All About Astragalus: Why you Need it.

  Gianne Rayandayan, Herbalist

We are excited to dive a little deeper into one of our favorite medicinal herbs, Astragalus! We touched on this herbal ally in our blog posts on our Top Three Immune Supporting Herbs, Herbs Against Cor*navirus, and Herbs + Mushrooms for supporting respiratory health, so Astragalus is no stranger to our herbal arsenal here at Remedy. 


Astragalus At a Glance

Astragalus is a medicinal root belonging to the Pea (Fabaceae) family. It is closely related to  other medicinal herbs like Licorice, Alfalfa, and Red Clover. Astragalus wasn’t formally introduced into the United States until the 1920’s. However, it has played a key role in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for at least 2,000 years. (4) 

The root is sweet, warming, and earthy. These tastes hint at the presence of polysaccharides which seem to be responsible for many of Astragalus’ medicinal benefits (6). Saponins and flavonoids also seem to play a role in Astragalus’ immune-supporting, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties (7). 

It is worth noting that while isolating individual plant constituents (polysaccharides, flavonoids, etc) has its obvious benefits, working with the entire plant allows for more bioavailability and less side-effects. Clinical Herbalist Anne Salazar, AHG discusses the benefits of isolationism vs phytochemical synergy in her post Herbal Medicine: A Blend of Art and Science . Astragalus is a great example of both cases! 

All About Astragalus

Strengthens “Protective Qi”
Astragalus acts on multiple body systems at once, providing a host of broad-spectrum benefits. In TCM, Astragalus strengthens ‘protective Qi’, a force “responsible for resisting and combating External Pernicious Influences when they invade the body ”(1). We might draw loose, simplistic parallels between the concept of ‘protective Qi’ and our immune system. Astragalus strengthens the body’s host defenses by regulating fluid metabolism, building deeper reserves of energy, and warming the skin and muscles.

Antiviral Properties
Astragalus’ saponins contain antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties which have been shown to prevent sepsis in mice (8) (9). Its polysaccharides are also shown to greatly reduce flu-virus replication and boost antibody-mediated immunity. (10)

Strengthens Bone Marrow
Clinical research shows how Astragalus’ polysaccharides spurs bone marrow cell proliferation. This is significant, as bone marrow serves as manufacturing sites for white blood cells, which are important players in our body’s defenses against pathogens.(11)  

Probiotic Synergy and Gut Health
Astragalus has even been shown to work synergistically with probiotics in order to boost gut-health and immunity (12). This is key, not only for the development of new prebiotics, but for assisting any well-rounded cold and flu protocol, as immunity largely begins in the gut! 

Also, Astragalus is well known for its ability to facilitate healing of the gut lining. (18)

Astragalus acts as a key ingredient in a popular immune-boosting formula we carry at Remedy: our Immuno Well RX capsules. We also stock powdered Astragalus root on its own in capsule form. Daily Immune for Kids is a nice, gentle formula that features Astragalus, Echinacea, Calendula, Marshmallow, and Red Clover.

Adaptogen-like Support
Adaptogens help the body resist physical, chemical, emotional, and environmental stressors. Astragalus’ fame as an adaptogen is actually a modern development-- rather than affecting stress-hormones directly, Astragalus’ ability to boost immunity, build blood, and bring energy to the muscles makes it an obvious choice to supplement any adaptogenic formula. For restoring a deeper sense of energy and endurance, we recommend trying Energy Plus, an adaptogenic herbal mushroom powder for mood-elevation and energy. 

Chemotherapy Adjunct
Astragalus makes a great cancer protocol adjunct because of its energizing, blood-building, and immuno-modulating properties. When dealing with chemotherapy or cancer-related issues, we recommend clients try ImmuCare by Natura. This robust formula features astragalus as a main ingredient. It fortifies the digestive, endocrine, and immune system while fortifying the blood matrix and regulating immune-modulating cells. All important things for supporting the body through chemotherapy, as well as also supporting anyone who has immune challenges of any kind.

In situations like these, working with our Clinical Herbalist is a great option, especially for those who need more oversight with their health goals.

Beneficial for Heart Disease and Diabetes

The root’s flavonoids appear to lower LDL cholesterol levels significantly while increasing HDL (16). The flavonoids are also shown to help improve plaque buildup in the arteries. This is due to the flavonoids’ antioxidant qualities (16). Astragalus is also shown to lower levels of fasting glucose and improve insulin resistance. (17) 

How to take:
You can take Astragalus in almost any form, though long-simmered broths or decoctions are traditional. Our Clinical Herbalist, Anne Salazar, often recommends it to clients to cook in any soup or crockpot meal for multiple benefits.  It is an herb that can be taken over a long period of time. It's also a great part of building protocol for postpartum moms!  And we do carry it in our apothecary in dried form for cooking. Just let us know you would like to purchase some.

 Closing Thoughts

Astragalus is a very safe herb, which most anyone can work with. We live in a world that requires preventative measures for staying healthy. Working with herbs like Astragalus to boost immunity, vitality, and overall health is one of the many ways we can care for ourselves!

Sources

  1. Kaptchuk, Ted. The Web that Has No Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medicine. McGraw Hill, 2000. 
  2. Pitchford, Paul. Healing with Whole Foods: Oriental Traditions and Modern Nutrition. North Atlantic Books, 1993. 
  3. Winston, David, and Steven Maines. Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief. Healing Arts Press, 2007. 
  4. https://www.herbrally.com/monographs/astragalus 
  5. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/astragalus 
  6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24325861/ 
  7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27041870/ 
  8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5758356/#b216-ad-8-6-868  
  9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19548065/  
  10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3729712/  
  11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6561146/ 
  12. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579119400989 
  13. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12592686/ 
  14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5758356/  
  15. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db395.htm 
  16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3306992/ 
  17. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2726939
  18. Su M, Tang T, Tang W, Long Y, Wang L, Liu M. Astragalus improves intestinal barrier function and immunity by acting on intestinal microbiota to treat T2DM: a research review. Front Immunol. 2023 Aug 10;14:1243834. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1243834. PMID: 37638043; PMCID: PMC10450032.