Type 2 diabetes: rose hip appears to reduce orthostatic symptoms in a small trial

An extract tested against placebo for four weeks

Orthostatic hypotension is a drop in blood pressure when standing up. The study involved patients with both this condition and type 2 diabetes, recruited at the Yazd diabetes center. It therefore cannot support conclusions for people without diabetes or for any feeling of being unwell on standing.

The researchers randomly assigned 60 adults to receive either rose hip extract or a placebo in a double-blind trial. The intervention group received two capsules daily, each containing 500 mg of extract. This was the dose studied, not a recommendation for use. In total, 57 participants completed the four weeks.

Symptoms were assessed using the Orthostatic Intolerance Questionnaire, or OIQ. The researchers had also defined thresholds for improvement considered clinically meaningful.

A favorable signal, without a quantifiable absolute benefit

Symptom scores decreased more with rose hip than with placebo. The difference remained statistically significant after adjustment for baseline values and age. According to the abstract, the improvement exceeded the predefined thresholds for clinical relevance, but detailed scores are not provided.

At the end of the trial, the proportion of participants who no longer met the diagnostic criteria for orthostatic hypotension was higher in the rose hip group. The ratio of the proportions was 2.57, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 1.18 to 5.62. The interval is wide, and the numbers of participants concerned in each group are not reported: the absolute benefit cannot be determined.

The abstract places the benefits mainly in symptom scores and systolic blood pressure. It does not demonstrate a reduction in falls, hospitalizations or other long-term complications.

Not yet a reason to choose a supplement

The antioxidant compounds in rose hip are a proposed biological explanation for a possible effect. This hypothesis proves neither the mechanism behind the observed benefit nor the effectiveness of other rose hip products.

The extract is described as well tolerated, but the abstract does not detail adverse effects, interactions or excluded populations. The authors call for confirmation in larger, multicenter trials with long-term objective hemodynamic monitoring. If you experience symptoms on standing, this finding does not justify replacing a medical assessment with a supplement.

What we can take away

This trial provides an encouraging clinical signal in a specific population. It is not enough to recommend rose hip for orthostatic hypotension.