Anyone have any experience of Hawthorn (Cretaegus) for AFib?

[Ivan_the_Terrible]

About a month ago I started to drink Hawthorn Tea (which is in the Russian Pharmacopoeia) and felt so much better that I stopped taking Bisoprolol, which I had reluctantly started to take on a daily basis. I drink just one cup a day of the Floradix Brand which I think is mainly flowers and leaf rather than berry, but I've just acquired some berries. Does anyone here have any experience of Hawthorn, the best way to take it and how to prepare it? Thanks

[Paulbounce]

Hi Ivan.

I hope all is good with you. I can't really answer your question. I'm sure you will have seen it but I'll put a link below.

Just one thing - you wrote

"I stopped taking Bisoprolol"

Please only do this on your medic's say so.

Off topic I know but Saint Petersburg is lovely. I can't wait to resume my travel.

Paul

PS - I hope your CV worked well.

healthline.com/nutrition/ha...

[Ivan_the_Terrible in reply to Paulbounce]

Paul, I don't always follow medical advice. The risk is mine. Doctors know some things not others. I only had one CV, last summer. It lasted for four days. I shared a bottle of wine with a friend at a belated birthday celebration. I hardly drink at all now and could easily give it up altogether. If I can get to Russia I expect I'll have another CV there, they cost a few hundred quid. Then hawthorn tea, good diet and no booze ( not so easy in Russia) and I hope it will last longer.

[Paulbounce in reply to Ivan_the_Terrible]

Sure Ivan - I wish you good luck whichever route you decide to take.

Paul

[Ivan_the_Terrible in reply to Paulbounce]

Thanks Paul.

[cuore in reply to Ivan_the_Terrible]

I have had three ablations and am one month short of two years for my last one. After 34 days persistent, I had a cardioversion 10 days ago. Yesterday, I went into AF twice, but today I am in sinus so far. That means my recent cardioversion lasted eight days. What I am really asking is if you had any bouts of sinus rhythm since your one cardioversion last summer? I am on pins and needles as to how long I will remain in sinus. I am also curious why you didn't get a second cardioversion when you went persistent again.

[HiloHairy]

I've been using the following for the last couple of years. As long as I take it in the evening I have fewer ectopics. I've tried other Hawthorne formulas, all of them more expensive and stronger and none of them have worked as well. I believe I have fewer AFib events but I can't be sure.

swansonvitamins.com/solaray...

[Ivan_the_Terrible in reply to HiloHairy]

Thank you. That sounds like a convenient way to take the supplement when travelling. I note more berry than leaf/flower, by weight.

[Izzle]

I started taking hawthorn tea, 3 cups daily. Not a very pleasant flavour. I didn't physically notice any changes to my PAF except after 3 months my INR suddenly increased. Normally it's in the low 2's but it jumped into the mid 3's.

Shortly after that my source of supply moved so I had to give it up. Also I was due to take overseas travel for a few months and it would have been impossible to maintain taking it as tea.

In summary, I think it's a blood thinner only. I didn't notice anything else.

[Ivan_the_Terrible in reply to Izzle]

Thanks Izzle. I have persistent AFib. I'd no idea it could be a blood thinner too, that's a bonus as I don't currently take any meds for that. Different brands of tea may vary in taste.

[belindalore]

I use a powdered form from an herb shop I buy from. I'm in the USA. Mix it in my smoothie in the morning. Just a small amount since the powder form is strong. Hawthorn is supposed to make the heart stronger. If you can get the capsules where you are that would probably be a good way for you to take it. I think a small dose is better for me. You know your body so you have to find the right dose for you. I've found with Afib (and it seems with most anything they "treat" anymore) it's the Drs can't and won't look past the symptoms. So we have to do our own research and find out what helps us. Wishing you the best and take care.

[Ivan_the_Terrible in reply to belindalore]

Thanks. Infusion is fine for now but powder or tincture may be better for travelling. I agree you can have too much, one cup of tea a day has been fine but I'll experiment with increasing the dose a little.

[belindalore in reply to Ivan_the_Terrible]

I've found that too much can actually do a reverse number on my body. Too much gives me more palpitations. If what you are doing now works I'd leave it alone. But if you go with a tincture or the powder be cautious as both may be stronger than your tea. Happy traveling. Be safe.

[Ivan_the_Terrible in reply to belindalore]

I'm very cautiously increasing, there's an exact dose to be discovered. I'm most of the time not travelling, but there's a few more places I'd like to go while I still can

[belindalore in reply to Ivan_the_Terrible]

👍

[Dee5165]

I have Afib and Fluttering. Went for Cardioversion after meds did not work. Afib back within two weeks of Cardioversion. Beta Blocker meds had so many side effects, I could not function. I decided to try lowering beta blocker dosage and add supplements. Added Magnesium, Hawthorn Berry and Alaskan Wild Salmon Fish oil, Vitamin D. On it for one week and feeling better so far. No more palpitations, no more Bradycardia, no more nausea, no more lightheadedness, and reduced shortness of breath. Still in Afib but tolerable. Research states supplements can take 8 weeks to help with rhythm and rate control. I am willing to take the risk. I know my body and I am hoping within time I can even lower these meds more. My heart rate now between 60-80!

[Ivan_the_Terrible in reply to Dee5165]

Thanks. I felt instantly better the first time I drank the tea.

[cjsabc]

Absolutely I do. And highly effective. Researched thoroughly too. First mentioned in an English pharmacopoeia from 9th century, used for heart irregularities. I found great dried berries in China while working there and found it to be very effective. Taken in warm water with a little raw honey, it's tasty, easily digested with no overdosing issues. I sent batches to several AF sufferers, all of whom have positive feedback. Highly recommended.

[Ivan_the_Terrible]

I just bought a kilo of dried berries and am experimenting. I was put onto it by my mother-in-law in Russia (who happens to be a great fan of Stalin). I value our freedoms in the West but it's interesting that traditions of natural medicine survived better in Communist countries. Partly reasons of costs and partly because medicine wasn't corrupted by the profit motive. I'm glad to find a few others on the list know about it.

[Camelia23 in reply to Ivan_the_Terrible]

Apologies if you already referred to this but can you take hawthorn tea if you are on anti coagulants. Eg. I am on Apixaban.

[Dee5165 in reply to Camelia23]

The research states if one is on blood thinners, you should not take Hawthorne berry since it is also a blood thinner but especially is a person is on Warfarin or Coumadin. However, Eliquis is a newer different type of blood thinner that does not need continual blood testing. I wait 2-4 hours before or after meds to take the Hawthorn Berry. Good Luck.

[Ivan_the_Terrible in reply to Dee5165]

Thanks Is there a difference between the leaf, blossom and berry in this respect? Certainly what you get when you boil up the berries is different in colour and taste from the tea, the one I use seems mainly blossom and leaf. I haven't been taking anticoagulants prescribed but I think that something with mild anticoagulant properties would be good. My experience with the berry thus far is that it is very powerful and makes me feel slightly feverish. If it is going to be useful it would need to be in very small quantities.

[Dee5165 in reply to Ivan_the_Terrible]

I have both in my home but started on the Hawthorn Berry supplement first. Magnesium and Hawthorn Berry and Wild Alaskan Fish Oil has already helped with heart rate, anxiousness, fluttering episode, and palpitations.

[Ivan_the_Terrible in reply to Dee5165]

Is this as an alternative to a prescription blood-thinner?

I think with Hawthorn Berry is your boiling/infusing them it makes a difference how long you do that for. What you get out in the first 3 minutes tastes rather different to what come out afterwards. Taking it in powder form may make a difference too.

[Camelia23 in reply to Dee5165]

Thanks Dee

[Ivan_the_Terrible in reply to Camelia23]

Thanks

[HiloHairy]

Noticing that you're in the UK and not sure if the vendor I pointed you to ships outside of the US, I found that Amazon sells it as well . If you go to their site and search for Solaray Hawthorn Aerial Extract, you'll find it.

[Ivan_the_Terrible in reply to HiloHairy]

Thank you. I read that there is quite a difference in effect between leaf/flower and berry. The German authorities have approved the leaf/flower but not the berry. The berry seems to have anticoagulant properties. I may stick with the leaf/flower tea for now but may investigate this in the future.

[Ivan_the_Terrible]

What I have found is that the berry has a very strong effect on me making me feel slightly feverish. In Russia they sell it in small packets in Pharmacies, I had thought that you wouldn't get more than a couple of brews out of them. I am starting to think that they sell it in tiny amounts because it is very powerful. I just bought a kilo of berries for £10, it may last the rest of my life.

[Tomred]

HI IVAN ,11 MONTHES LATER DO YOU STILL TAKE HAWTHORN BERRY AND HAS IT HELPED YOU.

[Ivan_the_Terrible]

Unfortunately I had to give it up after having my second AstraZeneca jab. I developed tinnitus and the Hawthorn made it worse. It was leaf and flower I was taking, not berry. I hesitated before having the second jab, I consulted my GP and went ahead. It was one of the worst decisions of my life.