Effects of seabuckthorn juice consumption on erythropoietin production, fatigue, and quality of life in women: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group study | Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer Open Menu Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Home Food Science Publisher Functional Food Center Current Archives About About the Journal Aims and Scope Contact Editing Services Editorial Team Express Peer Review Graphical Abstract Journal Insights Privacy Statement Submissions Announcements Search Search Register Login Home / Archives / Vol. 15 No. 10 (2025): October 2025 / Research Articles Effects of seabuckthorn juice consumption on erythropoietin production, fatigue, and quality of life in women: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group study Authors Yang Jianbiao Moritsune Sofue Naomi Sakamoto Masako Matsumoto Wang Duanyang Maki Nagata Kuniyoshi Shimizu Shiori Tanaka Shigenori Nibun Ryuji Takeda DOI: https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v15i10.1710 Abstract Background: Seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) has attracted interest for mitigating transient fatigue, but clinical evidence remains limited. Although a few preliminary reports suggest potential benefits for fatigue and quality of life, high-quality clinical data are scarce: prior studies have often been small, nonrandomized or open-label, short in duration, and used heterogeneous endpoints with a risk of bias, and preregistered RCTs are rare. This study aimed to address these gaps. Objective: To evaluate the effects of seabuckthorn juice on fatigue and quality of life (QOL) in premenopausal women and to explore a mechanistic link via erythropoietin (EPO) induction. Methods: We conducted an 8-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial to evaluate the anti-fatigue and quality-of-life effects of seabuckthorn juice. Sixty healthy premenopausal women (20–50 years) with stable menstrual cycles, desk-bound jobs, and transient fatigue with decreased vitality were randomized 1:1 to seabuckthorn juice or a matched control juice. The primary endpoint was Profile of Mood States 2 (POMS2) scores. Secondary endpoints included hematologic indices (hemoglobin [Hb], ferritin, iron-binding capacity), serum erythropoietin (EPO), visual analog scale (VAS) fatigue after a Kraepelin test load, and Stress Response Scale-18 (SRS-18). A mechanistic in-vitro substudy tested isorhamnetin (a seabuckthorn flavonol) for EPO induction in HepG2 cells. Results: Compared with placebo, seabuckthorn juice significantly improved POMS2 outcomes at week 8, showing lower Total Mood Disturbance, fatigue-related scores, higher vitality/energy, and friendliness subscales. Hematologic endpoints favored seabuckthorn: ferritin, Hb, and EPO were significantly higher at weeks 4 and 8, with greater changes from baseline versus placebo. VAS-rated fatigue after the Kraepelin task was significantly reduced in the seabuckthorn group at weeks 4 and 8. In vitro, isorhamnetin increased EPO production in HepG2 cells, supporting biological plausibility. Conclusion: Eight weeks of seabuckthorn juice consumption improved mood-related fatigue metrics and quality of life, enhanced blood health via increased EPO and Hb, and reduced work-related fatigue in premenopausal women; in-vitro findings suggest isorhamnetin-mediated EPO induction as a potential mechanism. Keywords: saji; sea buckthorn; QOL; POMS2; Hb; erythropoietin Downloads [Abstract] [Full Article] Published 2025-10-23 Issue Vol. 15 No. 10 (2025): October 2025 Section Research Articles License Copyright (c) 2025 Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Authors retain the copyright of their articles and grant the Functional Food Center (FFC) and its journals the right of first publication under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. 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