Does Astragalus Work?

Astragalus supplements are claimed to provide numerous health benefits, but do they work? There is little high-quality evidence to show that astragalus really works for many claimed uses, although it seems to show promise for some conditions. Preliminary evidence points to the effectiveness of astragalus for use with standard cancer treatments, but much more research is needed to confirm these findings.

Astragalus Herb Information

Does Astragalus Really Work?

As with most dietary supplements, astragalus is claimed to work for a variety of different uses. However, is there any scientific evidence to back up such claims? This article will address the effectiveness of astragalus for various uses, including:

Relieving bloating and water retention (as a diuretic)
Stimulating the immune system
Improving wound healing (when applied to the skin)
Treating or preventing the following conditions:

Anemia
Bacterial or viral infections
Cancer, including breast cancer, lung cancer, and cervical cancer
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic nephritis (a kidney disease)
Common cold or other respiratory infections
Diabetes
Fibromyalgia
Heart disease
Hepatitis
High blood pressure
HIV or AIDS.

What Does the Scientific Evidence Show?

Preliminary evidence suggests that astragalus (when combined with other herbs) might be beneficial for use along with standard treatments for cancer. Small studies suggested that such combinations might increase survival rates or possibly increase the effectiveness of certain chemotherapy medications. However, more research is necessary to confirm these preliminary findings.

Early evidence suggests that taking astragalus could help prevent the common cold and that it might be beneficial for people with chronic hepatitis. Early research also indicates that the supplement might be helpful for stimulating the immune system or for treating heart disease.

There is not enough evidence to rate the effectiveness of astragalus for other uses.

(Does Astragalus Work? Continued: Page 2)