Elderberry

Article by Stefan Burns - Updated September 2022. Join the Wild Free Organic email newsletter!

Elderberry clusters I harvested while living in Sofia, Bulgaria

Name:	Elderberry, Linnaean - Sambucus nigra
Color:	Green to purple leaves, white, yellow, and pink flowers, black berries
Constituents:	Glucosides (anthocyanins), terpenes, alkaloids, tannins
Effect:	Potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, improves digestion, improves nutrient partitioning
Preparation:	All parts of the elder contain poisonous cyanogenic glycosides which require heat treatment to become of use. Dried berries can be brewed into a tea, or the berries can be prepared into a syrup or jam. Can be powdered as well.
Dosing:	1-5 grams brewed into a tea. 500 mg of powder for general health purposes, 1+ grams for help with an infection, and 3 grams spread out (1 gram morning, afternoon, night) for nutrient partitioning benefits.
General Notes:	It's the anthocyanins that are responsible for most of the health benefits from elderberry. Anthocyanins are phytopigments also found in other berries (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries) and other foods like the skin of black beans. Anthocyanins are really potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatories which elderberry an excellent digestive aid and supportive of arterial health and the circulatory system in general. Some promising evidence exists that anthocyanins help partition nutrients towards muscles instead of body fat. Elderberry is most often used to aid in the treatment of infections (cold, flu, etc).

What is Elderberry?

Elderberry is a genus of flowering plants known as Sambucus consisting of many different species and subspecies. Elderberry plants can be found as small shrubs and bushes and if they continue to grow they can become quite large trees. Elderberry plants have a “corky” type of bark that is mottled tan to brown in color, their leaves grow in a pinnate arrangement in clusters of 5-9 leaflets, and at the end of their branches are where you’ll first observe elderflowers and then once ripened, elderberries (1). For this article, when the words “elderberry” or “elderberries” is used, I’m referring to the actual berries, and if I’m referring to the plant I’ll refer to it by it’s genus Sambucus.

Elderberries contain a wealth of unique plant phytochemicals which have various beneficial biologic interactions within the human digestive system and body (2). Elderberries contain many different polyphenols like flavonoids, as well as unique plant pigments known as anthocyanins. In particular, the predominant anthocyanin found in elderberries is cyanidin 3-glucoside, which gives elderberries their dark purple color. Anthocyanins are potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory plant phytochemicals which are good for health and wellness because of their beneficial interactions throughout the body.

All parts of the Sambucus plant do contain cyanogenic glycosides which produce poisonous hydrogen cyanide when hydrolyzed enzymatically, but if elderberry is prepared properly then cyanide toxicity is not a concern, more on that in the Safety and Toxicity and How to Make Elderberry Juice sections below.

Types of Elderberry

There are many different species of Sambucus as the genus of plants grows worldwide, the most common are listed below:

• Sambucus nigra - The most common species of elderberry found in Europe and North America. Grows mature dark purple fruits

  • Sambucus cerulea, a subspecies of S. nigra found in western North America

  • Sambucus canadensis, a subspecies of S. nigra found in eastern North America

• Sambucus australis - Found in South America. Grows large dark purple fruits

• Sambucus peruviana - Found in Central and South America. Grows dark purple/black fruits

• Sambucus javanica - Found in subtropical and tropical Asia. Grows dark red fruits.

• Sambucus sieboldiana - Found in Japan and Korea. Grows mature red fruits

Is Elderberry Antiviral?

Before going into the general health and wellness benefits of elderberry and its chemical constituents that are responsible for its beneficial effects, we’ll discuss the antiviral capabilities of elderberry because this is what most people have heard elderberry is good for and want to learn more about.

Viruses are incredibly tiny “semi-life forms” that replicate themselves (and by extension, their DNA), by infecting cells or microorganisms like bacteria. Once a virus can attach to the cell-membrane, it inserts its genetic instructions into the cell, where the cell then begins producing more copies of this code as well as the viral proteins that house it. If the virus’s plan works, then after some time the cell is chock full of new viruses and it explodes, releasing the new viruses throughout the body to repeat the replication process. Two things happen during this viral replication process.

First, infected cells use a bunch of valuable resources like amino acids to create the viruses, which eventually when the infection comes under control by the immune system (hopefully), are then processed as waste by the body. This creates a resource drain on the body commiserate to the degree of infection.

Second, infected cells eventually breakdown and trigger inflammatory pathways in the process. The release of cytokines effectively sends a signal far and wide that there is a “spill in aisle 6” that requires cleanup. The diseased or dead cell is then processed by the immune system, all of this causing a stress to the body. Now multiple this by millions and millions of cells during a viral infection and you can quickly see why viral infections have the potential of causing a huge amount of stress and fatigue to the body.

Elderberry has been shown to help with viral infections in a multitude of ways.

Anti-Influenza Activity of Elderberry

Using elderberry lessens the severity and duration of flu symptoms in several strains of influenza viruses (3). The compounds found in elderberry like anthocyanins and quercetin interfere with viral host cell receptor recognition and receptor binding, effectively suppressing viral entry and viral transmission from cell to cell. Elderberry does this by blocking the functioning of the glycoprotein spikes viruses use to connect to cells.

It’s been observed that using elderberry for its antiviral effects is effective at the onset and throughout the flu. Viral inhibition by elderberry is stronger against the late stage of the influenza cycle than it is at the early stage, so if you get the flu begin using elderberry syrup or elderberry extract as soon as possible and keep using it until the flu passes. Other elderberry products exist too that can be used, go to the end of the article to see all the natural elderberry treatment options at your disposal.

Elderberry Improves Natural Immunity

The innate immune response is the first line of defense against viruses and critically important for overcoming any type of infection. Elderberry also shows antiviral activity by activating the healthy immune system (4). The polyphenols that elderberry contains like quercetin and anthocyanins beneficially modulate the release of cytokines and their receptors. These polyphenols are also strong antioxidants, so they neutralize any inflammatory free-radicals produced during the infection, reducing the cumulative stress the body experiences during the infection. Elderberry also activates macrophages, the white blood cells that engulf and “eat” pathogens and viruses.

The anthocyanins found in high concentrations in elderberries are taken up by endothelial cells (cells that form a barrier between vessels and tissues), protecting them against oxidative stress. Many diseases are characterized by oxidative stress, and this means that in addition to the usefulness of taking elderberry for a cold or using elderberry for a flu, elderberry has the potential to help with many other health conditions like cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Elderberry and Covid

What about using elderberry for SARS-CoV-2, otherwise known as covid? Very little if any research has been done specifically examining the effect elderberry can have for a covid infection, but it’s safe to say that elderberry would be useful because of how to bolsters the natural immune system and through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Elderberry may have a direct neutralizing effect on covid viruses and their spike proteins, like has been demonstrated for flu viruses, but at this point the specific interactions elderberry has with SARS-CoV-2 are unknown.

Benefits of Elderberry

The health benefits any food or herb provide come down to its unique blend of constituents, these being the macronutrient ratios (fat, carb, protein), micronutrients like vitamins and minerals, and in the case of plants, the plant phytochemicals it contains like polyphenols, polysaccharides, terpenes, etc. The environment and how its grown influences the final chemical composition, and everything taken together naturally as it was grown provides the greatest holistic health effect. I mention this because it’s common to point out specific compounds, like quercetin, and attribute all the health benefits of a food to that one flavonoid, but it’s the synergy between many hundreds of chemicals together which cause the overall health effects of a food.

The many beneficial health effects of elderberry cannot be solely attributed to flavonoids or anthocyanins, but to all of its beneficial constituents working together. For this reason the less processed the elderberry product the better, and it’s why I prefer elderberry juice over extract powders or pills. The next section does go more into the specific chemicals found in elderberry, but first we’ll cover the general health and wellness benefits and other uses for elderberry beyond its antiviral uses.

Health Benefits of Elderberry

As with many different herbs, elderberry contains many different antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, and with excess inflammation being a main contributing factor to the development and progression of nearly one hundred chronic diseases, elderberry can help treat those conditions (5, 6). Elderberry in particular is very effective at neutralizing reactive nitrogen species, a type of free radical. We’ll start with elderberries impact on gut health because that’s where it’ll first beneficially interact with the body.

Elderberry is good for gut health because its beneficial phytochemicals like anthocyanins are taken up by epithelial tissues protecting them from oxidative stress. The digestive system is under constant stress (unless fasting) due to the rigors of digestion, and if diet quality is poor then this stress increases further. Conditions like leaky gut are characterized by reduced intestinal mucosa and degraded epithelial cells, and elderberry is very useful for all types of gut health problems. The digestive system is also the part of the body that has the most immune system activity because its the job of the barriers of the digestive to keep pathogens from entering the body, and by improving gut health elderberry improves immunity.

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Elderberry helps the cardiovascular system in a few different ways. As touched on earlier, the anthocyanins found in elderberry are rapidly taken up by endothelial tissues of the arteries, blood vessels, and capillaries, and this helps to reduce inflammation throughout the body. Cardiovascular disease is characterized by inflammation that is no longer localized at the digestive system’s gut-blood barrier but is now more widespread throughout the body. This inflammation can be caused by a variety of factors, often many at once, such as pathogenic bacteria or too-large food particles freely circulating through in the bloodstream. The presence of these immune-stimulating factors chronically creates a stressful environment for the healthy functioning of cells, and if left unaddressed everything goes downhill.

An important component of healing from chronic inflammation, in addition to the critical component of treating the root cause of the inflammation, is to consume foods that naturally bring the bodies inflammation and autophagy systems into balance. Elderberry is one of these superfoods because it targets all three aspects that are required to really make a difference: by improving gut health, by boosting the immune system, and by making the tissues of the cardiovascular system more resilient.

Elderberry is good for treating obesity and diabetes because its anthocyanin content improves lipid metabolism, blood glucose parameters, and nutrient partitioning. These beneficial metabolic effects are also part of the reason elderberry is cardioprotective. In particular there is a lot of research that has been done using cyanidin 3-glucoside with mice and rats, showing it reduces the severity of obesity and diabetic conditions that form from eating poor quality diets when supplemented (7). The improved metabolic and nutrient partitioning properties of elderberry thanks to its anthocyanins and flavonoids are not only useful for those who are overweight, obese, pre-diabetic, and diabetic, but also for athletes and anyone who regularly exercises, as it’ll help shuttle more nutrients towards functional lean body mass and away from body fat storage.

Elderberry benefits the brain because many of its beneficial compounds are able to cross the blood-brain barrier (8). In the brain anthocyanins exert their antioxidant effects the same as they do anywhere else in the body, and unfortunately beyond that little is known of the specific ways anthocyanins interact with brain tissue. Like with any food/herbs that contain flavonoids, the flavonoids elderberry contains that make their way to the large intestine interact with the microbiome there, being synthesized by symbiotic bacteria into secondary metabolites that the body absorbs which also cross the blood-brain barrier. In this way flavonoids improve the functioning of the gut-brain axis, improving cognition and energy metabolism in the brain. The brain uses 20% of the bodies daily resting energy, and the more efficient and adaptable your metabolic systems, the more stable energy levels will be in the brain, meaning you’ll be snappier and more focused, free of brain fog.

What Can Elderberry be Used For?

These health benefits of elderberry are wonderful, but not everyone has some sort of chronic disease or health problem, some health issues are more mundane. As it translates to the day-to-day, elderberry can be used to:

• Improves daily energy levels, reduces sudden sugar crashes, and lessens brain fog/fatigue

• Reduce skin inflammation like rashes, autoimmune skin disorders, and clears acne

• Helps ameliorate adrenal fatigue

• Reduces the chance of getting sick and reduces the severity and duration of the illness

• Improves meal digestion and nutrient absorption

Elderberry Micronutrients

Elderberry contains a variety of micronutrients, the most exciting from a health perspective being its flavonoids and anthocyanins. Both have been mentioned quite a bit up to this point, and now we’ll dig into the science behind these unique phytochemicals more.

Elderberry Vitamins

Vitamins present in elderberry are B vitamins, A vitamins, vitamin E (tocopherols), and vitamin C. The content of vitamin C in fresh elderberry fruits is 6–35 mg/100 g, whereas a lemon contains about 50 mg/100g of fresh juice.

Elderberry Minerals

Elderberry contains the following minerals: Potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, chromium, nickel, and cadmium.

Elderberry Polyphenols

The most important polyphenols in elderberry fruit are generally thought to be the flavonoids and anthocyanins.

Elderberry Flavonoids

The predominant flavonoids found in elderberry are quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin. Elderberry also contains flavonoids called catechins, which are most well-known for occurring in green tea such as green tea catechin EGCG.

Quercetin-type flavonoids are widely distributed in plants and are generally regarding as being some of the most biologically useful. Quercetin is a long lasting anti-inflammatory substance that effects many different cell types throughout the body. Quercetin stabilizes the functions of mast cells (immune cells that release histamine) and has gastrointestinal cytoprotective activity. Quercetin modulates inflammation and immunity, a powerful combination for many who are over-inflamed with overactive immune systems (9).

Elderberry Anthocyanins

The two main anthocyanins elderberry contains are cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-sambubioside. Four metabolites from these two also exist, the metabolites being peonidin-3-glucoside, peonidin-3-sambubioside, peonidin monoglucuronide, and cyanidin-3-glucoside monoglucuronide. Elderberry contains a lot of anthocyanins, reaching levels between 600-1250 mg per 100 g.

Anthocyanins have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immune-stimulating, antimicrobial, antiallergic, and antiviral properties. These beneficial properties make anthocyanins promising therapeutic options to help in the treatment of many different chronic degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. Because anthocyanins are such potent antioxidants and free radical scavengers, they are also being investigated as chemoprotective agents.

The mechanisms underlying the absorption of anthocyanins is not well known, but the absorption and bioavailability of anthocyanins depends on the type and sub-form. With a large enough dose, such as 720 mg, anthocyanins levels can remain highly elevated in the blood for 4-6 hours, and levels will reach baseline by 24 hours (10).

Elderberry Safety and Toxicity

Is Elderberry Poisonous?

There are safety concerns that you should be aware of with elderberry. Elderberry is an amazing plant with many health and medicinal uses, but only if prepared properly, as elderberry contains plant molecules known as cyanogenic glycosides. When cyanogenic glycosides undergo enzymatic hydrolysis, poisonous hydrogen cyanide (HCN) is released. There are very few reported cases of elderberry consumption causing illness, though there was one incident in 1983 where a group of people at a religious center in California made a raw elderberry juice using the berries, leaves, and stems, and allowed the mixture to soak overnight before consumption. Eleven people got sick and one person who drank five cups of the mixture had to be hospitalized. No one died, and later analysis of their blood showed no elevations in serum cyanide levels (11).

CC4.0 | DOI - 10.3390/molecules26051384

Researchers who examined the American Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) for cyanogenic potential found that stems and green berries from the plant had much more cyanogenic potential that other parts of the plant (12). Hydrogen cyanide also boils off slightly above room temperature, so any hydrogen cyanide that is present or forms during the preparation process will off gas during the boiling process, just make sure to keep your workspace well-ventilated. When preparing elderberry for use only ripe berries are to be used, never leaves or stems from the plant, and after the mashed berries are boiled for 15+ minutes, the pulp is strained and the seeds and skins are removed. More of making elderberry juice in the next section.

To answer the question of “is elderberry poisonous?”, if you prepare elderberry properly, or buy a commercial product, the total cyanogenic potential is extremely low and poses no threat to your health.

Elderberry Allergy

Avoid consuming elderberry if you have a known allergy or hypersensitivity to elder or from plants in the Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle) family.

How to Make Elderberry Juice

There are many ways to prepare elderberry, from making elderberry juice to elderberry syrup or elderberry extract, and I encourage you to experiment with whatever different preparation methods you desire. Elderberry syrup and extract are good to make because they last for a long time, whereas elderberry juice is best consumed within 1-2 weeks of preparation.

Thus far I have made a lot of elderberry juice, as it was the easiest option available to me as I traveled around Europe for 6+ months. It’s a straightforward process as you can tell with the photo gallery below.

Elderberry Juice Recipe

1. Once your elderberries are plucked from the shrub/tree, destem the berries by running your fingers through the berry clusters gently. Discard the stems once completed.

2. With your elderberries now in the container you’ll boil them in, pluck out any stem bits that made it into the pile, as well as any bright red and green berries.

3. Mash and crush the elderberries into a pulp using either a masher or your good ol’ hands.. Elderberry juice rinses off easily and is only lightly staining, and using your hands makes it easy to feel the berries that are still intact and then crush them. This process will release quite a bit of juice but not enough to comfortably boil the berries.

4. Add water to the elderberry pulp and juice, increasing the total volume of the pots contents by 2-3x. For the volume of elderberries I processed in the images above I used 2 liters of mineral water.

5. Bring the elderberry mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to a low rolling boil for 15 minutes. During this time it’s good to stir the mixture occasionally, and foam from the top can be skimmed off at the beginning if desired (eventually it’ll boil off).

6. Once the boiling is complete separate the juice from the pump with a fine mesh strainer. Press on the pulp with a fork to release more juice, and once the berry pulp is relatively dry it can either be boiled again with the addition of more water or discarded/composed after the first use. All the seeds will be in the pulp, and you can spread the mixture around outside in the hopes of germinating a new elderberry plant (unlikely after the boiling, but hey worth a shot).

7. Elderberry juice has a very mild taste, it’s not sweet at all in my opinion, and you can sweeten the juice lightly with some honey, a tablespoon or two is all that’s needed. Lemon juice also makes a good addition to elderberry juice and helps it stay fresh longer due to the extra acidity and vitamin C.

8. Once the juice has cooled, store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 1-2 weeks, though it’ll probably be gone in just a couple days ;)

Other Elderberry Products

When fresh harvestable elderberries aren’t an option, then it’s a good idea to keep some elderberry flu medicine around the house primarily for viral prevention and treatment. Elderberry and zinc lozenges are a good combination medicine for this, as the zinc and elderberry combo coating the back of the throat helps prevent viral replication for an upper respiratory infection. Elderberry syrup is another good option for this, as is elderberry tincture, both products being sold by Mountain Rose Herbs.

Another option I like for cold prevention is elderberry tea. Elderberries can be harvested and dried oneself, or dried elderberries can be purchased from a reputable vendor like Mountain Rose Herbs. Take a spoonful of dried elderberries and steep them with boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Other herbs can be added to elderberry tea like chamomile, echinacea (another good antiviral), dandelion root, or medicinal mushrooms, play herbalist and see what you like!

Elderberry Herbalism

There are hundreds and hundreds of herbs that exist, all containing different chemical constituents and having different health effects. Some of these herbs are well studied, others less so. Elderberry is an excellent herb for a beginning herbalism to experiment with because it is easy to identify after a little study, has potent health and wellness benefits, is one of nature’s best antivirals, and is relatively common worldwide.

Please share your experiences using elderberry or ask any questions you have in the comments below!

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References:

1. Malcom Stuart, et al. The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism. Crescent Books, New York.

2. Ulbricht C, Basch E, Cheung L, et al. An evidence-based systematic review of elderberry and elderflower (sambucus nigra) by the natural standard research collaboration. Journal of Dietary Supplements. 2014;11(1):80-120.

3. Torabian G, Valtchev P, Adil Q, Dehghani F. Anti-influenza activity of elderberry (Sambucus nigra). Journal of Functional Foods. 2019;54:353-360.

4. Schön C, Mödinger Y, Krüger F, Doebis C, Pischel I, Bonnländer B. A new high-quality elderberry plant extract exerts antiviral and immunomodulatory effects in vitro and ex vivo. Food and Agricultural Immunology. 2021;32(1):650-662.

5. Schmitzer V, Veberic R, Stampar F. European elderberry (Sambucus Nigra L.) and American Elderberry (Sambucus Canadensis L.): Botanical, chemical and health properties of flowers, berries and their products. Berries: Properties, Consumption and Nutrition. 2012:127-148.

6. Sidor A, Gramza-Michałowska A. Advanced research on the antioxidant and health benefit of elderberry (Sambucus nigra) in food – a review. Journal of Functional Foods. 2015;18:941-958.

7. Tsuda T, Horio F, Uchida K, Aoki H, Osawa T. Dietary cyanidin 3-o-β-d-glucoside-rich purple corn color prevents obesity and ameliorates hyperglycemia in mice. The Journal of Nutrition. 2003;133(7):2125-2130.

8. Hribar U, Ulrih NP. The metabolism of anthocyanins. Curr Drug Metab. 2014;15(1):3-13.

9. Li Y, Yao J, Han C, et al. Quercetin, inflammation and immunity. Nutrients. 2016;8(3):167.

10. Milbury PE, Cao G, Prior RL, Blumberg J. Bioavailablility of elderberry anthocyanins. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development. 2002;123(8):997-1006.

11. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Poisoning from elderberry juice--California. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1984;33(13):173-174.

12. Appenteng MK, Krueger R, Johnson MC, et al. Cyanogenic glycoside analysis in american elderberry. Molecules. 2021;26(5):1384.

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More Immune Boosting Herbs

Dandelion

Article by Stefan Burns - Updated April 2022. Join the Wild Free Organic email newsletter!

Dandelion Quick Fact Sheet

Name:	Dandelion, Linnaean - Taraxacum officinale
Color:	Yellow flowers, green leaves, whiteish-tan to brown roots
Constituents:	Taraxacin, taraxerin, taraxerol, taraxasterol, polyphenols, carotenoids, xanthophylls, flavoxanthin, inulin, sterols, terpenes
Effect:	Blood purifier, improves digestion (diuretic in high doses), anti-inflammatory,
Preparation:	Flowers and leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. The roots can be shredded or powdered for use in tea or for supplementation.
Dosing:	1-3 grams of root for tea, 1-10 grams of root powder for supplementation purposes
General Notes:	Dandelion flowers and leaves contain abundant levels of calcium. Dandelion root can be used as a coffee substitute. All parts of the plant are safe to use in large amounts.

What is Dandelion?

With flowers like honey, leaves like lettuce, and roots like coffee it’s no wonder that dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) are immensely popular despite being considered only as a weed by many uneducated. Dandelion is an entirely edible wildflower whose roots, leaves, and flowers have been used as different food and herbal products, and medicinally in herbalism practices for thousands of years. Its long history as a folk remedy is now supported by modern scientific research that has taken place looking into the unique phytochemistry and health benefits of dandelion.

Dandelion in Ayurveda

In Ayurveda it is said that food is medicine, and the humble dandelion is an excellent example of this truth, being both a common food around the world while also being a premiere detoxifing herbal medicine.

In Ayurveda dandelions are recommended for reducing kapha in the body when transitioning from the winter to spring season, and the appearance of blooming dandelions during that early spring period aligns with this advice. In Ayurveda kapha is one of the three functional energies of nature, made of primarily earth and water elements. The nature of kapha energy is slow, heavy, smooth, oily, and stable. Kapha-rich foods provide warmth, stability, and comfort during cold winter months but kapha brings with it a certain dullness. Dandelion is used in Ayurveda at the beginning of spring to reduce excess kapha energy accumulated during the winter months and to promote the higher frequency vitality that is of benefit during winter and spring.

Dandelion Identification

Dandelion is widely distributed in the warmer temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere and are found on all the continents except Antarctica. Dandelions were first brought to North America on the 1620 Mayflower voyage from Britain to Massachusetts.

The oblong 3-10” (7.5-25 cm) long leaves of a mature dandelion plant grow in a basal rosette. The leaves have a few hairs and have widely-spaced teeth that point towards the base of the plant. Dandelions have a thick fleshy taproot that is easily broken. All parts of the plant exude a milky sap when cut. A yellow dandelion flower is not a single flower but instead a composite flower head composed of many very small florets.

Dandelion Cultivation

Dandelions are easily cultivated and require very little attention once established. To grow dandelions grow in your area then harvest some dandelion seedheads and blow the seeds (and make a wish!) out over where you want the dandelions to start growing. Alternatively instead of finding dandelion seedheads to harvest you can purchase dandelion seeds from Mountain Rose Herbs.

Taraxacum officinale in the garden is highly beneficial because their deep tap roots draw water and nutrients up from soil layers inaccessible to many other plants. If harvesting from a plant pull no more than half of its leaves and/or flowers, or if digging dandelions up by the root then harvest no more than 50% of all the dandelions in an area in order to maintain a healthy stable population. If the taproot is broken during harvesting and a segment remains stuck in the ground leave it and consider it a good thing because a dandelion can regrow easily from its broken roots.

The longer a dandelion is left to grow without harvesting the bigger and more dominant it’ll become. In my garden I have a few especially large dandelions that I never harvest from so they may always function for the benefit of the garden, soil microbiome, and for continuously dandelion seeding. Dandelions are a vital source of nectar for pollinators throughout the year but especially during early spring time.

Harvesting Dandelion

Dandelion is a hardy and very adaptable wildflower than can grow in a wide variety of environments, and for this reason it’s important to be careful in sourcing dandelion from reputable sources. Dandelions can grow, even thrive, in areas contaminated with waste, and their efficient and deep taproots can draw toxins out of the soil and into their roots. Care should be taken to only wild harvest dandelions from uncontaminated areas. For example, dandelions growing along the side of a road where pollution levels are higher, or dandelions growing in a field sprayed with pesticides, should not be consumed.

The phytochemical composition of dandelion depends on the season in which it is gathered and the time of day it is harvested. Inulin content in dandelion roots is determined by the degree of conversion of inulin to laevulose and other sugars, which is ~2% during spring to ~40% in fall. Sesquiterpene is one compound that imparts a bitter taste to dandelion leaves and roots, and it’s present at greater concentrations when dandelion is harvested in the spring. Concentrations of methyl sterols are highest during the winter months, whereas sitosterol and cycloartenol esters levels are greatest during periods of sunshine of which there is more of during the summer months. The science of when to harvest dandelion to boost what health effect is still being discovered, so if using dandelion yourself as part of an herbal practice I recommend harvesting dandelions at different parts of the year, labeling the conditions under which they were harvested, and making your own observations as to the differences.

Dandelion Health Benefits

Raw dandelion greens contain high amounts of vitamins A, C, and K, contain abundant potassium, and are moderate sources of calcium, iron, and manganese. Dandelion is also one of the richest green-vegetable sources of beta-carotene (which is converted to vitamin A by the body). Dandelions also contain a variety of phytochemicals such as lactones, terpenoids, polysaccharides, phenylpropanoids, phenolic compounds, and inulin.

Modern scientific research as it is known to do is splitting apart and examining the biochemical effects of the many phytochemicals that dandelion has, which is useful to understand very precisely what phytochemical has what effect. This approach has its limits though, and with new compounds being discovered continuously it is more practical to understand the health benefits of dandelion from a holistic “whole-herb” viewpoint.

Taraxacum officinale benefits

Of all of dandelions many health effects what’s best established is that consuming dandelion has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects throughout the body. It’s dandelion’s anti-inflammatory properties that are chiefly responsible for its many cardiovascular, metabolic, immunity, digestive, anti-cancer, and liver protective health benefits.

Dandelion Health Uses

Dandelion’s health benefits provide it many health uses, and the way some of it’s health benefits overlap in effects allow dandelion to be useful for common health conditions which exist downstream of the beneficial changes dandelion causes in the body, for example with skin issues. When discussing the health uses of dandelion, in general it is dandelion root that is most commonly given herbally.

Dandelion for Pain

Possessing many strong antioxidant compounds and overall being a strong anti-inflammatory, the entire dandelion plant is useful for reducing pain throughout the body, and may even work to heal the root issues causing the pain. Acute pain may require a large dosage whereas chronic pain might be eased with a lower daily dose of dandelion in the form of tea or root powder.

Dandelion is a Cardiovascular and Metabolism Aid

Dandelion improves blood cholesterol values, adapts fat metabolism towards optimal, improves blood glucose parameters, inhibits excessive platelet aggregation and reduces risk from thrombosis and other blood coagulation disorders. In general dandelion is considered a blood purifier, and by detoxifying and improving blood parameters it improves the efficiency of the heart which reduces risk from cardiovascular disease.

Dandelion has Anti-Cancer Properties

Dandelion inhibits the growth of cancer cells through anti-tumor actions, is cytotoxic to mature cancer cells and induces them to undergo apoptosis (cellular death), is immunostimulatory, and does all this while displaying no toxicity to healthy cells. Dandelion might not cure cancer on its own, but taken alongside traditional cancer treatment will improves chances of successful elimination of cancer without causing any new side effects (and more likely ameliorating to a degree the side effects of common cancer drugs and therapies).

Dandelion is a Digestive Aid and Diuretic

Dandelion reduces constipation, diarrhea, and intestinal cramping, increases thickness of the mucosal lining of the digestion system, heals gastric ulcers, increases bile production (an aid to fat utilization), stimulates healthy appetite, and possesses antimicrobial properties.

One of the root causes of many digestive ailments is the lack of mucous production sufficient to coat and protect the epithelial linings of the gastrointestinal system. Mucous is the first line of defense against the trillions and trillions of microorganisms that live in the gut, and if mucosal linings are thin then microorganisms can colonize directly on the outer digestive cellular surface, creating an inflammatory burden and stressing the capabilities of the immune system. These biofilms as they are known are difficult to dissolve/dislodge, and biofilms are one reason why many digestive issues flair back up after seeming to go away after a gut healing protocol like a 48 hour fast. By stimulating mucous production while also possessing antibacterial and immune-boosting properties, dandelion packs a one two three punch against biofilms which are a main contributor to many digestive issues. Dandelion tea taken 1-2x time a day is best for healing the digestive system.

Dandelion for Kidney Issues

Dandelion may prevent and help with the treatment of kidney stones at moderate to high dosages. Kidney stones are typically made of a mineral known as calcium oxalate. Direct supplementation of calcium can cause an slight increased chance of kidney stones, but a much bigger risk factor in developing kidney stones is a diet low in calcium. When calcium levels are low, oxalate circulates in the bloodstream at greater concentrations, and much of this oxalate eventually will wind up in urine where it is 15x more likely to precipitate calcium oxalate crystals as compared to calcium concentrations in urine.

Dandelions reduce the risk of kidney stones not only because of the effect some of its phytochemicals have on the renal system, but also because dandelion is a rich source of calcium which if consumed regularly will reduce the chance of experiencing low calcium levels.

Dandelion for Liver Issues

Dandelion modulates liver enzymes, protects against alcoholic liver damage, and is an anti-fibrotic agent for hepatic disorders like liver fibrosis. When dandelion is a regular part of the diet, supplemented directly with, or consumed often as a tea, it has a general protective effect on the liver.

The liver is the bodies master detoxifier next to the kidneys, and supporting the liver in these efforts can prevent to buildup of cellular stress and waste products which can lead to health problems from minor to serious. Being mindful of liver health is a necessary requirement for good health and longevity.

Dandelion Uses for Skin

Dandelion’s antimicrobial, cholesterol improving, blood glucose optimizing, coagulation reducing, immune boosting, and general anti-inflammatory effects demonstrate that dandelion is a first class “blood purifier”. The skin is the largest organ and since it covers so much surface area and is exposed to the outside environment, the skin is a tidy detoxification pathway. Skin inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis and eczema, or more common skin issues like acne are caused by autoimmune and immune reactions to microorganisms respectively.

As a blood purifier dandelion will reduce the use of the skin detoxification pathway because the issue (autoimmunity, excess bacteria) will be reduced in the body and better controlled, thereby not requiring skin detoxification to occur in the first place. For dandelion to work best for skin conditions, it should be eaten or supplemented with daily, and for serious skin issues a dandelion poultice from any part of the plant can be made and applied directly to the area of concern.

Other Dandelion Root Benefits

Some other benefits of dandelion root is that it is an adaptogen for the endocrine system, especially for female hormone disorders as it increases estrogen receptor expression, progesterone receptor expression, and follicle stimulating hormone receptor expression in adipose tissue and reproductive organs.

Through its blood purifying actions and the large surface area of blood vessels in the lungs, dandelion has proven useful in treating inflammatory lung conditions.

Note: Much of the research into dandelion showing these benefits has been done using animal models and therefore hasn’t been directly confirmed for humans.

Dandelion Food Products

Being a ubiquitous and plentiful herb in parts of the world (especially Europe where few dangerous pesticides are used to eliminate them), and being completely edible has led to the creation of many different dandelion foods, some being just raw parts of the plant while others are derivatives.

*Dandelion root and leaf products for purchase are listed at the end of this article.

Dandelion Flowers

Dandelion flowers can be eaten raw and are quite nice enjoyed this way. They have quite a sweet flavor but if left in the palate that sweetness will eventually turn bitter. Eat dandelion flowers by themselves as an occasional treat or add them as a salad topper for flavor and color.

I like eating dandelion flowers raw because they are high in calcium and therefore are good for the teeth. Since dandelions grow fairly ubiquitously, if a patch of happy dandelions is found growing in a good spot, picking a few and leaving a majority makes for a healthy enamel-building snack while out and about.

Dandelion Leaves

Like the flowers dandelion leaves can be eaten raw, though it’s also common to eat them steamed or sautéed. Dandelion greens are nutty and earthy in flavor but can be quite bitter. Dandelion leaves can be made less bitter through blanching, first boiling them in salty water for 1-2 minutes and then immersing them in ice water for 30 seconds.

Dandelion leaves make a great addition to a leafy green salad when added in a minimal amount so their bitterness isn’t overwhelming and the natural earthiness instead comes out. Smaller younger dandelion leaves are less bitter than larger more mature leaves.

Dandelion Tea

Dandelion tea is one of the primary ways to enjoy the heath and herbal benefits of dandelion. Dandelion tea can be made from all three parts of the plant, though it’s typically the root that is steeped. For a full extract dandelion tea steep dried dandelion root, dried dandelion leaves, and fresh dandelion blossoms all together.

The strength of a dandelion tea is determined by the water temperature used and the length of time it is steeped for. A light dandelion tea can be made by steeping dandelion root for 5-8 minutes with 170 F (75 C) water. A more potent dandelion tea more specifically used for health and herbal reasons can be made by steeping dandelion flowers, dried leaves, and dried root for 15 minutes using boiling water.

A water-based dandelion extract can be made by simmering dried dandelion root for 30-90 minutes. Though dandelion is non-toxic, this extract will be quite bitter and is best used for specific health and wellness endeavors (for example as a strong blood purifying agent)

Dandelion Jelly

One unique way to enjoy dandelions is to make a jelly from dandelion flower blossoms. Pick a 4 cups worth of dandelion flowers and remove all stems and green parts from the flower heads. Bring 4 cups of spring water to a boil and pour over the flowers, steeping them until the water is room temperature.

Once cool strain and press the mixture to extract as much rich dandelion tea as possible. In a pot bring the dandelion tea, 2 tbsp of lemon juice, and half a packet of pectin (1/4 cup & 1.5 tsp) to a boil. Stir in 4 cups of sugar and boil for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly before pouring the jelly mixture into airtight canning jars. Let the jelly rest in the refrigerator until set, about 4 hours.

Dandelion Coffee

Roasted and ground dandelion root can be used as a caffeine-free coffee alternative because it has a similar appearance and taste to coffee. For those looking to perform a caffeine tolerance reset, or for those traveling through the bush like hunters who want an easy to identify and produce early morning drink, dandelion coffee is a good alternative to coffee to enjoy. Dandelion coffee has the benefit of being high in many vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals and is a detoxifier as well as a diuretic.

Dandelion Wine

Dandelion wine is made dandelion flower blossoms like dandelion jelly except the strong dandelion tea that is made is fermented instead of jellied. Dandelion wine has a moderate alcohol content and has been produced mostly non-commercially as a “cheap man’s wine” in Europe and North America. The general rule of thumb is one gallon of dandelion flowers will produce one gallon of dandelion wine.

Dandelion wine has many of the health benefits that other dandelion preparations have, specifically it’s a useful digestive aid that can be used to restore normal digestive function which also cleanses the microbiome (due to the alcohol content) of pathogenic microorganisms.

Is Dandelion Safe?

Dandelion is one of the safest herbs known to man. The entire plant is non-toxic and it has a long history of use in large doses.

The biggest concern with the safety of dandelion is not the plant itself but whether the plant has absorbed contamination like heavy metals from waste areas. Since dandelions can grow in conditions many other plants can’t tolerate, they can be growing in environments where they’re best left undisturbed and unharvested. Dandelions growing in waste areas detoxify and remediate the soil and are best left to that noble task.

Dandelion Dosing

Dandelion is entirely non-toxic and is useful and well-tolerated in large doses. Dandelion flowers and leaves can be consumed in large amounts similar to typical servings for leafy greens like spinach and kale, whereas dandelion root powder is often supplemented with in the 1-10 gram range.

To brew a typical cup of dandelion tea steep 1-3 grams of dandelion root in boiling water for 5-8 minutes. Serve with honey to cut the bitterness.

Brew dandelion coffee the same as you would with regular coffee. Roasted dandelion root can be combined with chaga mushroom (another coffee substitute) to create a dandelion chaga coffee substitute, which has even more beneficial health effects. Or combine coffee, roasted dandelion root, and chaga together!

Where to Buy Dandelion?

Dandelion products are available from many different suppliers, and the supplier I trust and keep returning too is Mountain Rose Herbs. Mountain Rose Herbs offers a wide range of organic herbs, spices, essential oils, and so much more. All of their dandelion products are USDA organic certified.

Dandelion Root

This dandelion root is harvested in autumn when its inulin content is highest. Dandelion root finely chopped in this way is great for steeping into a tea, I recommend buying double what you think you need because in my experience I end up using dandelion root much faster than expected.

Roasted Dandelion Root is a good caffeine-free coffee alternative.

Dandelion Root Extract absorbs quickly and powerfully into the bloodstream when taken sublingually.

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Dandelion Root Powder

Powdered dandelion root is useful for taking as a raw full-spectrum supplement.

Roasted Dandelion Root Powder has a stronger earthy flavor than the unroasted powder, try both to see which you prefer!

Dandelion Root Capsules make supplementing with dandelion root easy and convenient, either at home or on the go.

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Dandelion Leaf

These dandelion leaves are collected before flowering occurs. Dandelion leaves have different phytochemical ratios than dandelion root. Steep dandelion leaf and root together for a tea which holistically contains the benefits of the full plant.

References:

1. Malcom Stuart, et al. The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism. Crescent Books, New York.

2. González-Castejón M, Visioli F, Rodriguez-Casado A. Diverse biological activities of dandelion. Nutrition Reviews. 2012;70(9):534-547.

Disclosure: Wild Free Organic is a member of various affiliate programs and if a purchase is made through one of our affiliate links a small commission is received. This does not affect your purchase price. Visit our disclosure page for more information.

Other Herbs for Digestion

Ashwagandha

Article by Stefan Burns - Updated April 2022. Join the Wild Free Organic email newsletter!

Ashwagandha roots - CC4.0 Piyush Kothari

Ashwagandha Quick Fact Sheet

Name:	Ashwagandha, Indian Ginseng, Linnaean - Withania somnifera
Color:	Green leaves, red berries, tan rhizomes and roots
Constituents:	steroidal lactones (withanolides, withaferins), saponins, alkaloids
Effect:	Endocrine adaptogen, stress adaptogen, reduces anxiety, anti-inflammatory, performance booster, aphrodisiac, anti-parasitic, enhances vitality, neuroprotective
Preparation:	The root is the part most commonly used, followed by the leaves. Both can be ground into a powder for use or extracted into a tincture
Dosing:	300–600 mg of a root extract taken with meals. Doses in the 2-5 gram range of raw root powder daily may raise testosterone levels and increase male fertility.
General Notes:	Ashwagandha is one of the best known herbal adaptogens because it works on so many different levels, from reducing stress and anxiety to balancing hormone levels to optimal function. Has anti-inflammatory effects which make it useful for digestive, immune, and cognitive optimization. Ashwagandha is a very revered herb in the Indian Ayurvedic system of medicine

What is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a small evergreen shrub that produces berries and is therefore sometimes known as “Indian Winter Berry”. The roots, leaves, flowers, and seeds all have medicinal uses, though it’s the roots that are most commonly used in herbal medicine practices. The word ashwagandha means “odor of a horse” and this name was given to Withania Somnifera because the roots have a smell similar to that of a sweaty horse, and it’s also believed that consuming ashwagandha gives one the power of a horse. The name is well deserved because Ashwagandha is a powerful tonic, aphrodisiac, thermogenic, and stimulant in addition to having pain-relieving, digestive healing, and anti-parasitic properties. Ashwagandha also has powerful neurologic benefits and is increasingly being used in the treatment of various brain disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease or lesser ailments like depression and anxiety. Because of its wide range of uses, ashwagandha is well known as an adaptogen which can be used medicinally to treat acute or chronic health problems, and it can also be used preventatively or simply to boost health and function beyond normal.

Cultivation of Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is cultivated in north-western and central parts of India and it is also found in Nepal, China, and Yemen. Ashwagandha is most commonly found growing in semi-tropical regions 1500 meters above sea level which receive 50-80 cm of annual rainfall. It grows best in sandy loam or light red soil, in partial shade, and in a 20 to 38 C temperature range.

Ashwagandha in Ayurveda

In the ancient Ayurvedic system of medicine, ashwagandha is classified first as a “rasayana” which means tonic, and is further classified as a medhyarasayana, medhya referring to the mind and intellect. Ashwagandha has the most prestige among the different rasayanas in Ayurveda because of its many effective medicinal uses. As a tonic ashwagandha is given to guard and defend against disease, to slow the aging process and rejuvenate the body, and to improve intellect and memory capabilities. Ashwagandha is most effective as a medhyarasayana following head injuries, in old age, or for children with cognitive disorders.

Ashwagandha is most commonly available as a finely milled and sieved “churna” powder produced from the roots which can be mixed with water, ghee, or honey. Often prescribed for Vata imbalances. Ashwagandha is one of the most important herbs in Ayurveda, broadly known to promote a youthful state of physical and mental health expanding overall happiness.

Ashwagandha in Other Herbal Medicinal Systems

Ashwagandha also holds a place of importance in other ancient systems of medicine in the Asian and African regions. In Traditional Chinese Medicine ashwagandha is used to balance “Qi” life force energy and is categorized as a Qi tonic. In the Tibetan System of Medicine ashwagandha is used in the treatment of respiratory disorders, to aid the functions of the liver, to strengthen the body, and to maintain heboglobin levels. In parts of Africa the leaves of Withania somnifera are used as a dressing for infections and inflammations. Finely powdered ashwagandha root is mixed with animal fat and applied as an ointment for sores and abscesses. In the Zulu culture ashwagandha is used to protect people from sorcery.

Ashwagandha Health Benefits

Ashwagandha is a powerful adaptogen that has many beneficial health effects thanks to its many (35+) unique chemical constituents. The most active of these components are:

1. Alkaloids | Functions: Improves energy metabolism and cell to cell signaling, neuroprotective, boosts immunity

2. Lactones (withanolides, withaferins) | Functions: Suppresses oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory, inhibits lipid peroxidation, neuroregenerative. Steroidal lactones are an important component of cell membranes and of steroid signaling molecules

3. Saponins | Functions: Anti-tumor & anti-cancer, radiation protection, boosts immunity

Together these phytonutrients broadly influence the function of the cognitive, immune, metabolic, digestive, and reproductive systems providing the following benefits:

Cognitive Benefits of Ashwagandha

• Ashwagandha leaf and root extracts reduce symptoms of anxiety, comparable to pharmaceutical drugs

• Ashwagandha inhibits nerve cells from over firing

• Slows, stops, and even reverses neural decay by promoting the growth of new neurons and by creating new synaptic connections

• Comparable to pharmaceutical drugs in reducing symptoms of depression, stabilizes mood

• Normalizes dopamine levels to normal, increasing dopamine levels in those suffering from Parkinson’s disease

• Intensifies acetylcholine, glutathione, and secretase enzyme activity

• Inhibits the production of amyloid beta plaques in those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease

• Helps to reverse addiction through its balancing actions on neurotransmitters GABA and serotonin

Digestive Benefits of Ashwagandha

• Has a strong effect in preventing and healing stress-induced gastric ulcers

• Helps reduce flatulence and stimulates digestive action

• Has anti-parasitic properties and can clear worms from the digestive system, especially true for ashwagandha seeds

Immune System Benefits of Ashwagandha

• Modulates white blood cell counts back to normal ranges if overly elevated or suppressed

• Has a powerful anti-cancer effect, synergizing well with chemotherapy and radiation therapies while also reducing their side effects.

• Inhibits and reduces the growth of tumors

• Possesses antibacterial properties
  

Metabolic and Endurance Benefits of Ashwagandha

• Improves stamina quite notably and reduces the stress experienced from endurance events when taken beforehand

• Improves mitochondrial function through modulation of various cellular pathways

• Improves metabolism and is mildly anabolic, increasing body weight (likely by increasing lean body mass)
  

Hormonal Benefits of Ashwagandha

• Has evidence of boosting male testosterone levels by around 15% if levels are suboptimal

• Has an aphrodisiac effect for some men and women

• Reduces cortisol and Vitamin C depletion in the adrenal glands after endurance events, preventing adrenal fatigue

• Many of the cognitive benefits of ashwagandha come from its stabilizing effects on the brain’s endocrine glands

Anti-Inflammatory Benefits of Ashwagandha

• Helpful for fever and painful swellings

• Applied topically ashwagandha is useful for skin inflammatory conditions such as pimples, boils, sores, etc

• Has anti-arthritic effects and reduces joint pain

• Ashwagandha contains many powerful antioxidants which neutralize destructive free radicals

Note: Much of the research into ashwagandha showing these benefits has been done using animal models and therefore hasn’t been directly confirmed for humans.

What is Ashwagandha Good For?

As an adaptogen ashwagandha has many uses, and in the different ancient systems of medicine such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine the list of its uses is nearly endless. Classifying ashwagandha as a tonic is probably the best summarization of its many health benefits as a result. In general ashwagandha is good for increasing vitality and energy while promoting balance to many of the bodies different systems (immune, digestive, metabolic, neurologic, etc).

While not new to other cultures outside India and China, ashwagandha is increasingly being discovered by people around the world who are seeking natural treatment options for mental health conditions, by men who want to boost their testosterone levels, or by women who want a natural and safe aphrodisiac. Ashwagandha is a good “introduction” to the practice of herbalism because as an adaptogen the positive health changes it brings about are likely to be felt in some way.

Ashwagandha for Anxiety and Depression

Supplementing with ashwagandha is a good treatment option for anxiety and depression because its effects are noticeably felt while being gentle on the body. Ashwagandha can reduce hyperactivity, circular overthinking, and emotional instability through its modulation of various neurologic pathways. Ashwagandha also reduces stress accumulation which is a large causal factor in mental health concerns like anxiety and depression. If experiencing anxiety, depression, or an overload of stress then supplementing with ashwagandha daily may prove highly beneficial.

Ashwagandha for Testosterone

Male hormonal health has been on a decades long downward trend, with testosterone levels and sperm count declining precipitously since the creation of plastics and pesticides. Ashwagandha is a safe an effective adaptogen for men and it has been observed to raise testosterone levels in men by ~15%. Ashwagandha also increases sperm count and in general promotes youth and vitality. If experiencing symptoms of low testosterone like fatigue, a lack of confidence, depression, low levels of lean body mass, and emotional instability then ashwagandha is a good herbal supplement to take for its endocrine balancing effects. If after supplementing with ashwagandha for some time a stronger testosterone booster is desired then the herb cistanche is a good candidate.

Ashwagandha Benefits for Women

The female menstrual cycle causes key hormones estrogen, progesterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle stimulating hormone to rise and fall in various ways across a 28 day cycle. Sex drive is linked to the rise and fall of these hormones, specifically estrogen and progesterone, and for women who experience low sex drive either from their ups and downs of their natural menstrual cycle or because they are using birth control hormone replacement therapies which lower hormone levels, ashwagandha can serve as a useful aphrodisiac which stimulates sex drive.

The more pronounced variations in female hormone systems also influences immunity, causing it to rise and lower with the changes in secretion of various hormones like progesterone. Ashwagandha can act as an immunity buffer for women that fills in the natural dips of immune system function that may occur for pre and post-menopausal women. Through its effects on the endocrine system and adrenal glands ashwagandha has been shown to be useful in reducing symptoms of menopause like hot flashes, excessive sweating, sleep problems, and more.

How Long does it take for Ashwagandha to Work?

The benefits received from Ashwagandha depend on the length of time supplemented for. A single dose of ashwagandha before an endurance event is sufficient to greatly improve stamina and correspondingly reduce the following stress response. With sufficient dosages stimulant and aphrodisiac effects can be felt quite quickly though these benefits may take a week or more of daily supplementation to materialize. The neurological effects of Ashwagandha build over time, with the growth of new neurons and synaptic connections starting to be observed after one week of daily supplementation. Ashwagandha for parasite removal will take 2-3 weeks of daily supplementation to be effective. It takes 2-3 months of ashwagandha supplementation to observe favorable increases in body-weight and testosterone levels.

Is Ashwagandha Safe?

Ashwagandha has a strong safety profile backed by scientific research and thousands of years of usage medicinally in Ayurveda. There is no known toxicity concerns with ashwagandha if taken within recommended dosage ranges. That said, ashwagandha is a hardy plant able to grow wild in areas contaminated with waste, so care must be taken in purchasing ashwagandha either from a cultivated reputable source, or if purchasing wild-harvested ashwagandha ask the supplier where harvesting occurs.

There is some scientific contradiction to the acute toxicity of ashwagandha extract for rats. One study observed acute toxicity at 1260 mg/kg of ashwagandha extract and set the 50% death rate (LD50) at 1260 mg/kg for rats. Another study did a single acute dosing of ashwagandha extract at 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg which showed no toxicity, and then followed that with daily supplementation of the same extract amounts for 28 days and still observed no toxicity.

Considering the variability, it’s safer to go with the 1260 mg/kg LD50 rate for rats, and when converted to a human equivalent dose, the calculated ashwagandha extract human LD50 is 200 mg/kg of body-weight. For a 50, 75, and 100 kg individual the ashwagandha extract LD50 dosages are 10, 15, and 20 grams (a ridiculous amount). Ashwagandha is most commonly supplemented in the 250 to 600 mg range, so there is little to worry of when supplementing ashwagandha responsibly.

Ashwagandha Side Effects

The side effects that may occur when supplementing with ashwagandha are rare and more a result of other physiological changes that ashwagandha triggers. For example an increase in circulating testosterone for men may cause an increase in acne if other factors are out of balance. The minor diuretic effect of ashwagandha will be amplified when dosing beyond recommended ranges. If taking ashwagandha for or as part of a parasite cleanse then it behooves one to be aware of the side effects that may be experienced during that type of health protocol. Ashwagandha can be sedative for some individuals, and though very rare, because it affects the functions of various neurotransmitters in the brain it may cause irritability or an unstable mood depending on the unique physiological state of an individual.

Ashwagandha Dosing

The amount of ashwagandha to supplement with is dependent upon the level of extraction and the part of the plant used. Ashwagandha roots are the most common way to supplement with ashwagandha, so the dosages here are for the roots, though dosing with the leaves is of a similar amount. As a topically applied poultice ashwagandha is mixed with a carrier (water, fat, or honey) and applied at an amount sufficient to cover the desired area.

Raw ashwagandha root is most commonly dosed at 300 to 600 mg daily. To keep blood concentrations of ashwagandha’s active constituents high, split the daily dosage in two and take half in the morning and half at night. When first supplementing with ashwagandha use the lower end of the dosing range for a few days to screen for undesirable effects and then increase the dosage from there if desired.

5 grams of raw ashwagandha root powder taking daily was found effective at boosting testosterone levels for men at varying degrees of infertility, and while the results of that study show that taking 5 grams of raw ashwagandha powder daily for a few months presented no health complications, a lower dose is likely suitable for men looking to boost their testosterone levels and/or semen counts who aren’t infertile. For testosterone boosting and for athletes looking to boost their energy output and endurance, 1 gram of ashwagandha root powder taken daily split into 500 mg morning and night doses is suitable to start with.

Ashwagandha Tea

A common way of using ashwagandha is by brewing it into a tea. Premade ashwagandha tea bags typically contain 1-2 grams of the powdered root. Steep with 170 F (75 C) water for 5-8 minutes, or if desiring a more potent tea (and you don’t mind possible bitterness) steep with boiling water for 5-15 minutes.

On its own Ashwagandha tea is a great choice to keep in the tea cabinet for the many uses and health benefits discussed throughout this article. Ashwagandha can also be added to other herbs to create a synergistic tea blend for specific purposes. For example a cognitive-enhancing herbal tea could consist of equal parts ashwagandha, chaga mushroom, and gingko leaf, 1-2 cups enjoyed daily.

Where to Buy Ashwagandha Supplements?

My favorites suppliers of ashwagandha are Mountain Rose Herbs and Nootropics Depot. There are many other high-quality suppliers of ashwagandha out there, but for the level of quality and price Mountain Rose herbs and Nootropics Depot are the best, and the differences between their ashwagandha products provides different usage options.

Mountain Rose Herbs Organic Ashwagandha

Mountain Rose Herbs sells ashwagandha as chopped root, root powder, root powder capsules, root extract, and even ashwagandha seeds. They also have ashwagandha as an ingredient in different herbal extracts like their immune herbal extract and adapt care herbal extract.

Ashwagandha Root

Raw chopped ashwagandha root is ideal for steeping into a tea or for creating your own herbal extracts. Besides planting ashwagandha seeds and harvesting the roots yourself, purchasing the raw chopped root is the lowest cost option available, though the finely milled ashwagandha root powder is only slightly more expensive. Dried ashwagandha root like this oxidizes very slowly and will keep for a long time.

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Ashwagandha Root Powder

If desiring to supplement with a raw ashwagandha root powder then the offering from Mountain Rose Herbs is of great quality, organic, and very economical. Great for putting into capsules or for mixing with other herbal powders for custom herbal supplement powders or capsules.

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Ashwagandha Root Powder Capsules

If convenience is the ultimate goal then capsules are the best way to supplement with ashwagandha. Pills are dosed accurately and can be taken anywhere easily without need for scooping or steeping. Ashwagandha supplement pills are ideal for those who travel often, and ashwagandha is a useful travel/stress supplement to begin with.

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Ashwagandha Root Extract

Taken sublingually (under the tongue) herbal extracts are absorbed quickly into the bloodstream and bypass some of the digestive processes. For those seeking the fastest effect from ashwagandha (athletes, lovers), an extract is the way to go. The extraction process condenses the active constituents and therefore taking an extract is one way of more powerfully supplementing with an herb.

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Ashwagandha Seeds

Plant and cultivate ashwagandha from seed if your climatic conditions are appropriate (see Cultivation of Ashwagandha above). Alternatively, ashwagandha seeds are potent at killing parasites, simply mix some seeds with honey, chew them, and then swallow the resultant mixture (it may be quite bitter). This is also commonly done with papaya seeds for parasite removal.

Nootropics Depot Ashwagandha Supplements

Nootropics Depot carries a few different ashwagandha supplements which suit nearly every preference one may have. I encourage you to browse their full catalogue of ashwagandha products, I’m more of a traditionalist so the two variations I present here are the well-known to be effective basics.

Ashwagandha Powder (standardized 12% withanolides)

Nootropics Depot sources their ashwagandha directly from India in order to ensure a more consistent product. They also do a complete chemical analysis of every batch they receive to ensure their ashwagandha powder is balanced between the different withanolide compounds, each of which has slightly varying effects. By ensuring the withanolide ratios are close to even and then ensuring the powder contains a minimum of 12% withanolides, the ashwagandha powder sold by nootropics depot is more potent in effect than most other raw ashwagandha root powders.

Also available as capsules.

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Shoden Ashwagandha Powder (standardized 35% withanolides)

The Shoden Ashwagandha powder sold by Nootropics Depot is a full spectrum extract created from the leaves and roots of the plant. The powder is tested to ensure it’s a minimum of 35% withanolides, making it even more potent that the 12% or greater withanolide standardized offering above.

For those looking for the strongest withanolides-based ashwagandha supplement look no further.

Also available as capsules.

References:

1. Singh N, Bhalla M, De Jager P, Gilca M. An overview on ashwagandha: a rasayana (Rejuvenator) of ayurveda. Afr J Trad Compl Alt Med. 2011;8(5S).

2. Zahiruddin S, Basist P, Parveen A, et al. Ashwagandha in brain disorders: A review of recent developments. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2020;257:112876.

3. Modi M, Donga S, Dei L. Clinical evaluation of ashokarishta, ashwagandha churna and praval pishti in the management of menopausal syndrome. Ayu. 2012;33(4):511.

4. Nair A, Jacob S. A simple practice guide for dose conversion between animals and human. J Basic Clin Pharma. 2016;7(2):27.

5. Ahmad MK, Mahdi AA, Shukla KK, et al. Withania somnifera improves semen quality by regulating reproductive hormone levels and oxidative stress in seminal plasma of infertile males. Fertility and Sterility. 2010;94(3):989-996.

Disclosure: Wild Free Organic is a member of various affiliate programs and if a purchase is made through one of our affiliate links a small commission is received. This does not affect your purchase price. Visit our disclosure page for more information.

Other Herbs for Hormonal Health

Chaga Mushroom

Article by Stefan Burns - Updated April 2022. Join the Wild Free Organic email newsletter!

Piece of chaga mushroom. CC4.0 Christine Young

Chaga Quick Fact Sheet

Name:	Chaga Mushroom, Linnaean - Inonotus obliquus
Color:	The mycellium mass which is harvested is black on the outside, yellowish orange to brown on the inside
Constituents:	Polysaccharides, glycoproteins, ergosterols, triterpenoids, mycoflavonoids, melanin, oxalate, other myconutrients
Effect:	Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, improves autonomic nervous system function, improves digestion, endocrine adaptogen, exhibits DNA protection properties
Preparation:	The chaga mass is ground into a powder. Often extracted and standardized to increase beta-glucan content by weight
Dosing:	250-1000mg extracted powder, 1-3g raw powder
General Notes:	Chaga is harvested off birth and some other trees. What is harvested is not the fruiting body but instead a mass of sterile mycelium. Can be used as a coffee substitute, thicker cut whole powder works well mixed into coffee grounds before coffee extraction. Often used daily as a general longevity and immune booster with beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. Its high concentration of melanin make it a potent antioxidant. Has a special place of honor in traditional Chinese medicine.

What is Chaga Mushroom?

Chaga is a type of mushroom which grows mainly on birch and much less frequently alder, witchen, and bird cherry. In the process of colonizing a tree, it forms a sterile mostly black mass made of mycelium on the outside of the tree which resembles charcoal because it contains a large amount of melanin. This mass is known as a sclerotium. The harvested sclerotium is the chaga mushroom that is used medicinally and supplemented with. Chaga mushroom contains high levels of beta-glucans and triterpenoids which have powerful health effects. In Eastern Europe medicinal preparations have been made using chaga mushroom for thousands of years. Hunters in those regions would often brew a strong tea from ground chaga which helped them sustain high energy output while traversing the wilderness. The chemical composition of chaga differs significantly from other polypore mushrooms such as reishi mushroom which makes it unique. Chaga is nontoxic, well tolerated, and has virtually no counterindications for medicinal usage.

Chaga Mushroom Identification

Chaga mushroom identification is not always easy, there are various tree rots, growths, and diseases that can look like chaga mushroom. Identification for chaga starts by positively identifying the tree species a potential conk is growing on, and then by examining the conk for chaga-specific identifying characteristics. Some tree burls can look like a chaga conk in shape and size, but aren’t blacked like chaga is, or if they aren’t they don’t possess the rich interior amber, orange, and brown colors. Chaga that is harvestable doesn’t provide a spore print because it is mycelium and not the fruiting body of chaga fungus. Chaga mushroom has no gills and is best harvested in the late summer, fall, and early winter.

Chaga from dead or fallen trees is known as “dead chaga” and will appear black inside and outside and should never be harvested as will likely contain mycotoxins. Chaga collected in ecologically unsafe areas polluted from human activity are unsafe for consumption and can contain significant levels of heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, and strontium.

Chaga Mushroom Benefits

Chaga mushroom has a wide range of positive health effects because of its unique combination of micronutrients, minerals, and myconutrients. Chaga mushroom contains high concentrations of potassium (9-10%), magnesium (0.65%), calcium (0.4%), and phosphorus (0.25%), with more minor minerals being iron, copper, zinc, and chromium. Fifteen amino acids have been identified in chaga mushroom, with glycine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acids making up about 40% of total amino acids. Chaga contains flavonoids (notably anthocyanins and quercetin), triterpenes, beta-glucans, and a high amount of antioxidant melanin pigments which protect against carcinogenic and mutagenic factors as they are involved in DNA repair and cell metabolism.

Together these chemical constituents and many others broadly influence the function of digestive, immune, cardiovascular, metabolic, and regenerative systems providing the following benefits:

Chaga Mushroom Improves Digestion

• Chaga is helpful in treating gastric disorders such as stomach ulcers and intestinal pain

• Chaga possesses strong antimicrobial activity and is useful in improving the microbiome

Chaga Mushroom Improves the Immune System

• Increases T-Helper lymphocyte concentrations

• Normalizes cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells

• Blocks the receptors of tumor cells suppressing their migration

Chaga Mushroom Optimizes the Cardiac, Nervous, and Metabolic Systems

• Chaga calms erratic heart rhythm variability while increasing contractile power of the heart

• Modulates cell metabolism at the central and peripheral nervous system level

• Increases the excitable properties of cell membranes

Chaga Mushroom helps with Healing and Repair

• Many chaga constituents especially melanin are powerful antioxidants which possess anti-inflammatory and radioprotective effects.

• Chaga is helpful for skin conditions such as periodontitis, eczema, dermatitis, and psoriasis

• Chaga lowers risk of cancer

• Chaga has a pain-relieving action

• Improves wound healing and DNA repair

Note: Much of the research into chaga showing these benefits has been done using animal models and therefore hasn’t been confirmed for humans.

Chaga Mushroom Side Effects

As stated earlier, chaga is nontoxic, well tolerated, and has virtually no counterindications for medicinal usage. With that said it has been shown that the effects of chaga are dose-dependent, with small doses often being most effective while larger doses may lead to an opposite action. This U-shape relationship for chaga is most commonly observed for the functions of the cardiac and nervous systems.

Though chaga has been shown to be helpful in improving the function of the heart, sympathetic, and parasympathetic nervous systems, if these systems are dysfunctional then chaga supplementation should be done carefully with only very small dosages to start off in order to determine medicinal usage is positive or negative or negative in effect. It is highly unlikely for the usage of chaga to be deleterious but it is best to proceed with the supplementation of any new herbal with an abundance of caution and start on the low end of the recommended dosing range.

Chaga Mushroom Dosing

Chaga mushroom is dosed differently based on the intended purpose and the degree or refinement. A preventative health dosing regime of chaga mushroom will be less than the recommended dosage for someone fighting cancer who wants to improve their chances of entering into remission.

Raw chaga that hasn’t been made more potent through extraction processes can be dosed in the 0.5-3 gram range. The higher end of that range is best served when extracting chaga myconutrients using water such as when brewing chaga into a tea or with coffee.

Chaga that has been extracted and standardized is more potent and therefore is dosed lower accordingly. It is not possible for provide a dosing range for extracted chaga supplements because it depends on the level of extraction, but for example if it’s a 4:1 extraction (4x more potent), then dose the 4:1 extract at 1/4th the recommended raw dosage.

Making Chaga Tea or Chaga Coffee

Up to 40% of chaga mushroom by dry-weight are water-extractable substances which makes it a good medicinal mushroom for brewing into tea or into coffee.

To brew a chaga tea steep 2-3 grams of ground chaga mushroom in 170 F (75 C) hot water for 8-15 minutes. Best down with a removable tea ball or some other steeping implement.

To brew a chaga infused coffee, mix 2-3 grams of chaga powder into the coffee grounds and brew as normal, whether this is done via drip, French press, or other.

Where to Buy Chaga Mushroom Supplements?

My favorites suppliers of chaga medicinal mushroom are Mountain Rose Herbs and Nootropics Depot. There are many other high-quality suppliers of chaga mushroom out there, but for the level of quality and price Mountain Rose herbs and Nootropics Depot are the best, and the differences between their chaga products provides different options for use.

Mountain Rose Herbs Organic Chaga

Mountain Rose Herbs is a supplier of organic herbs, spices, oils, and other health care products. Mountain Rose Herbs is organic and sourced from hardwood forest in the northern hemisphere. They sell chaga mushroom in course and fine powders as well as in an extract.

Chaga Mushroom Powder

The Mountain Rose Herbs chaga powder is milled from the entire sclerotia. As a whole milled powder it contains the full spectrum of beneficial health compounds found in chaga such as beta-glucans and triterpenes.

Compared to the Nootropics Depot chaga it’s quite a bit more coarse and it floats, so adding it directly to a drink makes for a chunky experience which may or may not bother you. It’s coarse nature makes it great for directly brewing into a drink akin to coffee, or for mixing into coffee grounds to make a chaga coffee. Chaga is an ingredient in my “best nootropic coffee”.

Standard dose is 0.5 - 3 grams once daily.

Chaga Mushroom Extract

Mountain Rose Herb’s chaga mushroom extract is dual water and alcohol extracted and the final product has an alcohol percentage of 20-30%. It comes in 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 oz sizes.

Chaga tincture is great for direct supplementation under the tongue or with a dropper full into a favorite drink like juice, coffee, smoothie, or something stiffer.

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Nootropics Depot Chaga Supplements

Nootropics Depot is a supplier of common and uncommon herbal supplements and other compounds like nootropics. They have a high standard of quality that they adhere to and maintain very transparent business practices which many supplement companies fail to do (or choose not to).

Chaga 1:1 Mushroom Extract Powder

The chaga mushroom powder sold by Nootropics Depot is very finely milled which makes it excellent for stirring directly into a drink like coffee without creating any unpleasant clumps or graininess.

Standard dose is 500 mg once daily.

Beta-Glugan (β-Glucan) minimum content: 8%

Contains Triterpenoids

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References:

1. Shashkina MYa, Shashkin PN, Sergeev AV. Chemical and medicobiological properties of chaga (Review). Pharm Chem J. 2006;40(10):560-568.

Disclosure: Wild Free Organic is a member of various affiliate programs and if a purchase is made through one of our affiliate links a small commission is received. This does not affect your purchase price. Visit our disclosure page for more information.

More Medicinal Mushrooms

Reishi Mushroom

Article by Stefan Burns - Updated April 2022. Join the Wild Free Organic email newsletter!

Reishi Quick Fact Sheet

Name:	Reishi, Lingzhi, Linnaean - Ganoderma lucidum, G. tsugae, G. sessile, G. lingzhi
Color:	White to dark reddish brown
Constituents:	Triterpenes, glycoproteins, germanium, myconutrients, polysaccharides, superoxide dismutase
Effect:	Improves metabolic health, immune system adaptogen, increases natural killer cell activity, promotes parasympathetic (rest and digest) activity
Preparation:	The mushroom cap is dried and either taken supplementally as a powder or sliced/shredded and brewed into a tea. For a powerful extraction simmer large amounts of reishi mushroom in water for 2-3 hours.
Dosing:	As a supplement take 0-5 grams daily. For brewing into tea 3-10 grams per cup/pot.
General Notes:	There are different species of Ganoderma that all look very similar and are used interchangably medicinally. Reishi is an adaptogen that is best known for boosting the immune system. Often used in mushroom or supplement blends for rest and sleep.

What is Reishi Mushroom?

Reishi or Lingzhi is the common name for a subgroup of polypore mushrooms that belong to the Ganoderma genus, the main members of this group being Ganoderma lucidum, Ganoderma lingzhi, Ganoderma sessile, and Ganoderma tsugae.

The Ganoderma species that are classified as Reishi are medicinal mushrooms considered by many as a panacea for all types of diseases and have been used in herbal medicine practices for thousands of years.

Reishi Mushroom Identification

The different reishi species are found growing in deciduous forests worldwide. Reishi in the wild is quite rare but it’s hard to misidentify because of it’s unique appearance and key identification features. Reishi has a cork-like texture and its underside is covered with small pores instead of gills, from which it releases its spores. The underside is white if unbruised and will turn yellow to brown if bruised. Reishi typically has a banded appearance which goes from white on the edge to orange and then reddish-brown traveling towards the stem. Older reishi caps will turn a dark mahogany color but still have some striping preserved. For a complete guide on identification, health benefits, and how to brew reishi into a tea watch the video I made below:

Reishi Mushroom Benefits

In Traditional Chinese Medicine reishi (also known as Ling Zhi) is known as the Mushroom of Immortality, and for good reason. Reishi is a powerful adaptogenic mushroom that has many beneficial health effects on the body due to its unique chemical constituents. The most active of these components are:

1. Polysaccharides (includes beta-glucans) | Functions: Improves energy metabolism and cell to cell signaling, neuroprotective, boosts immunity

2. Triterpenes | Functions: Anti-tumor & anti-cancer, radiation protection, anti-viral, important components of cell membranes and of steroid signaling molecules

3. Germanium | Functions: Anti-tumor & anti-cancer, radiation protection, boosts immunity, improves oxygen transport

Together these chemical constituents and others like superoxide dismutase plus an abundant assortment of micronutrients broadly influence the function of the immune, cardiovascular, metabolic, digestive, and cognitive systems providing the following benefits:

Reishi Microbiome Improvements

• Inhibits the growth of gram positive and gram negative bacteria

• Increases the effectiveness of antibiotics

• Demonstrates anti-microbial activity even against multidrug resistant bacteria

• Inhibits the growth of fungal infections

Reishi Metabolic Improvements

• Lowers blood glucose levels and increases insulin levels for diabetics

• Normalizes bodyweight and appetite

• Lowers blood cholesterol levels and triglycerides while simultaneously boosting HDL cholesterol

• Increases oxygen uptake and transport

Reishi Fights Cancer and Boosts the Immune System

• Polysaccharides potentiate immune function increasing anti-tumor activity

• Triterpenes are potent anti-viral agents and cytotoxic to cancer cells

• Decreases the growth of new blood vessels to cancer cells

• Useful in the treatment of androgen-induced diseases such as benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer

• Increases the proliferation and functional activity of macrophages, T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, and natural killer cells

• Strongly inhibits the multiplication of HIV-1

• Demonstrates antiherpetic activity

Reishi Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Effect

• Has superoxide radical and hydroxyl radical scavenging abilities

• Decreases the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and other lipids

• Increases glutathione peroxidase levels

• Exhibits both systemic and topical anti-inflammatory effects

• Ganoderic acid C was found to be responsible for most of the anti-inflammatory activity

Reishi Protects the Liver

• Provides protection against liver injury

• Reverses the symptoms of liver injury

• Potentially able to reverse liver fibrosis

Reishi Improves Cognition

• Promotes neurogenesis

• Has anti-depressive effects

• Protect neurons from hypoxia/reoxygenation injury

• Protects dopaminergic neurons and ameliorates behavioral deficits in Parkinson’s disease

Note: Much of the research into reishi showing these benefits has been done using animal models and therefore hasn’t been directly confirmed for humans.

How Long does it take for Reishi to Work?

The effectiveness of supplementing with reishi will depend on the quality of the supplement/extract, the amount taken, and the length of time for which it is taken consistently. Using reishi, either as a supplement or extracted into a tea will be useful immediately in the context of a viral infection or inflammatory condition, but for best effect reishi should be taken daily so the benefits may accrue with time. It may take a few weeks of using reishi for the more serious anti-cancer, neuroprotective, and anti-diabetic effects to become noticeable, and even then the effect may be subtle.

A single influx of myconutrients is useful in the context of improving health but it’s really the consistent loading of the many heath-promoting compounds found in reishi and other herbals that culminates in therapeutically relevant health improvements.

For best effect and observation of health improvements I recommend using reishi for at least 30-60+ days. If used at high dosages it should be cycled off occasionally for the length of time it was used for.

Reishi Mushroom Side Effects

Medicinal mushrooms like reishi have a record of safe usage proven over thousands of years, and side effects are rare from short-term or long-term usage. Reishi is an immune-potentiator so those with autoimmune issues should exercise caution in using reishi though it should improve symptoms of autoimmunity by normalizing the functioning of the immune system.

One potential issue to be aware of when supplementing with reishi or really any herbal supplement for the matter of contamination, especially from heavy metals. Reishi is widely cultivated on a variety of growing mediums like logs, woodchips, and sawdust, and while some growers follow strict sourcing protocols and test for pesticides, heavy metals, and molds, other growers may be less discriminate and follow zero quality control protocols. Make sure to source reishi from a reputable producer who follows the required health guidelines, or if foraging only pick reishi from lands that haven’t been exposed to chemical waste in the past or present.

One side effect anecdote of mine I can provide is that when I drank 3 cups of a potent reishi tea all in one sitting on an empty stomach while fasting I experienced some slight visual distortions. These visuals were characterized by fractal patterns of light on the periphery of my vision. Though slightly alarming at first it went away within 15 minutes and didn’t appear to cause any problems. I have read a couple other anecdotal reports of the same phenomenon from people who consumed a very high dose of reishi. I do not recommend trying this or consuming reishi at such high dosages.

Reishi Mushroom Tea

There are a few ways to make a reishi mushroom tea. The traditional method is to cut the reishi fruiting body into strips or pieces which are then boiled for 2-3 hours which produces a very potent reishi tea. Once prepared the tea can be stored in a fridge and used over the course of a couple weeks.

A simpler method is to take some whole reishi and shred it using a blade grinder and add some of the shredded reishi “fluff” to a tea ball/strainer. Steep for 5-15 minutes with hot water along with any other herbal ingredients desired. This will extract a lot of the beneficial compounds from the reishi but overall produce a milder reishi tea than the traditional method. Some of the beneficial compounds like triterpenes won’t be extracted in great quantities if reishi is brewed into a tea because they are not water soluble, instead being alcohol soluble.

One more option for creating a reishi tea is to mix reishi powder with a liquid. This method might produce a slightly grainy liquid but will ensure all the beneficial compounds found in reishi are consumed. Reishi coffee or hot chocolate can be prepared using a reishi supplement powder.

The simple reishi tea is best for supplementing with reishi daily as a preventative health measure. The traditional method of preparation is preferable when dealing with serious health concerns that require a more powerful effect.

Reishi Dosing

Reishi can be used in many ways, from powders to teas to tinctures, and each method of supplementation has its own dosing recommendation.

For a raw reishi powder the recommended dosing range is 0.5 - 2 grams. More can be taken than that but it should be done carefully and only after using a lower dosage for an extended period of time confirms no side effects are being experienced. An extracted reishi powder should be supplemented at a lower amount than a raw powder, a recommended range being 250 - 1000 mg.

To brew a simple reishi tea, 2-3 grams of shredded reishi is sufficient, and if a powerful reishi tea is prepared in the traditional method of boiling reishi strips for many hours, then the recommended dosing range would be 4-8 oz of tea.

Where to Buy Reishi Supplements?

Reishi supplements are sold by many companies and I have used many different reishi products sold by a variety of sellers. The reishi blends sold by Four Sigmatic are good, are dosed appropriately, and come in interesting variations like mushroom coffee, mushroom hot chocolate, or in medicinal mushroom blends. They’re definitely worth checking out for use on the go.

Overall I prefer reishi products and supplements that I can more easily dose myself and are more economical, such as those sold by Mountain Rose Herbs and Nootropics Depot.

Mountain Rose Herbs Organic Reishi

Mountain Rose Herbs sells organic reishi mushroom as a whole cap, slices, powder, or extract.

Reishi Whole Cap

I bought a pound of whole reishi caps from Mountain Rose Herbs before and was surprised when I received four huge caps. They’re quite lightweight and though tough can be cut apart with scissors. The reishi sold from Mountain Rose Herbs is USDA organic certified and is the best band for your buck in how much you get. Brewing reishi tea 3-4x a week 1 lb of caps will last many months, possibly even up to a year.

Finely Milled Reishi Powder

The reishi powder is more expensive than the whole caps or slices on a per pound basis but very economical compared to the reishi supplement powders sold by Nootropics Depot (more information below). The grind of the powder is medium fine and if mixed into a liquid will settle to the bottom with some chunks being larger. The larger grain size of the powder is not an issue if brewed like a coffee might, or even in conjunction with coffee. For an ultra-fine reishi supplement powder that mixes effortlessly into a drink I recommend the reishi powders from Nootropics Depot.

Reishi Tincture

The reishi tincture sold by Mountain Rose Herbs is double extracted to bring forth both the water and alcohol soluble constituents into the extract. Using a tincture is an excellent way to supplement with reishi directly, either under the tongue or into a drink without having to worry about the mixing and settling of powders.

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Nootropics Depot Reishi Supplements

Nootropics Depot sells two reishi supplement powders. One is a raw powder and the other is a 8:1 extract powder.

Reishi 1:1 Hot Water Extracted Powder

The Nootropics Depot 1:1 reishi mushroom powder is the whole mushroom turned into a powder where during the process the chitin (protective outer layer of the cell) is broken down using hot water to make the beneficial components of the mushrooms more bioavailable. None of the initial mushroom material is lost so the beta-glucan content is very high. The 1:1 reishi extract powder is full spectrum and contains every beneficial compound within the Ganoderma lucidum mushroom.

Beta-Glugan (β-Glucan) minimum content: 35%

Reishi 8:1 Water and Alcohol Extracted Powder

The Nootropics Depot 8:1 reishi mushroom powder is a combination of the 1:1 hot water extracted reishi powder and a 16:1 alcohol extracted reishi powder. Mixed in equal quantities they combine into a 8:1 dual water and alcohol extracted reishi mushroom powder.

Beta-glucans are not ethanol soluble but triterpenes are. Combining the 1:1 powder which is high in beta-glucans with the 16:1 powder which is high in triterpenes creates a “best of both worlds” extracted reishi supplement powder more likely to have more potent immune system and cognitive boosting effects than the 1:1 whole powder.

Beta-Glucan (β-Glucan) minimum content: 20%

Note: Laboratory methods for testing beta-glucan can be inaccurate and unreliable, and the numbers provided by any supplier of medicinal mushrooms should be taken with a grain of salt.

If purchasing reishi from a Chinese pharmacy you may have to ask for Ling Zhi which is often how they refer to reishi.

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Medical Disclaimer: All information, content, and material of this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.

References:

1. Batra P, Sharma AK, Khajuria R. Probing lingzhi or reishi medicinal mushroom ganoderma lucidum (Higher basidiomycetes): a bitter mushroom with amazing health benefits. Int J Med Mushr. 2013;15(2):127-143.

2. Huang S, Mao J, Ding K, et al. Polysaccharides from ganoderma lucidum promote cognitive function and neural progenitor proliferation in mouse model of alzheimer’s disease. Stem Cell Reports. 2017;8(1):84-94.

Disclosure: Wild Free Organic is a member of various affiliate programs and if a purchase is made through one of our affiliate links a small commission is received. This does not affect your purchase price. Visit our disclosure page for more information.

More Medicinal Mushrooms

Cordyceps Mushroom

Article by Stefan Burns - Updated April 2022. Join the Wild Free Organic email newsletter!

Cordyceps militaris. CC3.0 Andreas Kunze

Cordyceps Quick Fact Sheet

Name:	Cordyceps, Dong Chong Xia Cao, Linnaean - Cordyceps militaris, C. sinensis, 500+ other species
Color:	Yellow-orange stalk or powder
Constituents:	Cordycepin, polysaccharides (beta glucans, arabinoxylane, glucose, xylose, galactose and mannose), glycoproteins, ergosterols, triterpenoids, other myconutrients
Effect:	Anti-cancer, enhances ATP production, improves oxygen uptake, enhances immune function
Preparation:	The mushroom is ground into a powder and taken directly.
Dosing:	0-3 grams daily
General Notes:	Cordyceps is used primarily to improve athletic performance as it boosts metabolism and augents natural energetic pathways. Cordyceps also supports the immune system and cognitive function.

What is Cordyceps Mushroom?

Cordyceps is a parasitic fungus that grows on insects (famously caterpillars and ants), insect larvae, and even other fungi. There are 500+ species that have been identified in the Cordyceps genus. When a cordyceps fungus attacks a host, the mycelium invades its tissues and alters the behaviors of the host. Eventually the cordyceps mycelium replaces the tissue of its host and then produces an elongated fruiting body which then sporulates in order to reproduce and infect new hosts. Luckily for humans Cordyceps is unable to infect humans in this way so you can rest easy knowing that using cordyceps won’t turn you into a zombie like depicted in the video game “The Last of Us”.

Cordyceps species are found throughout Asia, being particularly abundant in humid temperate and tropical forests. Cordyceps has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (known as Dong Chong Xia Cao) for thousands of years and is considered one of the best tonics for returning strength and vitality to weak individuals.

Types of Cordyceps

The two main species of cordyceps that are cultured for herbal use are Cordyceps militaris and Cordyceps sinensis. The mycelium of both C. militaris and C. sinensis are able to be grown on a plant-based medium such as oats or rice. There are some differences in the chemical constituents between the many different cordyceps species, but overall these differences are minor and doesn’t affect the use of cordyceps as a herbal supplement.

Benefits of Cordyceps

Cordyceps has many effects throughout the body because of its unique combination of chemical constituents. The most active of these components are:

1. Cordycepin | Functions: Anti-cancer, anti-microbial, insecticidal, cognitive enhancer, metabolism booster

2. Polysaccharides | Functions: Neuroprotective, antioxidant, reduces fatigue, increases energy metabolism

3. Other Myconutrients | Functions: Anti-malarial, anti-fungal, immunomodulatory, anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory

Together these chemical constituents and many others broadly influence the function of immune, cardiovascular, renal, metabolic, and cognitive systems providing the following benefits:

Cordyceps Metabolic Improvements

• Alleviates fatigue and improves physical endurance

• Stimulates mitochondrial electron transport and ATP production

• Lowers fasting blood glucose and insulin levels

• Lowers blood urea levels

• Improves oral glucose tolerance

• Increases whole-body insulin sensitivity

• Enhances skeletal muscle glucose utilization

• Increase DNA synthesis

• Lowers total cholesterol, especially LDL and VLDL cholesterol while raising HDL.

Cordyceps Immune-Boosting Effect

• Suppresses the growth of tumors

• Inhibits metastasis (spread) of cancer

• Enhances antibody response

• Increases the number of T helped cells

• Enhances natural killer cell activity

• Potent intestinal immune-system-modulating activity

• Balances Th1/Th2 cytokines

• Promotes apoptosis

Cordyceps Antioxidant Protection

• Down-regulates inflammation related genes in the kidneys

• Improves lung function by reducing airway inflammation

• Possibly useful treatment for endotoxin shock or sepsis

• Inhibits lipid peroxidation and increases the activity of antioxidant enzymes

• Enhances repair of damaged DNA

• Free radical scavenging capability

• Suppresses the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL cholesterol)

Note: Much of the research into cordyceps showing these benefits has been done using mice and rats and therefore hasn’t been confirmed for humans.

I share my personal experience in supplementing with Cordyceps militaris in this conversation on cordyceps with my friend Rob Nelson. A lot of good information in this podcast, I suggest tuning in and listening to the full conversation when possible. You can find more useful information regarding cordyceps on Untamed Science.

How Long does it take for Cordyceps to Work?

Cordyceps is a herbal supplement that works best when taken daily and for a consistent length of time, typically 2 weeks or greater. It is possible to feel an immediate boost in endurance and exercise performance from a large acute dose of cordyceps, but typically the beneficial effects of cordyceps on exercise performance are felt after a few weeks.

The immunopotentiating effects of Cordyceps are useful over short and long time durations. If dealing with a viral or bacterial infection, supplementing with cordyceps should begin helping immediately to some degree and increase in efficacy the longer its used.

Supplementing with cordyceps for 30+ days ensures that its beneficial effects culminate to a point of being relevant and noticeable. Cordyceps has a long history of being used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for extended periods of time as a tonic, but as with all herbals I recommend cycling off of cordyceps at a 1:1 ratio. For example if cordyceps is supplemented for 3 months, it shouldn’t be used for 3 months afterwards in order to allow the natural systems of the body to return to balance.

Cordyceps Side Effects

The most likely side effects to be encountered when using cordyceps is digestive discomfort, which can possibly happen if too large a dose is taken. Cordyceps is generally considered safe with a very good long term safety profile thanks to its use for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Cordyceps is very effective at stimulating the immune system, increasing the production of many different types of immune cells and boosting their activity. It’s for this reason that cordyceps has such strong anti-cancer activity, and it also increases apoptosis (preprogrammed cell death). If the systems of the body are healthy, then further stimulating the immune system beyond normal may not be helpful unless done carefully for prophylactic reasons.

Cordyceps Dosing

Whole cordyceps powder that hasn’t been further extracted or standardized is typically dosed at 500 mg - 3 grams daily.

Extracted cordyceps powder is more potent and is dosed at smaller amounts of 100 - 500 mg.

When first using cordyceps, start with the lowest dose and only after some time has passed should the dose be increased if desired.

Where to Buy Cordyceps Supplements?

Because cordyceps mycelium is able to be cultivated on a variety of plant mediums like oats or rice, there are many different providers of cordyceps powders and supplements.

I have used cordyceps from Four Sigmatic in the past and now use cordyceps from either Mountain Rose Herbs or Nootropics Depot.

Mountain Rose Herbs Cordyceps Supplement

The cordyceps from Mountain Rose Herbs is milled from Cordyceps militaris mycelial biomass grown on organic oats. The cordyceps from Mountain Rose Herbs is very competitively priced and is 100% organic.

Nootropics Depot Cordyceps Supplements

Nootropics Depot offers whole 1:1 cordyceps powder or a dual water/alcohol 10:1 cordyceps extract. The cordyceps sold by Nootropics Depot is reasonably priced and tested often to confirm purity and potency.

1:1 Cordyceps Mushroom Powder

The Nootropics Depot 1:1 Cordyceps Mushroom powder is similar to the cordyceps powder offered by Mountain Rose Herbs, and which one to choose is really up to personal preference. If planning on taking cordyceps 4-7 times a week I recommend using a whole powder versus a more concentrated extract like Nootropics Depot 10:1 cordyceps supplement. There is a lot of value in consuming an herbal supplement in its raw form without having undergone any extraction, as nothing is left out and removed from the product, and because the amount of active ingredients is lower side effects are less likely to be encountered.

10:1 Cordyceps Mushroom Extract Powder

The 10:1 extract means that 10 units of Cordyceps militaris was used to create 1 unit of 10:1 Cordyceps militaris extract. The Nootropics Depot 10:1 Cordyceps Beta-Glucan (β-Glucan) minimum content is 20% while the Cordycepin content is 0.3% as measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. The 10:1 cordyceps extract can be used as the same frequency as the 1:1 powder if desired, and it’s more effective when used for one offs or shorter frequency dosing protocols because it’s more highly concentrated. If really experimenting with cordyceps then I recommend purchasing both the 1:1 and 10:1 products in order to feel the differences between them yourself.

If purchasing cordyceps from a Chinese pharmacy ask for Dong Chong Xia Cao, which is how they refer to cordyceps.

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Medical Disclaimer: All information, content, and material of this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.

References:

1. Ng TB, Wang HX. Pharmacological actions of Cordyceps , a prized folk medicine. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology. 2010;57(12):1509-1519.

2. Das SK, Masuda M, Sakurai A, Sakakibara M. Medicinal uses of the mushroom Cordyceps militaris: Current state and prospects. Fitoterapia. 2010;81(8):961-968.

3. Hirsch KR, Smith-Ryan AE, Roelofs EJ, Trexler ET, Mock MG. cordyceps militaris improves tolerance to high-intensity exercise after acute and chronic supplementation. Journal of Dietary Supplements. 2017;14(1):42-53.

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More Metabolism Boosting Herbs

Cistanche

Article by Stefan Burns - Updated April 2022. Join the Wild Free Organic email newsletter!

Cistanche Quick Fact Sheet

Name:	Cistanche, Rou Cong-Rong, Linnaean - C. tubulsa, C. deserticola, C. phelypaea
Color:	Stem: yellow, brown, tan, purple. Flowers: yellow, purple, pink
Constituents:	Volatile oils, non-volatile phenylethanoid glycosides (most notably echinacoside and acteoside), iridoids, lignans, alditols, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides.
Effect:	Anti-fatigue, endocrine adaptogen, boosts testosterone, aphrodisiac, neuroprotective, improves circulatory system, reduces cholesterol, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, improves immunity, anti-cancer
Preparation:	The stem is ground into a powder. Often extracted and standardized to increase echinacoside and acetoside content by weight
Dosing:	100-400mg extracted powder, 3-5g raw powder. For boosting testosterone use daily and then cycle off after 1-3 months.
General Notes:	Cistanche is an excellent herbal for men looking to optimize their hormones and boost their testosterone levels. Cistanche improves cholesterol metabolism and transport, lowering blood cholesterol to increase hormone production. Still being researched for it's effects on neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and parkinson's disease. Has a good safety profile but since it has a potent effect on the endocrine system care should taken with supplementing cistanche. Improves exercise endurance. Strong morning wood is a common side-effect for men. Sometimes called the "ginseng of the desert".

What is Cistanche?

Cistanche is a genus of perennial herbs consisting of 22 known species that grow in warm arid deserts throughout northwest China, Mongolia, Iran, and India. Cistanche is a parasitic herb that lacks chlorophyll, instead attaching to the roots of sand-fixing plants to draw water and nutrients from them. Cistanche only grows well under extreme environmental conditions characterized by an extremely arid climate, depauperate soils, intensive sunshine, large temperature differences, and annual precipitation <250mm. These rare growing conditions and it’s popularity of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (known as Rou Cong-Rong) has led to Cistanche being an endangered wild species.

Cistanche is one of the most popular tonics in Traditional Chinese Medicine, being known as the “Ginseng of the Deserts” because of its wide-ranging beneficial health effects, and it’s increasingly becoming a popular herbal worldwide, especially in the treatment of renal problems, to boost testosterone levels, and to help treat neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease.

Types of Cistanche

Cistanche deserticola and Cistanche tubulosa are the two main species of cistanche that are harvested and prepared into herbal supplements and extracts. They differ slightly in the composition of their chemical constituents but overall are similar enough to be used interchangeably. Cistanche tubulosa is more commonly found as a supplement than Cistanche deserticola.

Benefits of Cistanche

Herba cistanche has many effects throughout the body because of its unique combination of chemical constituents. The most active of these components are:

1. Phenylethanoid Glycosides | Functions: Antioxidant, neuroprotective, enhances sexual function, enhances immunity, hepatoprotection (prevents liver damage)

2. Echinacoside | Functions: Neuroprotective, antioxidant

3. Acteoside | Functions: Endothelium-dependent relaxation, neuroprotective, anti-allergy

4. Tubuloside B | Functions: Neuroprotective

Together these chemical constituents and many others broadly influence the function of immune, cardiovascular, renal, endocrine, and digestive systems providing the following benefits:

Cistanche Improves Brain Function

• Prevents brain neuron apoptosis (programmed cell death)

• Blocks amyloid plaque deposition

• Promotes the production of neurons by accelerating growth of neurites

• Increases dopamine, noadrenaline, and serotonin neurotransmitter concentrations in the brain

Cistanche Metabolism Improvements

• Enhances mitochondrial respiration

• Enhances glutathione antioxidant status

• Remedies Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction and chronic fatigue syndrome

• Increases autonomic activity

• Improves exercise endurance

• Decreases post-exercise blood lactic acid and blood urea nitrogen levels

• Increases longevity

• Prevents bone loss by regulating bone metabolism genes

Cistanche’s Aphrodisiac Effect

• Increases sex hormone concentrations by inducing testicular steroidogenic enzymes

• Changes gene expression of genes responsible for testosterone synthesis

• Increases number of germ cells

• Reduces latency period in-between erections

• Improves testes function

• Vaso-relaxing properties

Cistanche’s Immune-boosting effect

• Increases lymphoid cells

• Increases the kill rate of cancer cells

• Activates phagocytic function of macrophages

• High levels of polysaccharides enhance immunity

• Stimulates the proliferation of antibody-producing cells

• Decreases level of peripheral memory T cells and enhances levels of naive T cells

Cistanche Antioxidant Protection

• Acetoside as an antioxidant is 15x stronger than resveratrol and 5x stronger than Vitamin C

• Prevents DNA damage

• Enhances superoxide dismutase activity

• Prevents lipid peroxidation

• Inhibits hepatic apoptosis

Note: Much of the research into cistanche showing these benefits has been done using mice and rats and therefore hasn’t been confirmed for humans.

Depending on someone’s current state of health, cistanche can be useful for men or women, though in general cistanche is more useful to men because of its testosterone boosting properties. Here are the biggest benefits for each sex:

Cistanche Male Benefits

Cistanche increases testosterone production. I have firsthand experience with this, I once supplemented with cistanche for one month and measured my testosterone levels before and after. My multi-variable experiment raised my free testosterone levels by 53%, of which I mostly attribute to the cistanche supplementation! Click the button below to read the full protocol I used and my results.

Further benefits of cistanche for men is that it improves the functions of the testes, increasing sperm count and production of male hormones. Male hormone levels and sperm counts have been on a precipitous decline for decades now and cistanche is a natural supplement that can help reverse this trend.

In the bedroom, cistanche increases the size, strength, and duration of erections and also reduces the latency period in-between erections.

Cistanche Female Benefits

Cistanche reduces chronic fatigue syndrome, otherwise known as adrenal fatigue. Chronic fatigue syndrome is caused most often by a dysregulation of the HPA axis, brought on by excess stress, poor sleep, a bad diet, and other lesser factors. Chronic fatigue syndrome can effect men and women, but typically women are more likely to develop chronic fatigue syndrome for a variety of reasons.

By improving energy metabolism, endurance, and immunity, cistanche is a powerful supplement that can be used to help fix a dysregulated HPA axis and overcome chronic fatigue syndrome. Click the button below to learn more about adrenal fatigue and what steps can be taken to overcome it.

Just as cistanche is a potent aphrodisiac for men, so to is it for women.

How Long does it take for Cistanche to Work?

Cistanche is best used consistently for 2+ weeks in order to fully benefit from its effects. When used acutely for just 1-3 days a larger dose will be required to feel the effects, and even then the effect size will be smaller than if cistanche is dosed consistently for 2+ weeks.

The effects of cistanche build up and really begin to be noticeable at the 10+ day mark depending on how sensitive one is to the herb. Speaking from personal experience in supplementing with cistanche many times now, I notice that the testosterone boosting effects of cistanche really begin to manifest after 1-2 weeks and it continues to increase steadily from there. It takes 1-2 weeks for cistanche supplementation to begin to noticeably improve exercise performance, and it’s around this time as well that the effects of higher testosterone levels are also noticed (increased confidence, stronger, better erections, etc).

Supplementing with cistanche for 1-2 months ensures that its beneficial effects culminate to a point of being relevant and noticeable. Though cistanche has a long history of being used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for extended periods of time without break, since cistanche alters the function of the endocrine system, I recommend cycling off cistanche for as long as it was used for. For example if cistanche is supplemented with for 2 months, it shouldn’t be used for 2 months afterwards.

Cistanche Side Effects

Cistanche tubulosa extract orally administered at 26.4 g/kg to male and female mice and kept for 8 days caused no abnormalities, fatal events, or autopsy abnormalities. No issues were observed when dosing 0.65-1.30 g/kg cistanche daily for 30 days to rats.

Examining potential long term toxicity, Cistanche tubulosa extract was orally administered to male and female rats at 1.65 g/kg per day and kept for 180 days. No abnormalities, fatal events, or autopsy abnormalities were recorded.

Furthermore, no abnomalities, fatal events, or autopsy abnormalities were observed when a Cistanche tubulosa extract was orally administered to male and female beagle dogs at 1.50 g/kg daily and kept for 180 days.

This data was collected by Oryza Oil & Fat Company out of Japan, and when converted to Human Equivalent Doses (HED) based on body surface area we arrive at the following dosages:

• 2.15 g/kg Cistanche HED - acute toxicity study (mice)

• 0.85 g/kg Cistanche HED - 180 day toxicity study (dogs)

• 0.25 g/kg Cistanche HED - 180 day toxicity study (rats)

When multiplied by individual bodyweight, the human equivalent dose for a person is very large at 10+ grams, an amount that far exceeds the typical dosing recommendations, and therefore is not recommended to try but does give confidence that cistanche has a strong safety profile with very little chance of negative side effects occurring at the much lower dosages recommended.

In terms of practical side effects that may be experienced, a large dose may cause digestive discomfort and since cistanche increases testosterone levels, it may cause alterations to mood and aggression. Additionally cistanche as a vaso-relaxant reduces blood pressure and should not be taken if an individual’s blood pressure is already on the low side (<80/60).

Cistanche Dosage

The beneficial health effects of cistanche manifest nicely at dosages of 100 mg - 500 mg of an extracted powder used daily.

For a raw powder, the concentration of active ingredients will be less and therefore a higher dose of 500 mg - 2 grams should be used to achieve the same effect. The dose chosen within that range will depend on an individual’s bodyweight, their individual physiology, and the potency of the effect they desire.

When first using cistanche, start with the lowest dose and only after some time has passed should the dose be increased if desired.

Megadosing Cistanche

I have experimented with megadosing cistanche (400-600 mg of Nootropics Depot Cistanche) which is 2-3x the recommended serving size. I have done this for a few weeks and here are my anecdotal observations:

• Rapid strength gains, increases in muscle hardness

• Bodyfat around the lower abdominals reduced

• Minor confidence boost (and I already wasn’t deficient there)

• I went from having just the rare pimple to noticeable acne on the back

The increase in skin acne is a good indicator that testosterone levels are increased in the body, but it’s also undesirable. For this reason I think megadosing cistanche is best done cautiously and only for very limited periods of time (<4 weeks) and for specific reasons (breaking through a strength training plateau, temporary confidence boost for a meeting/event). If megadosing cistanche for the benefits listed above but wish to avoid the possible skin issues, supplement with dandelion at the same time. I discuss this more in more detail in my article on boosting testosterone with cistanche.

Cistanche vs Tongkat Ali

Like cistanche, tongkat ali is another herbal often used by men to increase testosterone levels. I’ve used both herbs extensively and will share my experience of how they compare to each other.

Tongkat ali is a testosterone boosters that works rather quickly, I was able to feel the before and after difference in just 2-3 days, whereas the effects of cistanche build up over weeks and started to became noticeable to me after about a week or so.

Cistanche is much smoother and easier on my body, whereas tongkat ali after a few weeks begins to feel very harsh. This is the main reason I supplement with cistanche much more often than tongkat ali, it just feels safer and less impactful in a negative way on my body.

It’s my experience also that cistanche is a better testosterone booster overall than tongkat ali. Cistanche can be supplemented with for longer periods of time which allows a greater culminative effect to build up, and it’s better at improving overall metabolism. For me tongkat ali gave me more of a raw energy and strength which when focused and utilized to increase exercise performance was useful.

If interested in a quick 1-3 week boost of testosterone, strength, and energy then tongkat ali is a good option, whereas cistanche is a better option for longer term testosterone, strength, and energy improvements.

Where to Buy Cistanche Supplement?

There are many different sellers of cistanche supplements worldwide which can be seen by visiting a marketplace like Amazon.

Cistanche Tubulosa Powder

My favorite supplier of cistanche is Nootropics Depot. Their cistanche product is highly standardized, containing a minimum of 50% echinacosides and 10% acetoside, overall delivering more echinacosides and acetoside per gram than most other cistanche products. I also like Nootropics Depot’s cistanche product because it has a neutral taste and isn’t bitter. The cistanche from Nootropics Depot works very well and is reasonably priced.

If purchasing cistanche from a Chinese pharmacy ask for Rou Cong-Rong, which is how they refer to cistanche.

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References:

1. Li Z, Lin H, Gu L, Gao J, Tzeng CM. Herba cistanche (Rou cong-rong): one of the best pharmaceutical gifts of traditional chinese medicine. Front Pharmacol. 2016;7.

2. Al-Snafi, Ali Esmail. Bioactive metabolites and pharmacology of Cistanche tubulosa-A review. IOSR Journal of Pharmacy 10.1 (2020): 37-46.

3. Jiang Y, Tu PF. Analysis of chemical constituents in Cistanche species. Journal of Chromatography A. 2009;1216(11):1970-1979.

4. Oryza Oil and Fat Chemical Co. Food and cosmetic ingredients with tonics, memory improving, anti-aging, anti-fatigue, anti-sex dysfunction, immune boosting and fat metabolism accelerating properties of Cistanche tubulosa extract-P-25 (Water-soluble Powder, Food Grade). Oryza Oil and Fat Chemical Co., Ltd. 2007

Medical Disclaimer: All information, content, and material of this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.

Disclosure: Wild Free Organic is a member of various affiliate programs and if a purchase is made through one of our affiliate links a small commission is received. This does not affect your purchase price. Visit our disclosure page for more information.

More Hormone Optimizing Herbs