✓ No active regulatory warningsFDA MedWatch, EMA EudraVigilance, WHO VigiBase, WADA Prohibited List · 2026-05-29
📰Read the full Sea Buckthorn evidence review on GMJ News →Complete clinical article, references and updates on news.gmj.ge. This page is the structured safety summary.⚠ Patient confusing berry oil with seed oil — different compositions, different uses [1]
⚠ Postmenopausal patient seeking non-hormonal vaginal dryness option — sea buckthorn oil has 1 RCT [2]
⚠ Patient on anticoagulants adding sea buckthorn oil — mild antiplatelet activity [1]
⚠ Patient drinking undiluted sea buckthorn juice — extremely acidic; may erode dental enamel [1]
🥗 Food first — build your daily Typical 500–2,000 mg
Check the foods you regularly eat — the bar fills toward your daily target.
Sea buckthorn berries (100 g)300 mg vitamin C (approximate)
Sea buckthorn juice (100 mL)200 mg vitamin C (approximate)
Check your regular foods above
🔬 Lab interpreter
ℹ️ No validated blood test. There is no established laboratory test to assess status or guide dosing for this ingredient. Clinical response and symptoms are the practical guide.
⚕ For professionals — confirm ranges against your local laboratory.
Clinical verdict
Sea buckthorn is unique for its omega-7 (palmitoleic acid) content — rare in the plant kingdom. Its niche is mucosal dryness (vaginal, oral, ocular) with one solid RCT for postmenopausal vaginal atrophy (n=116). Berry oil ≠ seed oil: different fatty acid profiles for different indications. Also one of nature's richest vitamin C sources [1] [2].
1 How much do I need?
👤 Adults: Specific dosage data under clinical review
👴 Elderly: Specific dosage data under clinical review
🤰 Pregnancy: See guidance
Berry juice/food safe. Concentrated oil supplements not studied in pregnancy [1].
👦 Pediatric: See guidance
Berry juice/products safe for children as food. No pediatric studies for oil supplements [1].
🏃 Athletes: Standard dose
⚖️ Obesity: Standard dose
Fat-soluble compounds may require dose adjustment in obesity.
🩺 Renal: Consult specialist
Dose adjustment may be needed in renal impairment.
🌱 Vegan: Standard dose
How to take
🍽 Timing: With food (fat-containing meal improves absorption) [1].
💊 With food: Fat-soluble carotenoids need dietary fat for absorption [1].
🚫 Avoid: Undiluted juice on empty stomach (very acidic). High doses before surgery (antiplatelet) [1].
2 Which form?
| Form | Bioavailability | Vegan | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| ['Sea buckthorn berry/pulp oil (capsules)', 'preferred for omega-7', 'Rich in palmitoleic acid (30–35%) and carotenoids. 500–2,000 mg/day [1].'] | Standard | Check label | |
| ['Sea buckthorn seed oil', 'preferred for skin', 'Rich in ALA (omega-3) and LA (omega-6). Used for atopic dermatitis [1].'] | Standard | Check label | |
| ['Sea buckthorn berry juice', 'food', 'Tart, acidic juice. Rich in vitamin C and flavonoids. Often blended with sweeter juices [1].'] | Standard | Check label | |
| ['Sea buckthorn whole berry powder', 'convenient', 'Freeze-dried berries. Broad spectrum but lower oil concentration [1].'] | Standard | Check label |
3 Common questions
What makes sea buckthorn oil special? ▼
It's one of the only plant sources of omega-7 (palmitoleic acid), a fatty acid also found in macadamia nuts and human sebum. Omega-7 supports mucosal membrane health — explaining its traditional use for dry eyes, vaginal dryness, and oral mucosal health. The berry oil also has an unusually high carotenoid content (giving it a deep orange color) [1].
Berry oil vs seed oil — which should I take? ▼
They're different products. Berry/pulp oil is rich in omega-7 and carotenoids (best for mucosal dryness, cardiovascular). Seed oil is rich in omega-3/6 (best for skin, atopic dermatitis). Some products combine both [1].
Can sea buckthorn help vaginal dryness without hormones? ▼
One RCT (n=116) found 3 g/day sea buckthorn oil for 3 months improved vaginal mucosal integrity in postmenopausal women. It's a non-hormonal option, though effect size is modest compared with topical estrogen [2].
Why is the juice so sour? ▼
Sea buckthorn berries are one of the most acidic fruits (pH 2.7–3.2, comparable to lemon). They contain extremely high concentrations of vitamin C, malic acid, and quinic acid. Most people cannot drink pure sea buckthorn juice — it's typically diluted or mixed with sweeter fruits [1].
4 Clinical evidence
Strong
No Cochrane reviews. Strong phytochemical characterization data [1]. HIGH
Moderate
Vaginal atrophy (postmenopausal): 3 g/day sea buckthorn oil for 3 months improved vaginal mucosal integrity in 1 RCT (n=116) of postmenopausal women [2]. Atopic dermatitis: sea buckthorn seed oil improved skin symptoms in 1 RCT [1]. Cardiovascular biomarkers: 2 RCTs showed modest reductions in TC, LDL, and CRP with berry oil supplementation [2]. Dry eye: sea buckthorn oil reduced tear film instability in 1 RCT [1]. MODERATE
Insufficient
5 Safety, toxicity & adverse events
Relative
⚠ Anticoagulants/antiplatelets — possible additive bleeding effect
⚠ Antihypertensives — additive effect
⚠ Pregnancy and lactation — culinary amounts fine; concentrated oil less studied
🚩 Red flags
● Patient drinking pure sea buckthorn juice regularly — dental enamel erosion risk [1]
● Patient on anticoagulants adding high-dose sea buckthorn oil [1]
6 Interactions
Drug interactions
Anticoagulants Low-moderate
Mechanism: Omega-7 and flavonoids have mild antiplatelet activity [1].
Effect: Theoretical additive bleeding [1].
Action: Monitor if on anticoagulants [1].
Supplement synergies
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA) · Standard doses of each
Complementary fatty acid profiles: omega-7 (mucosal) + omega-3 (anti-inflammatory) [1].
Complementary fatty acid profiles: omega-7 (mucosal) + omega-3 (anti-inflammatory) [1].
7 Regulatory
European Union: Available as food (juice, jam) and food supplement (oil). Popular in Scandinavia and Germany [1].
China: Classified as both food and traditional medicine. Widely cultivated in Northern China [1].
United States (FDA): Available as dietary supplement. No FDA-approved claims [1].
8 US supplement products
26
on-market products containing Sea Buckthorn (NIH DSLD)
Brands carrying Sea Buckthorn (18)
Click a brand to see its Sea Buckthorn products.
9 Frequently paired with
10 Cite this page
Vancouver: Pkhakadze G. Sea Buckthorn — safety profile [Internet]. Tbilisi: PHIG; 2026 [cited 2026 Aug 15]. Available from: https://supplement.ge/ingredients/sea-buckthorn/
APA 7th: Pkhakadze, G. (2026). Sea Buckthorn — Safety profile. Public Health Institute of Georgia. https://supplement.ge/ingredients/sea-buckthorn/
📋 Editorial information
Author: Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Institution: Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG)
Affiliation: David Tvildiani Medical University (DTMU)
First published: January 2026
Last reviewed: 2026-05-29
Next review: February 2027
References: 4 cited sources
COI: SupplementIndex receives no funding from supplement manufacturers. All content independently authored by PHIG.
Process: Systematic literature review
📄 License & reuse
Published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). You may share and adapt for any purpose with attribution.
Pkhakadze G. "Sea Buckthorn — Safety Profile." SupplementIndex, PHIG, 2026. https://supplement.ge/ingredients/sea-buckthorn/ CC BY 4.0.
GP
Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Professor of Public Health · Head of Department, DTMU
Editor-in-Chief, Georgian Medical Journal (ISSN 3088-4322)
Chair, Public Health Institute of Georgia · UEMS Public Health Section
Educational and public health purposes. CC BY 4.0. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement. Corrections: info@accreditation.ge. Publisher: PHIG