Safflower seed extract and arterial stiffness in people with high blood pressure
What it found
Taking safflower seed extract for 12 weeks improved a measure of vascular age in men and postmenopausal women with slightly high blood pressure.
It did not change another common measure of artery stiffness.
What they found
Studies in people
Vascular age from fingertip readings
The group taking safflower extract showed a lower estimated vascular age than the dummy pill group after four weeks. This difference was still present at 12 weeks. The effect was strongest in people aged 40 to 59.
Arm-to-ankle pulse speed
The speed of the pulse wave traveling from the arm to the ankle did not change in the safflower group compared to the dummy pill group over the 12 weeks.
Cholesterol levels
LDL cholesterol changed significantly from the start of the study in the safflower group after 12 weeks. Other blood fats and blood sugar did not change in either group.
Oxidation markers in blood
A blood marker linked to oxidized LDL tended to be lower after 12 weeks in the safflower group. However, other markers of oxidation and inflammation did not change in either group.
Animal and lab studies
Artery elasticity in rabbits
An earlier animal study mentioned by the authors found that four weeks of safflower extract improved the elasticity of large arteries in rabbits bred to have high cholesterol.
What the authors conclude
- They suggest that taking safflower seed extract for 12 weeks improves artery stiffness in people with slightly high blood pressure.
- They say this improvement might help lower the risk of heart and blood vessel problems.
- They note that no serious health problems occurred during the study, suggesting the extract could be suitable for daily use.
How it was done
In parts of Asia, safflower seeds have long been used as food and herbal medicine. Earlier work in animals showed the extract could improve artery stiffness, but few studies had tested this in people over a longer period.
Researchers gave 77 men aged 35 to 65 and 15 postmenopausal women aged 55 to 65 either safflower seed extract or a dummy pill every day for 12 weeks. All participants had slightly high blood pressure but were not taking medication for it. The team measured artery stiffness using fingertip sensors and arm-to-ankle pulse tests at the start and after 4, 8, and 12 weeks.
What it can’t tell you
- The study only included men aged 35 to 65 and postmenopausal women aged 55 to 65, so the results may not apply to younger women or other groups.
- The researchers also noted they could not track whether participants followed specific diets that lower blood fats, which might have influenced the cholesterol results.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Research Institute for Health Fundamentals, Kawasaki
The paper
- Title
- Effects of safflower seed extract on arterial stiffness
- Type
- Clinical trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Suzuki K, Tsubaki S, Fujita M, Koyama N, Takahashi M, Takazawa K (2010). Effects of safflower seed extract on arterial stiffness. Vascular health and risk management. doi:10.2147/VHRM.S13998Free full textPubMed 21127697DOI
Summary written 1 Oct 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error