Astragalus refers not to a single plant, rather a huge family of shrubs and herbs that is comprised of over three thousand different members. As a result of this immense collection, it’s challenging to truly decipher which astragalus tea benefits belong to which member of the species. One type in particular, known as Huang Qi, is likely responsible for most of the documented medicinal use of the plant family, as it was an important part of traditional Chinese Medicine. Most commonly, healing attributes assigned to the plant relate to the use of its root, which contains many chemical compounds including flavonoids, selenium, astragalosides, beta-sitosterol and many more. These elements support the medicinal use of the herb, which has long been regarded as a useful preventative for common illnesses.
An astragalus tea recipe is best prepared as a decoction and between three and five tablespoons of the dried herb can be steeped in freshly boiled water for between five and ten minutes to prepare. The mixture should be strained before enjoying. There are a few things to remember about using the plant in tea making. First, a decoction is the preferred method because the boiling of the root is thought to release the most potent quantity of beneficial chemicals that hot water alone is less likely to release. Secondly, it’s not uncommon for astragalus to be used in herbal tea recipes that include other immunity supporting herbs for a more effective remedy. Though easily found commercially in capsules and supplements, many herbalists agree that astragalus tea benefits from preparing a decoction and then brewing the root makes for the most successful way to use the herb, which may include the ten purported health applications found below.
1. Immunity Support
The effects of astragalus on the immune system may be two fold. On the one hand, the herb is thought to help boost the effects of the immune system, which may lead to a reduction in illness occurrence or severity. On the other hand, astragalus tea benefits may include actual antiviral properties that may be so profound, the herb has been explored in applications such as HIV.
2. Diabetes
Just how precisely astragalus may affect blood sugar levels in people with diabetes is still unclear, however some early studies have shown promising results when the herb has been administered in various ways including orally and intravenously.
3. Allergies
Some people with seasonal allergies have demonstrated symptom reduction in studies when using astragalus. Specific symptoms that were improved included itching, runny nose and sneezing, but more research will be needed to be determined if astragalus tea benefits may actually include a reduction in allergy symptoms.
4. Angina
For over two thousand years, the Chinese have used astragalus for a wide variety of health problems and much of this is related to their belief that the herb promotes a normalizing of central energy. Perhaps this is the explanation for new studies that have found that not only can using astragalus reduce angina (chest pain) in some people, it also may help some improve their physical state to promote an increase in healthy exercise due to less pain.
5. Athletic Improvement
Astragalus tea benefits may have a place in competitive sports, pending further research. The herb been shown in some preliminary studies to help increase athletic performance in some types of athletes when combined with others and used over a period of eight weeks.
6. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
A hot cup of tea may be what most people turn to help induce peaceful slumber, but the opposite may occur in people with a condition known as chronic fatigue syndrome. In some studies, herbal blends that included astragalus helped reduce feelings of tiredness in people with the condition, and it’s therefore possible that astragalus tea benefits may include useful applications in people with the condition.
7. Hepatitis B
Exciting new research may be on the horizon regarding astragalus tea benefits. In an almost yearlong study in persons with the health condition, those using herbal concoctions that included astragalus were more likely than those who didn’t to have the virus found in their bodies go inactive.
8. Menstrual Problems
There is conflicting evidence on just how useful astragalus tea benefits may be in terms of treating problems relating to women’s health. On the one hand, early research shows no link between the herb and a reduction in menopause related hot flashes. On the other hand however, some research has found that in women with disorders affecting menstruation that a regulation of cycles was observed.
9. Chemotherapy Side Effects
There are numerous side effects relating to chemotherapy treatment, and they can include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and even problems with bone marrow. Some studies have found that astragalus may reduce these symptoms in some individuals, although more research will likely be needed to further validate these preliminary results.
10. Kidney Disease and Kidney Failure
Astragalus tea benefits may be very profound for the kidneys and research exists to support these early claims. In studies, the herb has been shown to help stave off kidney failure in some cases following surgery. And, kidney function was improved in people with use of the herb, especially in those whose conditions were related to diabetes.
