Rose Hip Extract Aids Cardiovascular Health

As a follow-up to a study that showed that rose hip (Rosa canina) extract both prevented and reversed high-fat diet-induced obesity and glucose intolerance, as well as reduced plasma levels of cholesterol, in a lab animal model, C Holm, from Lund University (Sweden), and colleagues investigated the effects of a six-week long daily intake of rose hip powder on the metabolic profile among obese men and women.  The researchers recruited 31 obese individuals with normal or impaired glucose tolerance. Each subject was randomly assigned to receive either rose hip powder beverage (containing a daily dose of 40 g of rose hip powder), or control drink, for six weeks. At the conclusion of the study period, systolic blood pressure decreased by 3.4%, LDL cholesterol fell by 6%, and total cholesterol dropped by 4.9%, among the subjects who consumed the rose hip powdered beverage. Overall, the risk of cardiovascular disease was decreased by 17% in the rose hip group. Study authors conclude that: "Daily consumption of 40 g of rose hip powder for 6 weeks can significantly reduce cardiovascular risk in obese people through lowering of systolic blood pressure and plasma cholesterol levels.”