Black Seed Oil: The Gift that Keeps on Giving
The Black Seed (also known as Black Cumin or Nigella Sativa) was once called the “seed of blessing” in ancient Arabic culture, and it continues to amaze alternative health researchers, and lately, even mainstream scientists have been studying its benefits. This is mainly contributed in part by the black seed’s active ingredient: Thymoquinone (TQ).
Thymoquinone is part of the “-quinone” family and has a very distinct taste (think seltzer water), and to some people, it tastes bitter like seltzer water, and to some people, the taste does not bother them. This is because some people have the quinone 1 gene which regulates the level of bitterness they experience when taking Black Seed Oil. That said, Black Seed Oil does not have the most pleasant taste, but when you mix it with another bitter liquid such as pomegranate juice when you take it, it does help to temper the taste.
Back to its health benefits, Black Seed Oil has been shown to help people in various situations such as the following:
- Type 2 Diabetes: Two grams of black seed a day resulted in reduced fasting glucose, decreased insulin resistance, and increased beta-cell function [1].
- High Blood Pressure: The daily use of 100 and 200 mg of black seed extract, twice daily, for two months, was found to have a blood pressure-lowering effect in patients with mild hypertension [2].
- Asthma: Thymoquinone has been shown to be superior to the drug fluticasone in an animal model of asthma [3]. Also, another study found that boiled water extracts of black seed have a seemingly potent anti-asthmatic effect on asthmatic airways [4].
- Tonsillopharyngitis (infection of throat and/or tonsils): Black Seed Oil has been found to alleviate throat pain significantly, and reduce the need for pain-killers, in human subjects [5].
- MRSA: Black seed has anti-bacterial activity against clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [6].
However, those are only a few of the countless studies which have illustrated Black Seed Oil’s ability to support vital areas of human health.
Additionally, a recent study published is entitled Neuroprotective efficacy of thymoquinone against amyloid beta-induced neurotoxicity in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cholinergic neurons.
Before we dissect this study, let us first understand some of these terms in the title.
Amyloid beta (AB): The stuff that makes up the recognizable brain plaque that forms with Alzheimer’s disease
Pluripotent Stem Cells: Cells that can manifest into cells that create all the body’s tissue. (The equivalent of a wild card in Uno. They can grow into any cell in the body.)
Cholinergic: A term used to refer to the molecule acetylcholine. It is usually employed to define neurons, receptors or synapses that use acetylcholine. Choline is a primary component of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Neurotransmitters help nerve fibers communicate in the brain.
This study concluded, “the findings of our study suggest that TQ [thymoquinone] holds a neuroprotective potential and could be a promising therapeutic agent to reduce the risk of developing AD and other disorders of the central nervous system.”
Thus, this study states Black Seed Oil and its active ingredient could be a promising supplement to help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease along with other nervous system disorders.
If you would like to read this study yourself, please click here.
Along with Alzheimer’s Disease, Black Seed Oil has been shown to help with individuals who have certain STDs because of its antimicrobial properties.
One study, in particular, examined Black Seed Oil’s effect on HPV. The study found Black Seed Oil did assist the body in fighting the disease naturally [7]. Also, another study examined Black Seed Oil’s effects on HIV, one of today’s most deadly diseases, and found “there are possible therapeutic agents in Nigella sativa that may effectively control HIV infection” [8].
As you can see, there are numerous examples of where the natural oil of the Black Seed has promoted healthy bodies and assisted people with living healthier lives. Healthmasters sells one of the most potent, cold-pressed Black Seed Oil supplements on the market, and even taking one tablespoon a day could help you become a healthier person.
References:
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21675032
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18705755
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19711253
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20149611
[5] http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/18541126
