All about Dong Quai

Dong Quai is a small, perennial herb that grows native to coastal areas in China and Japan. In these cultures, the root of the plant has been used for thousands of years for a variety of medicinal purposes, with many of the women taking it daily to maintain good health. It is also known by several other names, notably Chinese angelica, dang gui, or tang keui.

Studies show that dong quai dilates blood vessels, thereby reducing blood pressure levels.

Most famously, however, this herb is used to balance hormones in women. Its most widespread use is to deal with menstrual and menopausal symptoms: alleviating PMS, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, cramping, and so forth.

It is not exactly known how dong quai achieves these benefits, but the most prevalent theory is that the herb contains phytoestrogens, which have the ability to reduce negative effects of the estrogen naturally present in women.

In addition, it is believed to contain compounds that harbor anti-inflammatory properties, possibly explaining its ability to mitigate menstrual cramps.

People taking dong quai may become overly sensitive to sunlight (especially if fair-skinned). It may also interact with certain medications, so consult with a physician before supplementation.

Pregnant women (or mothers who nurse) should avoid using this herb.

Dong Quai is often compared with black cohosh, another popular standardized extract which has been proven beneficial in alleviating menopausal symptoms. In fact, black cohosh has been more extensively proven in efficacy than dong quai, and we therefore recommend it over dong quai -- although many people have reported success with dong quai nonetheless.

Total Balance for Women is a product that contains dong quai and also contains many other important nutrients for a woman's health....and one of the editor's here uses it herself daily.