NCCIH Clearinghouse The NCCIH Clearinghouse provides information on NCCIH and complementary and integrative health approaches, including publications and searches of Federal databases of scientific and medical literature. Toll-free in the U. gov Email: info nccih. PubMed® A service of the National Library of Medicine, PubMed® contains publication information and in most cases brief summaries of articles from scientific and medical journals.

Office of Dietary Supplements ODS , National Institutes of Health NIH ODS seeks to strengthen knowledge and understanding of dietary supplements by evaluating scientific information, supporting research, sharing research results, and educating the public. gov Email: ods nih. Key References. Bitter orange.

Natural Medicines website. Accessed at naturalmedicines. com on November 14, Bouchard NC, Howland MA, Greller HA, et al. Ischemic stroke associated with use of an ephedra-free dietary supplement containing synephrine. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Firenzuoli F, Gori L, Galapai C. Adverse reaction to an adrenergic herbal extract Citrus aurantium.

Gange CA, Madias C, Felix-Getzik EM, et al. Variant angina associated with bitter orange in a dietary supplement. Mannucci C, Calapai F, Cardia L, et al. Clinical pharmacology of Citrus aurantium and Citrus sinensis for the treatment of anxiety. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Nykamp DL, Fackih MN, Compton AL. Possible association of acute lateral-wall myocardial infarction and bitter orange supplement. Annals of Pharmacotherapy.

Office of Dietary Supplements website. Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss. Orange peel, bitter. In: Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckmann J, eds. Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs.

Newton, MA: Integrative Medicine Communications; Rasmussen CB, Glisson JK, Minor DS. Dietary supplements and hypertension: potential benefits and precautions. Journal of Clinical Hypertension. Shara M, Stohs SJ, Smadi MM. Safety evaluation of p -synephrine following 15 days of oral administration to healthy subjects: a clinical study.

Phytotherapy Research. This article reviews whether orange peels are a…. Orange juice is the most popular fruit juice worldwide but opinions differ on whether it's healthy.

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Nutrition Evidence Based What Is Bitter Orange, and Does It Aid Weight Loss? Medically reviewed by Adrienne Seitz, MS, RD, LDN , Nutrition — By Amber Charles Alexis, MSPH, RDN on March 17, The fruit and its extracts. Compounds and nutrients. Does bitter orange aid weight loss?

Health benefits of bitter orange. Downsides and side effects of bitter orange. Dosage and safety information. Culinary uses of bitter orange. The bottom line.

How we reviewed this article: History. Mar 17, Written By Amber Charles Alexis, MSPH, RDN. Medically Reviewed By Adrienne Seitz, MS, RD, LDN. Share this article. Read this next. As Bitter Orange is incredibly sour, few individuals choose to consume it raw.

Many prepare it into Bitter Orange Marmalade that can be enjoyed over toast, crackers, cheese, pork chops or chicken.

In Mexico, a common way to prepare it is to cut the orange in half, salt it, and then coat it with hot chili paste before eating it. In Spain, Bitter orange juice is used to flavour fish and meat. On the other hand, in Yucatan, Bitter Orange is used like vinegar.

Egyptians even ferment Bitter Orange to make wine. Bitter orange oil is also used all over the world to flavor liqueur, chewing gum, ice cream, gelatin, and candy. Bitter Orange is also available in various forms of Bitter Orange Supplements, such as Bitter Orange powder.

Alternatively, instead of consuming it, you can apply Bitter Orange oil on your skin topically. Bitter Orange oil can be purchased over the counter from herbal stores and Asian markets. Do note that the medicinal actions of the herb will become mild if it is stir-baked.

Bitter Orange should be used with caution by individuals experiencing pregnancy, Qi Deficiency or Cold in the Stomach. Also, Bitter Orange contains Synephrine, which raises blood pressure levels.

Thus, individuals with high blood pressure should avoid consuming Bitter Orange too. As Synephrine is a stimulant, some common side effects associated with it include jitters, headache, increased heart rate and higher sensitivity to the sun. There are also reports of Bitter Orange resulting in migraine , fainting, heart attack and stroke.

In addition, some individuals have allergies to citrus fruits like Bitter Orange, which may involve cross-reactivity with pollen and other plants. Symptoms of such allergies may include vomiting, abdominal pain or diarrhea. If you have a known allergy to citrus fruits, it is best to avoid Bitter Orange.

Karthikeyan, V. Citrus aurantium bitter orange : A review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology. International journal of drug discovery and herbal research , 4 4 , Rasmussen, C.

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Bitter Orange. Common Names: bitter orange, Seville orange, sour orange, zhi shi. Latin Names: Citrus aurantium. Native to eastern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Syria, and Southeast Asia, bitter orange now is grown throughout the Mediterranean region and elsewhere, including California and Florida.

Bitter orange has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for indigestion, nausea, and constipation. Today, various bitter orange products are promoted for heartburn, nasal congestion, weight loss, appetite stimulation or suppression, and athletic performance.

Bitter orange is also applied to the skin for pain, bruises, fungal infections, and bedsores. Bitter orange is used in cooking and for adding flavor to beer and spirits. The fruit of bitter orange contains p -synephrine and other naturally occurring chemicals. p -Synephrine is structurally similar to ephedrine, the main component in the herb ephedra, but p -synephrine has different pharmacologic properties how the component acts.

The U. Food and Drug Administration banned the use of ephedra in dietary supplements because it raises blood pressure and is linked to heart attack and stroke. Bitter orange is commonly used as a substitute for ephedra in dietary supplements. How Much Do We Know?

A small number of studies have investigated the usefulness of bitter orange for health purposes in people. What Have We Learned? What Do We Know About Safety? Bitter orange is likely safe when used orally in amounts commonly found in foods.

There is one case report of a woman having a faster-than-normal heart rate at rest after taking a dietary supplement that contained only bitter orange.

There are other case reports of healthy people experiencing fainting, angina, heart attack, and stroke after taking bitter orange as part of multicomponent products.

However, because these products contained multiple ingredients, it is difficult to know the role that bitter orange played. Evidence regarding the effects of bitter orange alone or combined with other substances, such as caffeine and green tea on the heart and cardiovascular system is inconclusive.

Keep in Mind. Take charge of your health—talk with your health care providers about any complementary health approaches you use. Together, you can make shared, well-informed decisions. For More Information. Using Dietary Supplements Wisely Know the Science: How Medications and Supplements Can Interact Know the Science: How To Make Sense of a Scientific Journal Article.

NCCIH Clearinghouse The NCCIH Clearinghouse provides information on NCCIH and complementary and integrative health approaches, including publications and searches of Federal databases of scientific and medical literature.

Toll-free in the U. gov Email: info nccih. PubMed® A service of the National Library of Medicine, PubMed® contains publication information and in most cases brief summaries of articles from scientific and medical journals.

Office of Dietary Supplements ODS , National Institutes of Health NIH ODS seeks to strengthen knowledge and understanding of dietary supplements by evaluating scientific information, supporting research, sharing research results, and educating the public.

gov Email: ods nih. Bitter orange has several other household uses outside of the kitchen. These include 2 :. Bitter orange is a citrus fruit with several household and industrial uses, ranging from food additives to perfumery.

You may want to avoid this fruit and its extracts if you have high blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat, or glaucoma. Likewise, bitter orange supplements are banned for NCAA athletes. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Some argue that orange peels contain important nutrients and should be eaten rather than thrown away. This article reviews whether orange peels are a…. Orange juice is the most popular fruit juice worldwide but opinions differ on whether it's healthy. This article looks at orange juice and whether….

Blood oranges are known for their great taste and vitamin C, but that's just the beginning. Here are 7 health benefits, along with a few tips on…. Here are 7 reasons to eat citrus fruits. Stretch marks usually fade on their own over time. But if you want to speed up the process, these essential oils may be the key to stretch mark-free….

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The amount of time it takes to recover from weight loss surgery depends on the type of surgery and surgical technique you receive. New research suggests that running may not aid much with weight loss, but it can help you keep from gaining weight as you age.

Here's why. A Quiz for Teens Are You a Workaholic? How Well Do You Sleep? Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Nutrition Evidence Based What Is Bitter Orange, and Does It Aid Weight Loss?

Medically reviewed by Adrienne Seitz, MS, RD, LDN , Nutrition — By Amber Charles Alexis, MSPH, RDN on March 17, The fruit and its extracts.

Compounds and nutrients. Does bitter orange aid weight loss? Health benefits of bitter orange. Downsides and side effects of bitter orange. Dosage and safety information.

Culinary uses of bitter orange. The bottom line. How we reviewed this article: History. Mar 17, Written By Amber Charles Alexis, MSPH, RDN. Medically Reviewed By Adrienne Seitz, MS, RD, LDN. Share this article. Read this next.

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