Assessment of sea buckthorn oil

I was on here four months ago, having just started myself on sea buckthorn oil, and I think a few others may have expressed an interest too.

I originally started taking it for dry eyes, and it certainly seems to have solved that problem. There's also been a marked improvement in my tendinitis since I started it. I've only been taking it at the recommended dose, of course.

However, in the last few weeks I've started having diarrhoea every morning, with increasing severity. This morning it was... well, excuse the details but practically fluorescent orange! Feeling this had beta-carotene written all over it, I did something I should have done months ago - took a sea buckthorn oil capsule and stabbed it in a white bowl. The oil that came out was absolutely bright red - so that's one thing explained! Hearing it can be used topically too, I dipped a finger-tip in it and rubbed it on the back of my hand. It was so oily, I think I could have covered my entire arm in that one finger-tipful and my hand went bright orange! It took me several minutes to scrub off the colour.

So... the verdict. I'd take it again for joint or tendon pain or dry eyes, but only for a maximum of three months, and I'm going to give it at least a six-month rest now. Apart from anything else, this oil contains a lot of natural vitamin A, which can be dangerous in overdose. Also, as stated in my original post, I've been a bit concerned all along about the high levels of omega 7 in it. Although I don't doubt it's wonderful stuff, it's not a nutrient that occurs at anything like the same level in anything else we eat in our normal diet, so our bodies might not have the wherewithal to metabolise it long-term.

If anyone is interested in trying it, I'd say go for it but for a maximum of three months at a time.

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