Horse Chestnut Extract

Horse chestnut extract comes from the horse chestnut herb, and is used as an ingredient in some herbal supplements, or as a standalone supplement.

This herb has been shown to have a wide variety of properties and benefits.

For example, it harbors anti-inflammatory properties and acts as an antioxidant. Antioxidants can neutralize free radicals before they cause damage within the body.

Horse chestnut is used to alleviate hemorrhoids because of its anti-inflammatory properties.

Perhaps most famously, horse chestnut extract is used for helping maintain and improve the health of veins. Symptoms associated with poor health of the veins that include heaviness in the legs, pain, lethargy, etc., may benefit from horse chestnut herb.

Because of its purported benefits for veins, many people use it for unsightly varicose veins and similar conditions that result from the fragilitiy of veins, vessels, capillaries, and poor circulation.

Horse chestnut herb contains a compound called aescin -- sometimes referred to as escin -- which is the active component. Aescin appears to "patch up" tiny leaks in blood vessels and capillaries, thereby improving their strength, elasticity, and health.

It's important that if you are interested in trying horse chestnut, you buy only pharmaceutical grade quality products. These will generally contain between 15% to 20% escin. Common dosages taken are 50 mg per supplement.

Precautions

Horse Chestnut may react adversely with blood thinners (anti-coagulents) such as warfarin, by possibly increasing the risk of bleeding.

If you are taking blood thinners of any kind, have liver or kidney problems, or you are pregnant or nursing, it's important you talk to your physician before taking horse chestnut extract supplements.

Some reported side effects of horse chestnut include: nausea, gastrointestinal distress, dizziness, and headache. If you experience any of these symptoms, stop using horse chestnut herb.