Herbal Medicine Makes Exercise Easy

Hawthorn extract, an herbal medicine used for centuries, can not only control symptoms of chronic heart disease, it can also make exercising for those patients easier.
Popular in Europe and the United States, studies show hawthorn extract significantly improves the functioning of the heart. The herbal medicine made of dried leaves, flowers, and fruits from the hawthorn bush, helps the heart beat more powerfully. In turn, the amount of blood flowing through the heart increases while the amount of oxygen used is reduced. With increased blood flow to the heart muscles, patients are able to exercise harder and longer without feeling as fatigued or out of breath.
Experts say those suffering from chronic heart disease can reduce their symptoms by combining their normal heart medication with the herbal remedy. “There is good evidence that, when used alongside conventional therapy, hawthorn extract can bring additional benefits,” Ruoling Guo, PhD., lead researcher at Peninsula Medical School in the United Kingdom, was quoted as saying.
Researchers say the side effects of hawthorn extract are generally tolerable and include mild nausea, dizziness, and heart and stomach complaints.

SOURCE: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD005312