The Amazing Health Benefits of He Shou Wu!

He Shou Wu Root (Or "Foti" as some call it) is a powerful Kidney and Liver Tonic. Its very action of
restoring gray hair back to colour is testimony to this.

Some (But not all) people that have seen their gray hair
return to colour from using He Shou Wu. However there are a whole host of more important health
benefits surrounding this incredible tonic herb. Weak painful knees are another sign of kidney
deficiency as is lower back pain and low sexual energy. He Shou Wu is quite often the answer!
He Shou Wu is a tonic for the endocrine glands; it improves health, stamina and resistance to
disease. It is used to reduce cholesterol because of its lecithin. It is used for angina pectoris, bloody
stools, hypoglycaemia, diabetes, night sweating, schizophrenia, chronic bronchitis, epilepsy, head
injuries, impotence, malaria, sores, cuts, and ringworm. It promotes red blood cells, helps rid intestinal
parasites, and is good for resistance to cold.
Studies show that he-shou-wu extract improves the cardiovascular system, enhances immune
functions, slows the degeneration of glands, increases antioxidant activity, and reduces the
accumulation of lipid peroxidation. Such findings suggest that he-shou-wu is helpful in combating
some of the processes that lead to conditions characteristic of old age, thereby also reducing the risk
of fatal diseases (e.g., cancer) and incidents (e.g., heart attack, stroke). He Shou Wu was shown to
have effects on the antioxidant system superoxide dismutase (SOD), accumulation of lipid
peroxidase, and enhancement of cell-mediated immune responses, Other antiaging substances
studied extensively include Ginseng, Astragalus, Epimedium, Cordyceps, Ganoderma, Siberian
Ginseng, and Polygonatum (Huang Jing).

Studies have also demonstrated that various laboratory animals fed He Shou Wu in their diets lived
longer than control animals:

The same formula also demonstrated significant results in open human clinical studies.
Also, traditionally this herb is said to increase essence and blood. This combination of attributes
indicates that it would increase fertility in a woman and sperm in a man since essence and blood are
the two necessary qualities required to bare a child. Both men and women attempting to have children
should take He Shou Wu.

For all you "science buffs" out there:
To date they have
found He Shou Wu contains leucoanthrocyanides (LAC) which are anti-inflammatory, Chrysophanol,
Emodin, Rhapontin, Phenolic Glucosides, Nitrogen, Minerals, Starch (up to 50%), Unsaturated Fat,
Lecithin, and Oxymethylanthroquinone. (Keep in mind these are only the ones the can identify There
may be hundreds more)
Research has demonstrated that Polygonum multiflorum can very significantly increase superoxide
dismutase (SOD) activity. SOD is a powerful natural antioxidant and free radical scavenger that has
been demonstrated to have powerful anti-aging benefits in humans. Polygonum multiflorum also
inhibits b -monoamine oxidase (b -MAO). Both of these factors contribute to the anti-aging effects of
this herb.

Polygonum multiflorum has been demonstrated to help strengthen the membranes of erythrocytes
(red blood cells) and to promote the growth and development of erythrocytes. Polygonum multiflorum
has been found to induce the production in human beings of g-interferon.


Polygonum multiflorum is being used clinically in China for patients suffering from Schizophrenia. It is
generally combined with Shen stabilizing herbs such as Ziziphus and Polygonum stem. Reportedly,
results have been good.
He Shou Wu is good to strengthen the muscles and tendons. It is also very beneficial for the nerves. It
is used for backaches, knee joint pain, traumatic bruises, and neurasthenia. It has been used to lower
blood pressure. Many people say it helps them to fall asleep at night also. The list goes on and on!



The History of He Shou Wu

An ancestor of He Shou Wu, who lived in the
district of Nan He in Xun Zhou, was originally named He Tien Er and was later called Neng Zi. He was
born impotent (meaning, he couldn't bear children) and had turned to drinking wine.

At the age of 58, he returned home drunk one night and was overcome by sleep while still outside.
When he awoke he noticed on the field two shoots of climbing plants, which stood about 3 feet apart.
The sprouts of these shoots were twisted around each other (thus, the original name of the plant, Jiao
Teng) and then separated, three or four times.

Tian Er considered this to be strange and that the plant was "speaking to him" of the love between a
man and woman, therefore, he dug out the root of the plant and asked all the people in the village and
the wilderness, but no one was able to tell him its name. Thereupon he dried the root in the sun. A
man living nearby was an excellent jester and said to Tie Ner: "You are impotent, you are old and
childless. This climbing plant struck you as peculiar, now surely it is supposed to serve you as a
divine drug. Why don't you eat it?"

Thereupon, Tien Er sifted out a fine powder of the root and took it with wine. After 7 days, he
suddenly recognized clearly the principles of human life! After several tens of days had passed, he felt
unburdened and strong, and he could barely control his sexual desire. He married a widow named
Cen and continued to take the drug regularly after that. He then increased the individual dose to 2
qian (about 6.2 grams). After over 700 days, all of his previous complaints had disappeared; he
regained his youthful appearance and begot a son. The people in the neighborhood were very
astonished at this. During the following 10 years, Tiener became the father of several sons. He
ascribed all this to the drug and said: "This was caused by the climbing plant. When one takes it, one
can live to be 160 years old, and yet it is neither listed in the old prescriptions nor in the materia
medicas (The Bencao).

He died at the age of 160 and left 19 sons and daughters. His son He Yen, who also took the drug,
reached the age of 160 as well, and left 30 sons and daughters. Yen's son, He Shou Wu lived to the
age of 130 by means of this drug, and fathered 21 children.