Overview

The avocado tree (Persea americana) produces a fruit with a creamy texture covered by a thick, green skin. It's a good source of potassium and healthy fats.

Avocado contains a lot of fiber, which might be the reason for its cholesterol-lowering effects. It's also rich in monounsaturated fats and is a good source of linoleic acid.

People use avocado for high cholesterol. It is also used for memory and thinking skills, aging skin, obesity, psoriasis, heart disease, and many other purposes, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.

Don't confuse avocado with avocado soy unsaponifiables (ASU). These are not the same.



Uses & Effectiveness

Possibly Effective for

  • High cholesterol. Eating an avocado-rich diet seems to lower total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol. It also seems to increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good") cholesterol.

There is interest in using avocado for a number of other purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: Avocado is commonly consumed as food. There isn't enough reliable information to know if avocado is safe to use as medicine.

When applied to the skin: Avocado oil is possibly safe when used for up to 3 months. It's usually well-tolerated. Some people might experience itching after using a cream containing avocado oil and vitamin B12.

Special Precautions and Warnings

When taken by mouth: Avocado is commonly consumed as food. There isn't enough reliable information to know if avocado is safe to use as medicine.

When applied to the skin: Avocado oil is possibly safe when used for up to 3 months. It's usually well-tolerated. Some people might experience itching after using a cream containing avocado oil and vitamin B12.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Avocado is commonly consumed as food. There isn't enough reliable information to know if avocado is safe to use in larger amounts as medicine when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and stick to food amounts.

Latex allergy: People who are sensitive to latex can have an allergic reaction to avocado.

Stomachallergy to certain foods that causes vomiting and diarrhea: Some infants and children have a stomach allergy to milk, oat, rice, and other foods. This allergy causes a lot of vomiting and diarrhea. Eating avocado may cause the same reaction in these infants and children.

Interactions

    Moderate Interaction

    Be cautious with this combination

  • Warfarin (Coumadin) interacts with Avocado

    Warfarin is used to slow blood clotting. Avocado has been reported to decrease the effects of warfarin. Decreasing the effects of warfarin might increase the risk of clotting. It is unclear why this interaction might occur. Be sure to have your blood checked regularly. The dose of your warfarin might need to be changed.

Dosing

Avocado is a popular fruit that's commonly eaten as food. It's most often consumed in amounts of 0.5-2 fruits daily. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what dose might be best for a specific condition.
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CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

This copyrighted material is licensed from Therapeutic Research Center, LLC. Information from this source is evidence-based and objective, and without commercial influence. For professional medical information on natural medicines, see Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Professional Version.
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