Black seed oil: what science says about hair and blood pressure

What BBN said about it

1. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorBlack seed oil is all over wellness feeds this morning, with claims it can regrow hair and lower blood pressure.

2. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorIgnatius Boateng runs a health store and joins us. Do you sell it?

3. IB

   Ignatius BoatengI do, yes. Forty bottles on the shelf, right under a sign that says natural DHT blocker.

4. IB

   Ignatius BoatengI wrote the sign myself, so that one's on me.

5. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorSo does it block DHT? Studies have not shown that it lowers scalp DHT.

6. IB

   Ignatius BoatengNo, and I know that now.

7. IB

   Ignatius BoatengSince spring. One customer asked if it was on sale. Nobody asked if it was true.

8. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThere's one small pilot study with twenty women. Seventy percent of the black seed group improved, and half the placebo group got worse.

9. IB

   Ignatius BoatengThat sounds good, doesn't it? But a review says no well-designed trial has tested it specifically for hair loss outcomes.

10. IB

    Ignatius BoatengSo I stopped quoting the twenty women.

11. 

    Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorAnd blood pressure? A twenty twenty-six analysis of thirteen trials found about three point two five points lower.

12. IB

    Ignatius BoatengYes, but another source says the powder may help a bit, and the oil doesn't seem to do much. I sell the oil.

13. 

    Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe oil.

14. IB

    Ignatius BoatengBetween you and the till, I've sold six bottles. Mostly to people who read the sign out loud.

15. 

    Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorPeople have used this oil in traditional medicine for over two thousand years. So why take the sign down now?

16. IB

    Ignatius BoatengBecause the sign outsells the oil. People photograph it. I'd have to charge for the sign.