

• Shield against oxidative stress caused by an excess of free radicals that accelerate aging.

• Enhance repair mechanisms that promote healthy tissues and delay the onset of age-related changes.

• Regenerate damaged tissues to potentially reverse damage that hastens aging.

The encouraging news is that sea buckthorn berry can support the rejuvenation of our stem cells.

Sea Buckthorn Berry Enhances Circulating Stem Cells

Christian Drapeau, a pioneer in stem cell research, and his team published a significant study in 2019 demonstrating that a polyphenol-rich extract from sea buckthorn berries increased stem cell mobilization in humans.

The study involved 12 healthy individuals with an average age of 49, following a randomized, double-blind, crossover design. Blood samples were taken before participants consumed either 500 mg of sea berry extract or a placebo, and then again after one and two hours. The study focused on endothelial stem cells and protein markers from white blood cells that are indicative of stem cell activity in repairing and maintaining the body. The results showed a substantial increase in the number of circulating adult stem cells released from the bone marrow compared to the placebo. For instance:

Hematopoietic stem cells, responsible for red and white blood cells as well as T cells, increased by 24.2 percent after two hours.

Mesenchymal stem cells, which generate bone, cartilage, and connective tissue cells, increased by 20.8 percent after two hours.

Endothelial stem cells, producing smooth, skeletal, and cardiac muscle cells, increased by 33.4 percent after two hours.

Such rapid responses are crucial as stem cells need to swiftly reach damaged tissues. The research team highlighted that "we have uncovered a new mechanism of action behind many of the health benefits historically associated with sea buckthorn berries." The extract used in the trial is known as CyanthOx™30.

CyanthOx™30 in

CyanthOx™30 is derived from organically wild-harvested sea buckthorn grown in the pristine, pollution-free Tibetan mountain slopes. To survive in such harsh conditions, the plant produces berries with significantly higher nutritional value than those grown in more favorable environments.

With an extraordinary ORAC value – a measure of antioxidant capacity – of 895,281 μmol TE/100g, CyanthOx™30 is eight times more potent than grape seed extract and 1.7 times more powerful than French pine bark extract.

This is why we have selected CyanthOx™30 as the core component of our revolutionary anti-aging formula. Combined with resveratrol, a compound found in red grapes known to support the healthy regeneration of stem cells within the body, along with grape seed and black currant extracts for elevated antioxidant support, cardiovascular health, and natural anti-inflammatory benefits. Our unique healthy-aging formula delivers all five stem cell-supporting nutrients in two convenient capsules like no other product.

Summary

Sea buckthorn berry is a versatile and nutrient-rich superfood offering a myriad of health benefits, including heart support, skin enhancement, and immune system modulation. In a supplement form, it has been proven in a gold-standard human trial to boost circulating stem cells, presenting the potential to slow down the aging process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can sea buckthorn berries be consumed raw?

Yes,