heading_title
 – dzialanie i nieocenione korzysci dla zdrowia.jpg "Stinging nettle - action and invaluable health benefits")
Although we are unlikely to enjoy close encounters with it in the natural environment, any extracts, infusions and extracts can be great for supporting health. We are talking about nettle. Although the unpleasant sensation of touching its fresh leaves can leave bad memories, in the herbal tradition it is a very valuable resource. Nettle is an effective diuretic, and it also has many documented properties, including: anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant.
- Properties of common nettle
- Nettle is an effective herbal diuretic
- Will nettle help with anemia?
- Nettle extract for men - prostate protection
- Nettle's anti-inflammatory effects and its effect on pain
- Supplementation and dosage of nettle extract
Properties of common nettle
Nettle is a versatile herb and a true treasure trove of health. It has a multitude of nutrients and valuable phytonutrients. Despite the unpleasant stinging and burning sensation of the skin after touching the fresh leaves of this herb, the dried and properly prepared plant is highly nutritious and has many uses in traditional medicine. It has been used both epidermally to accelerate wound healing, get rid of dandruff or relieve joint pain, and orally to improve blood circulation, aid kidney and water management, get rid of swelling or for general strengthening. For its health-promoting qualities , the above-ground parts of the plant (leaves, stems, flowers) were most often used, but the roots also had their uses.
Fresh leaves contain a lot of vitamins: A, C, D, E, K and B vitamins. It also has a lot of minerals and plant antioxidants, including phenolic acids, coumarins, lignans, flavones, flavonols, etc. This richness makes nettle a truly versatile herb.
Nettle is an effective herbal diuretic
Diuretics such as nettle are used for excess subcutaneous water, watery leg edema and high blood pressure. In each of these ailments, nettle can help. Its active ingredients enhance kidney function, increasing the rate of excretion of sodium and urine. These properties are especially appreciated by women. Women, due to the characteristics of the female hormonal economy, are much more likely to struggle with water edema.
Will nettle help with anemia?
Nettle herb contains a lot of iron in it. It is about 227 mg of iron per 100 g of powdered leaves. Sometimes nettle juices or other nettle preparations are used supportively for anemia. Traditionally, nettle has been used in postpartum women in particular as a general tonic to reduce the risk of anemia and to strengthen the body in many aspects that are important for women after pregnancy.
Nettle extract for men - prostate protection
Reports on the benefits of using nettle for benign prostatic hyperplasia are interesting. After a 6-month study, as many as 81% of patients with the initial stage of prostatic hypertrophy noticed an alleviation of urinary symptoms, compared to 16% in the placebo group. They also noticed a slight reduction in prostate size on ultrasound, while no change appeared in the placebo group.
Due to its overall diuretic and lower urinary tract supportive effects, nettle supplementation often works very well in relieving symptoms of prostate hypertrophy, but also various types of urinary tract infections.
For prostate problems, nettle is often combined with extracts of sabal palm(saw palmetto), which inhibits the conversion of testosterone to DHT. Similar effects have also been noted with nettle, but the evidence is only in preclinical studies.
Nettle's anti-inflammatory effects and its effect on pain
Nettle's constituents have anti-inflammatory effects and produce anti-arthritic effects. The use of nettle for arthritic pain has a long history in the herbal tradition, and today this effect is supported by quite a few scientific publications.
Clinical studies on arthritic patients are also available. From these we can learn that the severity of arthritis symptoms can be reduced by up to half with supplementation of 1340 mg of nettle leaves daily. Another study tested how the combination of nettle with 50 mg of diclofenac would compare to 200 mg of diclofenac alone. The effects of both trials were similar, suggesting that with nettle supplementation, doses of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be reduced, thereby reducing their side effects.
Supplementation and dosage of nettle extract
In dietary supplements, we usually see nettle herb extracts DER 4:1 or DER 10:1. Dosages in studies vary, but it can be summarized that up to 500 mg of extract 3 times a day is reasonable.
Sources:
⮜ Previous article
How does creatine affect strength?
Next article ⮞