What is the horsetail herb and what are its benefits and harms?

There are some people who prefer to use natural herbs to treat some health problems, and horsetail is one of the most important plants, but is it really effective? Does it have any damages? Follow us to find out the answer.

What is horsetail herb?

Equisetum hyemale, Horsetail, or Equisetum arvense is one of the most famous herbs that have been used in medicine since the civilizations of the Greeks and Romans.

This plant is classified under the category of ferns, and is believed to have many medicinal uses, so it was used in the treatment of wounds and some other conditions, because it contains many components, including antioxidants.

It is a herb that grows in moderate temperature and humid places, and is characterized by its long green stems, and is characterized by its dense branches, and this plant grows in the period between spring and autumn, and can grow in northern Europe, central and northern USA

Horsetail herb benefits

Horsetail can provide many benefits to the body, which are:

  • It helps in bone health, helps in quick bone recovery, and helps treat osteoporosis.
  • Helps heal wounds quickly when applied as an ointment, and can also reduce swelling from wounds, as well as redness.
  • It can help treat nail psoriasis, by using it as nail polish.
  • This plant can work to resist some types of infections, especially infections that result from autoimmune diseases.
  • The plant can help fight some types of bacteria and fungi.
  • Because it contains antioxidants, the plant can help fight cell damage by protecting the cell envelope.

Horsetail for hair

The plant can be one of the beneficial plants for hair, because it contains many elements that may be effective, such as antioxidants, which help reduce hair aging and silicone, which helps reduce hair loss and even helps in its luster.

According to a study that was carried out for a period of 3 months on a group of women, taking the extract of the plant in the form of capsules helped to increase hair growth and increase its strength. Despite this, these results must be confirmed, as the research that was conducted was using auxiliary elements with the plant.

Horsetail benefits for men

In an experiment that was done specifically on men on 36 men, it was found that eating the herb in its dried form can act as a diuretic, thus eliminating excess urine in the body, and it can also help get rid of the problem of urinary incontinence in men.

Horsetail for slimming

There is an indication that the plant can be beneficial for weight loss, but studies and scientific evidence in this regard are still insufficient.

Horsetail herb for the kidneys

The use of the herb can help treat some kidney problems, as it can help get rid of kidney stones, and it can help get rid of stones that may appear in the ureter area, although this still needs studies, as the research conducted In this regard, they are still few.

Horsetail for sugar

In a study conducted on animals, specifically mice, it was found that this herb can help reduce blood sugar, according to what was published in the Pakistani Journal of Biological Sciences, and despite these results, it is not possible to confirm the safety of using this plant with humans, because The experiment was based on animals, so more research is needed on humans to confirm this efficacy.

AttentionYou should not use the plant after consulting a doctor, because its effect may vary from person to person.

How to use horsetail herb

The herb can be used in several forms, whether in the form of a supplement, capsules or tea, and the dose should not exceed 900 mg of capsule extract, and here we explain how to use it:

  • Capsules of the herb can be used for hair care or the extract of the herb can be applied to the hair by mixing it with hair care products.
  • The extract of the plant can be used to provide skin care by being used to treat conditions such as eczema and premature aging.

Horsetail tea

If you are one of the people who suffer from inflammation in different parts of the body, whether these inflammations are caused by arthritis or gout, drinking horsetail tea can help relieve these infections.

Eating horsetail tea can help relieve some respiratory problems such as congestion and colds, as it helps get rid of mucus and phlegm.

Horsetail side effects

Horse tail damage can be:

  • Long-term use of this herb can lead to some side effects, because it activates thiamine enzymes, which are compounds that break down the important vitamin thiamine in the body, and thus may lead to a deficiency.
  • The plant should not be used with diabetes medications, because its use may lead to a significant reduction in sugar, which may threaten the life of a person with diabetes.
  • It can interfere with medicines used to treat HIV.
  • It can lead to an increase in potassium level in patients with kidney disease, so patients with kidney disease should avoid it.
  • May cause allergic reactions.
  • It can cause pancreatitis.

Horsetail for pregnancy

The use of this plant during pregnancy can lead to some side effects, which can affect pregnancy, especially with the absence of studies confirming the possibility of its use during this period, so it is preferable not to use it and stay on the safe side.

And now, at the end of this article, and that you know the benefits of horsetail herb and its most important damages, we remind you of the importance of consulting a doctor before using it to avoid any side effects, wishing you continued health and wellness.

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