Pumpkin Seed Oil - ‘‘The Green Gold’’

Eases symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), enlarged prostate and reduces prostate cancer risk.

In 2021 randomized clinical trial compared pumpkin seed oil to Flomax (tamsulosin), a drug that treats prostate inflammation, on BPH symptom relief. Researchers randomized participants to receive 0.4 mg tamsulosin daily or 360 mg pumpkin seed oil twice a day.

Researchers found significant improvements in both groups. However, while the tamsulosin group experienced side effects like dizziness, headache, retrograde ejaculation (in which semen ejaculates backwards into the bladder), and erythema (skin redness), the pumpkin seed group did not.

In a 2014 study some research has evaluated pumpkin seed oil's effect on overactive bladder (a sudden and frequent need to urinate). Researchers gave 45 participants pumpkin seed oil extract for 12 weeks. The study found that pumpkin seed oil significantly reduced overactive bladder symptoms.

In a 2011 pilot study, researchers evaluated the effect of pumpkin seed oil on cholesterol and menopausal symptoms. Researchers gave 35 postmenopausal participants either pumpkin seed oil or wheat germ oil. They found that those who took pumpkin seed oil had significant improvement in menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, headaches, joint pain.

Pumpkin seed oil can be highly beneficial in improving vision containing vitamins A and C, minerals and a high concentration of zeaxanthin, a carotenoid that can help to protect photosensitive eyes from UV rays and blue light or eye-related.

Research shows that Zeaxanthin in pumpkin seed oil acts as a powerful antioxidant, and may actually help to slow the progress of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition that affects your visual acuity as you age, causing blurred vision, failure to see in dim light or even partial or complete vision loss

Pumpkin seed oil is also excellent for making you look good on the outside and provides many positive benefits to the skin.

Rich in zinc, vitamin E, omegas 3 and 6 fatty acids and antioxidants, pumpkin seed oil is excellent for combating free radicals, improving skin tone, and giving your skin a youthful, glowing appearance.

Its high essential fatty acid content helps to hydrate and deeply moisturize skin, and its zinc content helps to boost immune function, leading to fewer breakouts and improved acne control.

Pumpkin seed oil also helps to reduce skin wrinkles, removes redness and provides effects to remove sunspots. Being a natural anti-inflammatory it can also help with skin conditions like eczema, dry skin and psoriasis.

Pumpkin seed oil has been linked to positive effects on hair growth, especially in men. One study found that men who took 400 milligrams of pumpkin seed oil every day for 24 weeks actually had 40 percent more hair growth than men in the placebo group. No adverse effects were found.

Pumpkin seed oil is an excellent supplement to add to your diet to reduce inflammation and prevent disease. One of the first steps to combat inflammation is to reduce the consumption of unhealthy saturated fats and replace with healthier unsaturated fats.

A 2015 research study discovered that when participants suffering from arterial plaque build-up (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) replaced cocoa butter with pumpkin seed oil the "phytochemical-rich virgin pumpkin seed oil exerts additional anti-inflammatory effects resulting in more pronounced health effects."

Pumpkin seed oil has also shown promise in treating arthritis, a painful condition that causes inflammation and stiffness of the joints. In fact another study documented that the oil was actually "safer and more effective" than anti-inflammatory drugs used to treat arthritis.

Pumpkin seed oil contains unsaturated fatty acids and phytosterols (a plant compound that interferes with cholesterol absorption in the intestine). Both of these nutrients are good for heart health and liver health.                                

The Journal of Food Science and Technology

‘’A 2020 study evaluated the effect of pumpkin seed oil on cholesterol and blood pressure. Three Researchers randomly assigned 120 participants with one or more health conditions, including dyslipidemia (abnormal blood lipids), hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, and obesity, to an intervention or control group.

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​The intervention group received 1,000 mg of pumpkin seed oil, and the control group received a placebo (meant to be used as fake treatment—and do not contain an active substance). Both adhered to the American Heart Association's heart-healthy dietary guidelines. Compared to the control group, the pumpkin seed oil group showed a significant reduction in LDL ("bad") cholesterol and diastolic blood pressure and an increase in HDL ("good") cholesterol.’’

Pumpkin seed oil provides a protective task against diabetes by balancing blood sugar levels in people with diabetes, and should be a valuable addition in the daily diet of any diabetic patient.

Lead researchers of a study coming out of Shanghai, China suggest that pumpkin extract can be beneficial to those who are pre-diabetic or already have diabetes, as it helps to regenerate pancreatic cells in diabetic rats, elevating insulin levels. The research suggests that treatment using the extract could significantly reduce the need for insulin injections.

Several studies have shown the oil's ability to support or reduce cancer risk. Due to the presence of zinc, iron and vitamin E, it provides benefits for the development of the immune system.

Antioxidants are known to protect cells from damaging free radicals, which are also attributed to increasing cancer risk. Pumpkin seed extract's ability to scavenge radicals, makes it a powerful contender in treating and reducing the risk of cancer.

For women, it is effective in taking precautions against postmenopausal breast cancer risk and the phytoestrogen content in pumpkin seed extract could contribute towards "breast cancer prevention and/or treatment." For men, pumpkin seed extract may prevent the growth of cells that cause prostate cancer and is safe and recommended for treating prostate issues such as benign prostate hyperplasia.

It makes the body more immune to the effects of radiations.

Pumpkin seed oil may boost your mood and has a reducing effect on depression.

Also, those who suffer from mental health issues commonly have certain nutritional deficiencies such as a lack of essential fatty acids, amino acids, and certain vitamins and minerals.

Amino acids such as tryptophan, are the precursors for neurotransmitters such as serotonin, the "feel good" hormone important for regulating mood. Consuming foods that have a high tryptophan to total protein ratio, such as pumpkin seeds are excellent for boosting serotonin levels and improving the symptoms of depression.

These studies are excellent validation that pumpkin seed oil is great for alleviating depression and anxiety symptoms: Research has shown that participants suffering from social phobia, who consumed pumpkin seeds showed "significant improvement" in their anxiety levels. Another ground-breaking animal study concluded that "natural medicines" such as pumpkin seeds have almost no side effects and could help to reduce depression with results "similar to that of standard drugs."

Being a rich source of the tryptophan, magnesium and zinc pumpkin seed oil reduces stress and treat insomnia. Zinc and tryptophan, both of which helps the brain turn tryptophan into serotonin in the body which is converted to the sleep hormone melatonin associated with better sleep quality.

Pumpkin seed oil is a good solution method against irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition that affects the colon or large intestine, causing bloating, abdominal pain, and a change in bowel habits including diarrhea and constipation.

The high content of essential fatty acids, omegas 3 and 6 help to reduce inflammation of the GI tract.These fatty acids also help to soothe the gastrointestinal tract and enable better absorption of nutrition from food.

Pumpkin seed oil is also known to help eliminate intestinal worms and parasites, and has shown to be effective against tapeworm attacks, for which it is often recommended as it has no adverse effects.

Pumpkin seed oil has over 50% linoleic acid (omega-6 fatty acid), an essential fatty acid with excellent anti-inflammatory properties that supports bone health.

Research shows that polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega-6 fatty acids "help maintain bone health, regulate metabolism, and maintain the reproductive system."

Pumpkin seed oil also contains vitamins A and K and minerals such as magnesium which has many positive effects on bone health. It helps to strengthen bones and teeth, and increase bone density.

It reduces the risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis in women and the effect rate of side effects caused by rheumatism drugs, potentially prevent bone resorption problem (‘’bone loss’’) during post menopause and also lessen the chance of fractures as we age.

The power of zinc, a high content of potent vitamins such as vitamins B, C, D, E and K and omega-3 essential fatty acids contribute to great boostering libido for both men and women.

For men, zinc helps to increase testosterone levels which is important for elevating their sex drive. Zinc is also helpful to women as it blocks the enzyme that transforms testosterone to estrogen, leading to greater sex drive.

It effects prostaglandins, hormones believed to improve sexual health and may benefit fertility levels and reproductive function, especially in men (increasing sperm quality).

The power of zinc, a high content of potent vitamins such as vitamins B, C, D, E and K and omega-3 essential fatty acids contribute to great boostering libido for both men and women.

For men, zinc helps to increase testosterone levels which is important for elevating their sex drive. Zinc is also helpful to women as it blocks the enzyme that transforms testosterone to estrogen, leading to greater sex drive.

It effects prostaglandins, hormones believed to improve sexual health and may benefit fertility levels and reproductive function, especially in men (increasing sperm quality).

Pumpkin Seed Oil is rich in antioxidants, iron, zinc, magnesium and many other nutrients making it highly versatile, suitable for savory and sweet dishes.

Pumpkin Seed Oil is used as a finishing oil, not a cooking oil. Pumpkin seed oil has a very low smoke point (about 120°C) so avoid using it to sauté or sear meat and vegetables. It is not suitable for frying or deep-frying, as the valuable ingredients of Pumpkin Seed Oil are lost due to the heat. Most Pumpkin Seed Oil gourmets therefore do use it unheated. Instead, you may drizzling this mild, nutty oil on top of cooked fish, roasted root vegetables, salads, sweet vanilla ice cream and in soups, smoothies, marinade, pasta, dips, cakes…