{"id":2575,"date":"2020-09-02T17:58:57","date_gmt":"2020-09-02T16:58:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.herbalreality.com\/?post_type=herb&p=2575"},"modified":"2026-04-16T13:55:44","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T12:55:44","slug":"astragalus","status":"publish","type":"herb","link":"https:\/\/www.herbalreality.com\/herb\/astragalus\/","title":{"rendered":"Astragalus"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":2342,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","beyondwords_generate_audio":"1","beyondwords_integration_method":"rest-api","beyondwords_project_id":"47224","beyondwords_content_id":"007c82df-b1f7-4f9c-83e9-e3bfc7f88663","beyondwords_preview_token":"007d442d-20f4-4c11-835d-9231dc5bb719","beyondwords_player_content":"","beyondwords_player_style":"","beyondwords_language_code":"","beyondwords_language_id":"","beyondwords_title_voice_id":"","beyondwords_body_voice_id":"","beyondwords_summary_voice_id":"","beyondwords_error_message":"","beyondwords_disabled":"","beyondwords_delete_content":"","beyondwords_podcast_id":"","beyondwords_hash":"","publish_post_to_speechkit":"","speechkit_hash":"","speechkit_generate_audio":"","speechkit_project_id":"","speechkit_podcast_id":"","speechkit_error_message":"","speechkit_disabled":"","speechkit_access_key":"","speechkit_error":"","speechkit_info":"","speechkit_response":"","speechkit_retries":"","speechkit_status":"","speechkit_updated_at":"","_speechkit_link":"","_speechkit_text":""},"tags":[267],"conditions":[696,694,693,701,698,695,697],"sustainability":[1575],"sense":[27,18,527],"western_action":[1008,988,989,992,993,994,1014,1015,2067,1024,1025],"chinese_action":[1036,1047,1038],"ayurvedic_action":[],"energetics_action":[1498,1523,1488,1495,1522,1511,1494,1492,1380,1504],"writer":[2020],"region":[1898],"class_list":["post-2575","herb","type-herb","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-astragalus","conditions-nervous-system","conditions-cardiovascular-system","conditions-endocrine-system","conditions-immune-system","conditions-reproductive-system","conditions-respiratory-system","conditions-urinary-system","sustainability-amber-sustainability-status","sense-sweet","sense-bitter","sense-salty","western_action-diuretic","western_action-adaptogen","western_action-alterative","western_action-anti-inflammatory","western_action-antimicrobial","western_action-antioxidant","western_action-hepatoprotective","western_action-immunomodulant","western_action-renal-tonic","western_action-vasodilator","western_action-vulnerary","chinese_action-drain-dampness","chinese_action-tonify-blood","chinese_action-tonify-the-qi","energetics_action-bitter","energetics_action-lung-channel-chinese","energetics_action-moist","energetics_action-salty","energetics_action-spleen-channel-chinese","energetics_action-sweet-taste-chinese","energetics_action-sweet","energetics_action-toning","energetics_action-warm","energetics_action-warm-temperature-chinese","writer-rebecca-collison-walker","region-traditional-chinese-herbs"],"acf":{"last_reviewed":"20260223","herb_author":2020,"banner_text":"Astragalus is an ancient Chinese remedy for fatigue and low immunity","latin_name":"Astragalus membranaceus<\/em>","pseudonym_name":"","family_name":"Fabaceae","herb_summary":"Astragalus root is one of the leading traditional tonic remedies from China, particularly helpful in cases of lowered immunity, debility and fatigue. It helps to increase resilience, vitality and endurance.","key_benefits":"Repeated colds and viral infections\r\nPost-viral fatigue","how_does_it_feel":"Astragalus root has a sweet, slightly sour and a subtle nuttiness to its taste, ending with a distinctly soapy sweet aftertaste.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe sweetness of astragalus is due to both its prominent polysaccharide and saponin content; the aftertaste reminds us that \u2018saponin\u2019 derives from the Latin for soap. This is reflected not only in the taste, but the appearance as well \u2014 astragalus has a noticeable soapiness, producing bubbles when shaken. <\/span>","hdif_image_1":5438,"hdif_image_2":8203,"hdif_image_3":304779,"hdif_video":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/uQSlsUSHVxk","sense":[18,527,27],"what_can_i_use_it_for":"[caption id=\"attachment_5280\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"512\"]\"Astragalus Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus<\/em>)[\/caption]\r\n\r\nAstragalus is a key herb to use in cases of repeat infections, including viral infections and colds. In such cases of impaired immunity, taking astragalus regularly over the course of several months, and particularly during the winter supports immune function and improves resilience (1,2). Astragalus has been shown to increase white blood cell count, supporting both innate and adaptive immune responses, predominantly as a result of its polysaccharide content (3).\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nAstragalus helps to prevent respiratory infections and is also indicated in respiratory conditions where allergic responses are exacerbating symptoms; for example, seasonal allergies or elevated mould counts in winter. Astragalus works to reduce airway inflammation by downregulating inflammatory markers and so can be used in cases of <\/span>asthma<\/span><\/a> (1,4).<\/span>\r\n\r\nTraditionally, astragalus was used as a key remedy for treating chronic <\/span>fatigue<\/span><\/a> and low energy. It is especially indicated in cases of post viral fatigue, including long covid as it helps to restore energy, resilience and immune function following severe illness (5,6).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nWithin traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), astragalus is a key herb prescribed for fatigue and <\/span>qi <\/span><\/i>deficiency (7). It is also the main herb used in hospitals for stroke recovery in China and Taiwan (8). As well as reinforcing its role in building resilience, this points to a benefit for a wide range of circulatory problems. It can provide safe background support for other treatments for cardiovascular disease and circulatory conditions where these are exacerbated by fatigue and low energy. Additionally, astragalus can be of benefit in ischaemic heart conditions including <\/span>angina<\/span><\/a>, and has a vasodilatory effect helping to promote blood flow and prevent atherosclerosis (2).\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe <\/span>anti-inflammatory<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>immunomodulatory<\/span><\/a> actions also indicate astragalus in the treatment of inflammatory musculoskeletal conditions including rheumatoid arthritis (1,2).\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nAs a tonic, astragalus has several supportive effects on multiple body systems including the cardiovascular, renal, musculoskeletal, respiratory and immune system.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nFor the optimum benefit it is probably better to look out for a dried root powder supplement, and use only liquid forms that have been carefully prepared to extract both the polysaccharides and the saponins.<\/span>","into_the_heart_of":"[caption id=\"attachment_5438\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"515\"]\"Astragalus Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus<\/em>)[\/caption]\r\n\r\nAstragalus is traditionally highly regarded as a tonic remedy. In the language of TCM, it was seen to tonify both active energies (<\/span>qi<\/span><\/i>) and those that build resilience (<\/span>xue<\/span><\/i> or Blood), as well as supporting the Chinese concept of the Spleen (the function controlling assimilation in the body \u2014 thus being used where fatigue is linked to decreased appetite) (9).<\/span>\r\n\r\nIt is also known as <\/span>huang qi <\/span><\/i>\u00a0in TCM and is a very potent and important TCM herb with a number of applications. Warm and sweet, it is a nourishing herb and belongs to the category of herbs that tonify the <\/span>qi<\/span><\/i>. Like other <\/span>qi<\/span><\/i> tonics, <\/span>huang qi<\/span><\/i> influences the Spleen and Lungs, for these are the primary organs responsible for the cultivation (via food and air, respectively) and dissemination of <\/span>qi<\/span><\/i> in the body.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nTo summarise its TCM use, astragalus:<\/span>\r\n