Golden Shield – Organic Functional Shot with Sea Buckthorn, Ginger & Honey (60 ml)

Scientifically Supported Health Benefits of Sea Buckthorn, Ginger and Honey

1. Eyes and mucous membranes

The best human evidence for sea buckthorn concerns mucous membranes. In a placebo-controlled, quadruple-masked trial, 100 adults with dry eye symptoms took 2 g of sea buckthorn oil daily for three months through the winter. The supplemented group showed significantly less of the seasonal rise in tear film osmolarity and reported less symptom intensity. [1] A companion paper traced the effect to changes in tear film fatty acids. [2]

2. Omega-7

Palmitoleic acid occurs naturally in human sebum and in the lipid layers that keep membranes supple. Sea buckthorn pulp oil is the richest common plant source, at 30–35% of its fatty acids. [3] [4]

3. Inflammation markers

In a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 233 completing participants over 90 days, sea buckthorn berries lowered serum C-reactive protein significantly compared with placebo. [5] A dose-response meta-analysis of 29 randomised controlled trials found ginger reduced C-reactive protein, TNF-α and interleukin-6. [6]

4. Cough and upper respiratory symptoms

A systematic review of 14 studies found honey associated with a greater reduction in cough frequency and cough severity than usual care in upper respiratory tract infections. The authors note that study quality varied, and in the two placebo-controlled comparisons the difference did not reach significance. [7]

5. Nausea

The European Medicines Agency granted ginger rhizome well-established use status in May 2025 for the prevention of nausea and vomiting in motion sickness, at 1–2 g taken one hour before travel. [8] In pregnancy, a meta-analysis of 12 randomised trials in 1,278 women found nausea symptoms significantly improved compared with placebo. [9]

6. Gastric emptying

In a randomised, double-blind crossover trial, ginger shortened the stomach's half-emptying time from 16.1 to 12.3 minutes. [10]

7. Blood lipids

A 2022 meta-analysis of 15 randomised controlled trials found sea buckthorn reduced triglycerides, total and LDL cholesterol and raised HDL cholesterol, with the effect concentrated in people whose lipids were already abnormal. [11] A 2023 meta-analysis of 18 controlled trials of honey found HDL cholesterol rose by 0.07 mmol/L, rated high certainty; its other lipid and glucose findings were rated low certainty, at a median intake of 40 g of honey a day. [12]

8. Gut microbiota

In a 90-day trial, 90 g of sea buckthorn puree daily enriched nine butyrate-producing bacterial genera, including Faecalibacterium and Prevotella. [13]

Why these three together

Sea buckthorn contributes the berry's fatty acids and flavonoids, ginger the best-evidenced single use in this blend, and honey both flavour balance and its own research record on cough. No trial has tested the three together, and most of the trials above used larger amounts than a 60 ml shot provides.

Serving

Contains honey, which should not be given to infants under 12 months.

References

1. Larmo PS, Järvinen RL, Setälä NL, Yang B, Viitanen MH, Engblom JRK, Tahvonen RL, Kallio HP. Oral sea buckthorn oil attenuates tear film osmolarity and symptoms in individuals with dry eye. J Nutr. 2010;140(8):1462–1468. doi:10.3945/jn.109.118901 · PMID 20554904 · NCT00739713
2. Järvinen RL, Larmo PS, Setälä NL, Yang B, Engblom JRK, Viitanen MH, Kallio HP. Effects of oral sea buckthorn oil on tear film fatty acids in individuals with dry eye. Cornea. 2011;30(9):1013–1019. doi:10.1097/ICO.0b013e3182035ad9
3. Guo X, Zhuo L, Feng Y, Lin M, Le TN, Zhao M, Cai H. Bioactive components and functional applications of sea buckthorn: a review. Food Sci Nutr. 2026;14(8). doi:10.1002/fsn3.72289 · PMID 42643549
4. Yang B, Kallio HP. Fatty acid composition of lipids in sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) berries of different origins. J Agric Food Chem. 2001;49(4):1939–1947. doi:10.1021/jf001059s · PMID 11308350
5. Larmo P, Alin J, Salminen E, Kallio H, Tahvonen R. Effects of sea buckthorn berries on infections and inflammation: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2008;62(9):1123–1130. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602831 · PMID 17593932
6. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of ginger supplementation in adults: a GRADE-assessed systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Inflammopharmacology. 2025. doi:10.1007/s10787-025-01994-6
7. Abuelgasim H, Albury C, Lee J. Effectiveness of honey for symptomatic relief in upper respiratory tract infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Evid Based Med. 2021;26(2):57–64. doi:10.1136/bmjebm-2020-111336 · PMID 32817011
8. European Medicines Agency. European Union herbal monograph on Zingiber officinale Roscoe, rhizoma. Final, Revision 1, 7 May 2025.
9. Viljoen E, Visser J, Koen N, Musekiwa A. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect and safety of ginger in the treatment of pregnancy-associated nausea and vomiting. Nutr J. 2014;13:20. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-13-20 · PMID 24642205
10. Hu ML, Rayner CK, Wu KL, et al. Effect of ginger on gastric motility and symptoms of functional dyspepsia. World J Gastroenterol. 2011;17(1):105–110. doi:10.3748/wjg.v17.i1.105 · PMID 21218090
11. Geng Y, Wang J, Chen K, Li Q, Ping Z, Xue R, Zhang S. Effects of sea buckthorn on factors related to metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytother Res. 2022;36(11):4101–4114. doi:10.1002/ptr.7596 · PMID 36043374
12. Ahmed A, Tul-Noor Z, Lee D, et al. Effect of honey on cardiometabolic risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Rev. 2023;81(7):758–774. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuac086 · PMID 36379223
13. Chen K, Zhou F, Zhang J, Li P, Zhang Y, Yang B. Dietary supplementation with sea buckthorn berry puree alters plasma metabolomic profile and gut microbiota composition in hypercholesterolemia population. Foods. 2022;11(16):2481. doi:10.3390/foods11162481