ASTRAGALUS IS THE EVERYDAY TONIC FOR GOOD HEALTH that does many things for you. According to NOW, "Astragalus Root (Huang qi) has been used as a popular herbal tonic in China for many centuries. Some of the known active components include flavonoids, free amino acids, trace minerals and polyphenols." In fact, it is even better than all that, as several recent clinical trials in China have shown that astragalus enhances immune function and improves survival in some people with cancer. It is even nutritious.
The key is that the research done on Astragalus suggests daily doses of 9-25 grams of the herb daily or 18-50 capsules per day. Unlike many medicinal herbs, Astragalus is quite safe for everyday use and in large doses. The only caution I have ever come across in the research literature was a single mention in one study about the potential for excessive selenium consumption, but that was only a theory and was not empirically confirmed ever, to my knowledge. Since Astragalus rarely grows well in high selenium soils this is probably not worth mentioning.
Therefore the only problem I have had with this product is the same I have with Brewer's Yeast tabs. You can't realistically get a large enough dose to be therapeutic unless you take the powder.
In the Orient, Huang qi [Astragalus] typically is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine as part of one's everyday diet. Oriental soups prepared daily are usually peppered with wierd twigs that impart both their flavor and medicinal properites into the meal. After cooking has leached the whole good from the twigs, they are removed and discarded. Those wierd twigs are astragalus and this is the best way to include this quietly potent tonic "warming herb" into your daily routine. Unfortunately, westerners have a little trouble getting this type of home made stew into their menus everyday, so for them the convenience of Astragalus Powdered Herb added like Wheat Germ or Brewer's Yeast to drinks, soups and meals may do the trick as the taste is not bad. In my case I kill three birds with one stone by mixing 1 tablespoon of Astragalus Powder along with Brewers Yeast and Ginger into a diluted quart of grapefruit juice. Light on the Ginger. Yum! I also add Astragalus powder to soups and yogurt that I consume through the day. I manage to ingest about 15 grams a day or the equivalent of 30 capsules and I do see a therapeutic benefit especially in the area of overall immunity.
This "Now" product is excellent, and it was the first Astragalus I had ever tested, but I wish they offered it as a powder by the kilo.
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[5 of 5 Stars!]
