Leading Herb in Chinese Traditional Medicine
Used for
centuries in traditional Chinese medicine, astragalus is one herb that you just can't ignore. From improving energy levels to promoting heart health, this root
offers benefits for almost every health-conscious individual. So, what is so
wonderful about this herb?
Let's find
out the answer to this question by learning about the many health benefits of astragalus root. But before we do that let's take a look at what exactly is astragalus root.
What
is Astragalus Root?
Astragalus
belongs to the legume family, Fabaceae, and there are over 3,000 species
of this plant. However,
not all of the species of this plant are used for medicinal purposes. The plant is mostly found in China.
According
to the US National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), a
part of the US National Institute of Health (NIH), there are certain species of
this plant which can be toxic for humans. For example, the locoweed species
found in the US
has been found to cause poisoning in animals. It contains the
neurotoxin, swainsonine, which makes it dangerous for humans.
Astragalus
membranaceus is the main species of the plant which is used for health and medicinal purposes. It is commonly referred as milk vetch. The Western world
acknowledged the benefits of this century-old Chinese herb only in the 1980s.
Since then, the root can be found in the form of supplements in almost every
known herbal store and has benefited millions of people around the world with
its immunity-boosting properties.
The Chinese
name of the herb, "huang qi" means "yellow leader".
The herb gets its name from the fact that the root is yellow in color and astragalus
is one of the leading herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine.
The root of the plant is used to make the medicine. Chinese herbal medicine
practitioners used to boil the root to make a decoction. The root is then discarded and the decoction is given to the patient. Herbs such as
ginseng are often combined with astragalus to help enhance its potency for the
treatment or prevention of various illnesses and chronic diseases.
So, why is
astragalus considered to be such a potent medicinal herb? Let's take a look at
a few of the health benefits of astragalus now and why it may be the perfect daily
herbal supplement for you too.
What
are the Health Benefits of Astragalus?
Traditional
Chinese medicine considers astragalus to be a sweet and warming herb. It is considered
to have beneficial effects on many organs of the body. It is also a fantastic restorative
tonic.
Astragalus contains a specific chemical that slows down the aging
process inside the cells of the body.Dr. Mehmet
Oz reports that it does this by stimulating an
enzyme called telomerase (hTERT). Telomerase is
responsible for lengthening telomeres, which protects the DNA of your cells,
thereby increasing its lifespan. Aging has a damaging effect on the length of
your telomeres, thus, increasing your susceptibility to chronic diseases such
as diabetes and heart disease, and even cancer.
When
you regularly consume astragalus supplements, it stimulates the production of
telomerase. This in turn maintains or lengthens telomeres, thus, slowing down
the effects of the aging process on the cells of your body. The herb may,
therefore, protect you from various diseases such as heart attacks,
atherosclerosis, strokes, diabetes, and cancer.
The herb's
antioxidant properties may also offer further benefits for people looking for
better cardiovascular health by balancing cholesterol levels.
A 2011 study
reported in the Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine found that astragalus
improves heart functioning and the quality of life in patients with chronic
heart failure at moderate doses. While further research is required, it can
definitely be said that the herb offers potentially strong benefits in
improving heart health.
Astragalus
is also an adaptogen, that is, it improves your resistance to physical, mental
and emotional stress. Regular use of this herb will boost your immune system
and prevent diseases as well as reduce the damaging effects of daily stress.
Besides
being a potent immunity booster, this natural supplement has antibacterial and
antiviral properties. This is why it is commonly used as part of various herbal
combinations for preventing as well as treating colds, flu, and other upper
respiratory disorders. It may also help relieve symptoms of seasonal allergies.
Its ability
to lower blood sugar may be useful for people suffering from type 2 diabetes
A study conducted
on mice published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2013 found that when
combined with rubus coreanus, astragalus membranaceus may help in the
prevention and treatment of post-menopausal osteoporosis.
Astragalus
is used in Chinese medicine for the treatment of hepatitis in combination with
other potent herbs. A 2013 study published in the Journal of Gastroenterology
and Hepatology found that extracts taken from the astragalus membranaceus and salvia
miltiorhiza together suppress the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma in
rats, the most common form of liver cancer.
The herb
may also improve blood counts in people with aplastic anemia. Aplastic anemia
is a condition in which the body's bone marrow does not make enough new blood
cells.
The herb
has been found to offer protection from cancer. It also reduces the
side-effects of cancer treatment. A study published in the International
Journal of Biological Macromolecules in 2013 found that astragalus membranaceus
polysaccharides showed anti-tumor activity and improved immune response in rats
with liver cancer.
University of Maryland
Medical Center reports that US researchers have been studying
astragalus as a potential herb for improving the immune systems of cancer
patients going through chemotherapy or radiation treatment. It has been found
that the root may help in reducing the side-effects of cancer treatment and it may help in decreasing fatigue and promoting appetite. In short, astragalus may help
cancer patients recover faster and may also improve their lifespan.
This potent
Chinese herb has also been found to protect the kidneys and helps treat kidney
disease. It is also considered to stimulate the spleen, lungs, urinary bladder
and the liver. Astragalus may help in detoxification and cleansing of the body
as well as help in the treatment of bladder infections. Its anti-inflammatory
properties may help in conditions such as fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis.
Are
There Any Side-Effects of Astragalus Supplements?
The benefits of astragalus have ensured that it is
becoming an increasingly popular herb used in various herbal formulations. If
you stick to recommended daily dosages of the herb, the chances of any
side-effects are almost zero.
However,
like any other herb, a little bit of care must be taken if you are planning to
take this supplement on a regular basis. This is especially important if you
are planning on taking other herbs and medications along with astragalus.
According
to the NCCAM, astragalus may interact with medications such as cyclophosphamide,
which suppress the immune system. So, avoid taking this herb with immuno-suppressing
medications. The herb may also interact with corticosteroids.
The
University of Maryland Medical Center reports that the root prevents the easy
elimination of lithium from the body. This may lead to highly dangerous levels
of the drug causing potentially serious side-effects. So, avoid taking
astragalus supplements if you are taking lithium on a continuing basis.
Besides this,
pregnant and lactating women should avoid using this herb since it may affect
the health of the fetus. You should also avoid giving this herb to children
since research has not established it efficacy and safety with kids. Make sure
to consult your health practitioner if you are taking regular medications for
any chronic disease to rule out possible interactions with any drugs.
What
is the Recommended Dosage of Astragalus?
Generally
safe for adults, astragalus is easily available online or in health food
stores. You can buy the herb in the form of the root, extract, tablets or
capsules, or tincture. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends a
dosage of 250-500 mg in powdered form or as an extract.
You can
also purchase the dried root and prepare your own decoction to get the
above-mentioned astragalus benefits. About 3-6 g of dried root is boiled in 12
oz water for about 10-15 minutes. Remove the root and drink the decoction for
treating colds and other respiratory infections and enjoying other health
benefits. You can also buy Astragalus Tea from Amazon.
So, now
that you know about the potential astragalus health benefits, what are you
waiting for? Check out some products and buy the one that you think suits best
for you. You may also want to try out an herbal formulation that contains
astragalus along with other medicinal herbs such as ginseng. Just stick to the
right dosage and avoid taking it with other medications and you are surely
going to notice its benefits for your health in a few weeks.
Try a few other herbs too:
References:
US National Center for Complementary and Alternative
Medicine (NCCAM), Astragalus Fact Sheet
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/astragalus
Dr. Mehmet
Oz, Astragalus Root: Is This Right for You?
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/astragalus-root-right-you
Yang QY, Lu
S, Sun HR. Clinical effect of Astragalus granule of different
dosages on
quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure. Chin J Integr
Med. 2011
Feb;17(2):146-9.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21390582
Jung Koo H,
Sohn EH, Kim YJ, Jang SA, Namkoong S, Chan Kang S. Effect of the
combinatory
mixture of Rubus coreanus Miquel and Astragalus membranaceus Bunge
extracts on
ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in mice and anti-RANK signaling
effect. J
Ethnopharmacol. 2013 Dec 12.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24333364
Hu X, Rui
W, Wu C, He S, Jiang J, Zhang X, Yang Y. Compound Astragalus and
Salvia
miltiorrhiza extracts suppress hepatocarcinogenesis by modulating
TGF-β/Smad
signaling. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013 Dec 12.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24329763
Yang B,
Xiao B, Sun T. Antitumor and immunomodulatory activity of Astragalus
membranaceus
polysaccharides in H22 tumor-bearing mice. Int J Biol Macromol. 2013
Nov;62:287-90.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24060282
University
of Maryland Medical Center,
Astragalus
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/astragalus
Read more articles
No comments:
Post a Comment