Oats

Oats are a plant whose seeds, leaves, stems and bran (the outer shell of the whole grains) are used to make medicine. Oats are cultivated worldwide as a food and fodder crop. The plant is an annual, light green grass that grows up to 1 m high. Unlike other cereals, the starchy grains do not grow in ears but hang in panicles. In folk medicine, the hulled oat fruits (rolled oats), the green above-ground parts of the plant harvested shortly before flowering (green oats) and the dried and threshed leaves and stems (oat straw) are used. Oat bran and whole oats are used to treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, diabetes and digestive problems including irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulosis, inflammatory bowel disease, diarrhea and constipation. They are also used to prevent heart disease, gallstones, colon cancer and stomach cancer.

Oats are used for rheumatic joint pain, exhaustion, nicotine or narcotic withdrawal and to reduce high uric acid levels that can cause gout. Oats are also used to treat anxiety, agitation and stress, as well as bladder weakness and kidney problems. Other uses include connective tissue disorders, skin conditions, fat redistribution syndrome associated with HIV treatment and use as a tonic. Oat straw is used for influenza, coughs, bladder disorders, joint pain, eye complaints, chilblains, gout and pyoderma. Applied to the skin, oats are used for skin disorders including itching, dry skin, oily skin, weeping eczema and contact dermatitis. Oats are also applied to the skin for chicken pox, osteoarthritis and liver disease and added to foot baths for chronically cold feet or tired feet. In food, oat flakes are used as a cereal or grain. In industrial manufacturing, oats are used in some bath products and soap.

What is Avena Sativa

Avena Sativa is obtained from green oats. The young plants in particular contain many gonad-responsive active ingredients. It acts on the testosterone balance by releasing bound testosterone. Free testosterone is much more effective than bound testosterone both in terms of its effect as a sex hormone and in terms of its effect on protein synthesis (muscle growth). Its effects are not limited to men. It has a comparable effect on libido in women. In homeopathy, green oats are used to treat nervous exhaustion, insomnia and nervous weakness. Avena Sativa is the booster for physical strength and potency. The natural product Avena Sativa, which is obtained completely naturally from green oats, strongly stimulates the release of testosterone and libido. The result is increased physical strength. Avena Sativa is also considered to have a strong potency-enhancing effect.

How do oats work?

Oats could help to lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels and control appetite by increasing the feeling of satiety. Oat bran may work by blocking the absorption of substances in the gut that contribute to heart disease, high cholesterol and diabetes.

What are the uses of oats?

Oats are likely to be effective for the following applications:

Reducing the risk of heart disease when oat bran is used as part of a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet: In America, oat products that provide at least 750 mg of soluble fiber per serving may be advertised as potentially reducing the risk of heart disease when used as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
Lowering cholesterol levels: Consuming oats, oat bran and other soluble fiber as part of a diet low in saturated fat may slightly lower total cholesterol levels and levels of bad LDL cholesterol. For each gram of soluble fiber (beta-glucan) consumed, total cholesterol levels are reduced by about 1.42 md/dl and bad LDL cholesterol levels by about 1.23 mg/dl. Eating 3 to 10 grams of soluble fiber can lower total cholesterol levels by about 4 to 14 mg/dl. However, there is a limit, which is 10 grams of soluble fiber per day, beyond which a higher amount does not seem to increase the effectiveness any further. Eating three bowls (28 grams per serving) of oatmeal can lower total cholesterol levels by about 5 mg/dl.

Oat bran products may vary in their ability to lower total cholesterol depending on their total soluble fiber content. Whole grain oat products may be more effective at lowering total cholesterol and bad LDL cholesterol levels than foods containing oat bran plus beta-glucan. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends consuming about 3 grams of soluble fiber to lower blood cholesterol levels. However, this recommendation is not consistent with clinical research, which concludes that at least 3.6 grams of soluble fiber per day is necessary to lower cholesterol levels.

Oats may be effective for the following applications:

Lowering blood sugar levels in people who suffer from diabetes when oat bran is used as part of the diet: Consuming oats and oat bran for 6 weeks significantly reduces pre-meal blood glucose levels, 24-hour blood glucose levels and insulin levels in people suffering from type 2 diabetes. There is evidence that consuming 50 grams of oat bran per day, which provides 25 grams of soluble fiber, is more effective than the diet with moderate fiber intake of 24 grams per day recommended by the American Diabetes Association.
Preventing stomach cancer when oats and oat bran are used as part of the diet.

Oats may be ineffective for the following uses:

Preventing colon cancer when oat bran is used as part of the diet.
Lowering blood pressure

There is not enough scientific data to make a statement regarding the effectiveness of oats in preventing fat redistribution syndrome in people suffering from HIV disease. Consuming a high-fiber diet including oats in combination with adequate calorie and protein intake may prevent fat accumulation in people with HIV disease. A one gram increase in total fiber intake could reduce the risk of fat accumulation by 7%.

There is also insufficient scientific information on the effectiveness of oats for irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulosis, inflammatory bowel disease, constipation, anxiety, stress, nerve disorders, bladder weakness, joint and tendon disorders, gout, kidney disease and skin disorders, as well as for use in opioid or nicotine withdrawal, for blocking fat absorption in the digestive tract and for preventing gallstones. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of oats in these applications.

What effects does Avena Sativa have on sexual performance?

1979 - 1984: Review of early literature, toxicology, existing animal studies and experimental testing of extraction processes. Result: Studies on humans are safe and promising.

1985 - 1987: The pilot project tested the effect of Avena sativa extract on sexual desire, performance and satisfaction in adult male and female volunteers over 6 weeks. In the double-blind cross-over study, group 1 (men and women) initially received 300 mg Avena sativa daily for 28 days, group 2 received placebo. Later, the members of group 2 also received Avena sativa and group 1 placebo (cross-over). Only the men, not the participating women, showed significantly increased sex drive under Avena sativa. They reported increased erectile strength and more pleasure during intercourse. Some participants even had repeated orgasms.

Hormonal studies were carried out on selected participants in the double-blind cross-over study as well as on other patients seeking help for a more satisfying sex life. Regular blood samples were taken before and during the use of the product. The results showed changes in GnR hormone (a hypothalamic hormone that stimulates the production of sex hormones in the testes and ovaries), as well as increases in testosterone levels when baseline levels were low or normal.

1986-1988: Clinical case studies investigated the effect of Avena sativa extract on men and women seeking professional sex therapists. Participants were instructed to take the product either daily or episodically. The results were not entirely consistent: the majority of users showed significant improvement, some had only slight improvements and some remained unchanged. An optimal dose study tested the effects of single and double doses of Avena sativa extract on men who had been urologically diagnosed with sexual dysfunction of various causes. Men who did not respond satisfactorily to 300mg daily after 30 days were given 600mg daily for a further 30 days. The results showed significant improvements in the second phase in most of the men who had not responded satisfactorily to the 300mg dose.

1989-1992: The phytotherapeutic formulas were retested by Dr. Haroian and her team, using the same method as the pilot project and double-blind cross-over design, enriched with individual case studies and clinical trials.

1995-1998: New research yielded a gender-specific formula for women, containing a special form of Sabal serrulata (saw palmetto), which the Institute said could be recommended as effective for women. It had been discovered that due to the higher density of testosterone receptors in the brain (!), women require a more potent form of Avena supplemented with saw palmetto extract to experience the same stimulation effect as men. The formula was then modified in a special "for women" version to also provide women with the aphrodisiac effect. It should be added by way of explanation: Hormone profile tests showed, as already mentioned, that Avena sativa increases the proportion of free, unbound testosterone in the blood. Testosterone is not only crucial for male power, but also for female libido. This insight has led modern anti-ageing doctors to also measure the testosterone levels of women and, for example, to increase them by administering DHEA if necessary.

What are the potential health benefits of Avena Sativa?

Avena Sativa could improve blood flow

Scientific research shows that impaired blood flow is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Avena Sativa contains a unique group of antioxidants called avenanthramides, which have been shown to improve heart health (1, 2). These antioxidants can increase blood flow by increasing nitric oxide production (3, 4). Nitric oxide is a molecule that helps to dilate blood vessels. A study conducted on 37 overweight older adults found that supplementation with 1,500 mg of Avena Sativa extract per day improved measured blood flow to the heart and brain compared to a placebo (5). Although scientific research shows that Avena Sativa may help maintain a healthy heart, further studies are needed to fully understand its effects.

Avena Sativa could reduce inflammation

Chronic inflammation has been shown to increase the risk of conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. Avena Sativa is rich in many antioxidants, including the aforementioned avenanthramides, which have been shown to help reduce inflammation, thereby reducing the risk of the aforementioned diseases (1, 3) In addition, in vitro studies suggest that avenanthramides reduce the release of cytokines - pro-inflammatory compounds that are associated with an increased risk of heart disease and other chronic diseases (6, 7).

Avena Sativa could improve brain function

An Avena Sativa extract could improve brain function in older adults. Two studies conducted on older adults with impaired brain function concluded that supplementation with 800 to 1,600 mg of Avena sativa extract may improve memory, attention and concentration (8, 9). However, these studies were funded by the company selling the supplement, which may have influenced the results.

Another 12-week study of 36 healthy adults with normal brain function found that supplementation with 1,500 mg of Avena sativa extract did not significantly alter measures of attention, memory, focus and multitasking performance (10). Overall, research on Avena Sativa and brain function is limited and Avena Sativa has not been shown to have benefits in people with normal brain function.

Avena Sativa could improve mood

Traditionally, Avena Sativa extracts have been used to relieve stress, anxiety and depression (11). While research is limited, some studies suggest that Avena Sativa may improve mood by inhibiting the enzyme phosphodiesterase type 4 (PDE4), which is found in immune cells (12). Scientific research suggests that PDE4 inhibition can alleviate stress, anxiety and depression (13, 14). In addition, Avena Sativa may increase levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which may be involved in the development of depression and other psychiatric disorders (1, 15, 16). A study conducted with rats found that low doses of Avena Sativa over a 7-week period improved the animals' ability to cope with stress compared to a placebo (17). However, these study results have not yet been replicated in humans.

Safety and side effects

Oat bran is probably safe and harmless for most people, including pregnant and breastfeeding women. Oat bran can cause gas and bloating. To minimize these side effects, you should start with a low dosage and slowly increase it to the desired amount. This allows the body to get used to the oat bran and the side effects will probably disappear. Applying products containing oats to the skin can cause skin rashes in some people. Avena Sativa extracts have not yet been studied in children and pregnant or breastfeeding women, so it is unclear whether this supplement is safe and safe for these populations.

Precautions and warnings

Difficulty swallowing or chewing: If you suffer from difficulty swallowing or if you have difficulty chewing due to missing teeth or ill-fitting dentures, it is better to avoid oat products, as poorly chewed oat products can lead to intestinal obstruction.

Disorders of the oesophagus, stomach and intestines: If you suffer from digestive problems that prolong the duration of digestion, you should avoid oat products, as these digestive problems could promote intestinal obstruction caused by oat products.

Interactions

At this time, there is no information on interactions of oats with medications or supplements. Avena sativa extracts are not associated with any significant side effects or drug interactions, although research on its safety is limited (18).

Dosage

The following dosages have been investigated in scientific studies:

Oral:

For high cholesterol levels: 56 to 150 grams of whole grain oat products such as oat bran or rolled oats, which contain 3.6 to 10 grams of the soluble fiber beta-glucan, as part of a low-fat diet.
To lower blood sugar levels in people suffering from type 2 diabetes: High-fiber foods such as whole grain oat products, which contain 25 grams of soluble fiber, are used daily. 38 grams of oat bran or 75 grams of dry rolled oats contain about 3 grams of beta-glucan.

Avena Sativa is available in various forms including capsules, powders and tinctures. Scientific research suggests that doses of 800 to 1,600 mg per day are most effective (3, 19, 20). However, the optimal dosage may vary depending on the product used and individual needs. The studies known to date show that 300 mg Avena Sativa extract is effective in 68-70% of men and 76% of women. The optimal dose study mentioned above suggests that a large proportion of the remaining 30% or so could be helped by doubling the amount.