How To Use Horsetail For Hair Growth

If you oasis't heard of horsetail herb, you'll exist pleased to discover that it doesn't involve the tail of a equus caballus. In fact, horsetail herb has been around since pre-historical times, remedying everything from ulcers to wounds as well as kidney problems.

Unfortunately, horsetail is often treated every bit a weed (like to dandelion) and destroyed in one case plant. Only what if the people who killed horsetail knew of the wonders it provides for our body? In the aforementioned way dandelion fights cancer and heals the liver, could horsetail exist another hidden natural health treasure? The reply: Aye.

What is Horsetail?

The common horsetail plant, or Equisetum arvense, is a perennial constitute belonging to the genus Equisetum. There are over 15 different species of Equisetum around the world (1), with the common horsetail plant being, you guessed it, the virtually mutual.

Horsetail herb is found in areas that are moist and rich (like wetlands and other depression-lying areas). It commonly grows in temperate climate zones of the Northern Hemisphere, including Asia, North America, and Europe.

Horsetail is a descendant of ancient plants that grew as alpine as trees (!) during the Carboniferous menstruum in prehistoric times (2). Information technology is one of the most abundant sources of silica in the plant kingdom, so much so that it tin can even be used to polish metal.

Historically, horsetail herb was prepared every bit a juice, tea or tincture to care for swelling, weight loss, diabetes, bladder affliction, kidney disease, arthritis, tuberculosis, and other infections (3). Permit'due south take a closer wait at how horsetail benefits the body.

Benefits of Horsetail Herb

Horsetail is rich in beneficial compounds that fight inflammation and infections, including (iv):

– Vitamin C
– Thiamine (vitamin B1)
– Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
– Niacin (vitamin B3)
– Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5)
– Pyridoxine (vitamin B6)
– Folate
– Vitamin Due east
– Vitamin One thousand
– Potassium
– Sodium
– Calcium
– Magnesium
– Iron
– Zinc
– Copper
– Phenolic compounds
– Silica
– Kynurenic acid
– Styrylpyrones
– Chlorophyll

With a list like that, information technology's no wonder horsetail has the ability to heal a diversity of health ailments. Then what are the benefits of horsetail herb? Read more to observe out.

i. Rich in Silica for Hair, Skin, and Nails

Equally mentioned higher up, horsetail is one of the highest natural sources of silica. Silica is a nutrient known for boosting skin, hair, and nail health (5), mainly considering it is a key ingredient in collagen cosmos (a building block of your hair, skin, and nails).

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, horsetail in combination with other ingredients increased pilus growth, book, and thickness in a group of 15 women with thinning pilus (6).

In another study, women with nail plate alterations applied a test product containing horsetail randomly on the nails of 1 hand only. They did so for a total for 14 days. What did they find? The test production significantly improved splitting, fragility and longitudinal grooves (seven).

Because of its collagen-boosting backdrop, the silica content in horsetail is idea to accept anti-crumbling and skin toning properties. As the peel ages, collagen naturally breaks downwardly and the peel is less able to restore it. By using horsetail on the skin (or internally), information technology will allow it to produce more collagen, which makes the pare appear more smooth and plump.

two. Heals Wounds and Relieves Burns

Horsetail has been used since fourth dimension immemorial to help heal wounds faster. Nicholas Culpepper, a seventeenth-century English herbalist used horsetail juice or decoction as a remedy to stop bleeding, to treat ulcers, wounds, ruptures, and inflammations of the skin (8).

In a double-bullheaded clinical trial, 108 postpartum nulliparous mothers were divided into 2 groups: 54 women in the horsetail group and 54 mothers in the placebo grouping. They wanted to examination to see whether the topical application of horsetail ointment (3%) was effective in wound healing and reduction of inflammation and pain relief after episiotomy (a common surgical practise in midwifery). One-half of the women who used horsetail ointment on the wound for 10 days institute a significant reduction in pain and faster healing of wounds. The researchers postulated that silica in horsetail helped to seal the wound, while the flavonoids helped foreclose infection (9).

To treat burns and wounds, it is recommended to employ horsetail herb directly to the afflicted area of the pare (10). You can soak a clean fabric in horsetail herb-infused water and utilise it to the afflicted area, or opt for an ointment fabricated with horsetail.

3. Removes Heavy Metals from the Torso

Heavy metals take a major toll on our body. They crusade cancer, cause nervous system disorders (like Alzheimer's and dementia), negatively affect the digestive tract, trigger autoimmune disease and and so much more. Fortunately, horsetail helps our torso go rid of them.

Horsetail is a well-documented and studied heavy metallic chelation herb. Similar to cilantro, horsetail literally pulls heavy metals from the earth and helps remineralize the soil (11). It also does the same job in our bodies.

How does horsetail reduce the concentration of heavy metals in the body? Every bit I've been pointing out throughout this article, horsetail herb is rich in silica. Silica also happens to reduce aluminum levels quite drastically in the trunk. It does and so past binding with its molecules and extracting them from the brain, and out of your trunk via urine and other means (12).

A study conducted by Dr. Exley found that after 12 weeks of drinking high-silica water (around one liter a day) "facilitated the removal of aluminum via the urine in both patient and control groups without any concomitant effect upon the urinary excretion of the essential metals, iron, and copper. Nosotros have provided preliminary bear witness that over 12 weeks of silicon-rich mineral water therapy the body burden of aluminum fell in individuals with Alzheimer's disease and, concomitantly, cognitive performance showed clinically relevant improvements in at to the lowest degree three out of 15 individuals" (xiii).

iv. Reduces Inflammation

Horsetail is known for its anti-inflammatory backdrop. It's no wonder this herb works wonders for those with a degenerative joint illness like osteoarthritis. It does then by causing cells to produce less inflammatory markers like IL-2 and TNF blastoff. The silica content also helps residuum the allowed effect in these cells (14).

A report published in 2013 found that horsetail herb is one of several herbs that incorporate kynurenic acid (KYNA), which possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidative and hurting-relieving abilities. Previous studies pointed out that KYNA in the synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis is really lower than in patients with osteoarthritis. They ended that using herbal preparations with high concentrations of KYNA "tin can be considered equally a supplementary measure in rheumatoid arthritis therapy, equally well as in rheumatic diseases prevention" (15).

Inflammation of the skin can also be relieved by using horsetail extract or tea infusions on your face subsequently washing. Information technology can be used to alleviate the redness from eczema, acne and other skin conditions. All you need to practise is steep 1/2 cup of horsetail in i cup of h2o and let sit for a couple hours. Strain, and add together to a spray bottle to mist on your face after washing.

v. Increases Relaxation and Slumber

The flavonoid isoquercetin in horsetail acts as a mild and safe allaying. It is also rich in calcium, which is a mineral responsible for soothing and calming the nerves. Drinking a cup of horsetail herb tea is said to restore health to your nervous system, helping reduce irritability, hyperactivity and fifty-fifty insomnia (xvi).

vi. Strengthens the Bones

Because of its high silica content (a mineral needed for bone health), horsetail herb is beneficial for providing back up to the bones.

Research has shown that silica stimulates osteoblasts (your bone-building cells) by increasing protein collagen synthesis. Collagen is a protein that provides the framework of your basic, while calcium and other minerals fill in and strengthen that framework. It besides inhibits osteoclasts (your os-resorbing cells) past directly discouraging bone resorption. Bone resorption happens when osteoclasts pause down the tissue in bone and release the minerals (such equally when someone consumes an acidic diet, and the body requires alkaline minerals in the bone to buffer the acidic pH in the torso). However, we want those minerals to stay within our bones – and silica helps to accomplish just that (17)!
In an Italian trial, 122 women received either a placebo, horsetail extract, a horsetail-calcium combination or no treatment. Both the horsetail and calcium groups had a statistically significant improvement in bone density (eighteen).

In 2012, another group of scientists tested horsetail extract and found that information technology helped reduce bone loss and devastation. A comparison study found that the extract excited homo osteoblasts (bone-building cells (19).

vii. Fights Cancer

Horsetail herb has shown promise for treating cancers of the skin, blood, and lungs.

One written report investigated the antioxidative and antiproliferative properties of unlike horsetail extracts and found that all extracts inhibited cancer cell growth, with the ethyl acetate excerpt exhibiting the nigh prominent antiproliferative effect, without inducing any cell growth stimulation on humor tumor cell lines (20). The authors notation that "horsetail extracts could be used as an hands accessibly source of natural antioxidants and as potential phytochemicals."

Another written report establish that a alloy of herbs (containing horsetail and the mushroom Chaga) was effective at reducing lymphoma and leukemia tumors in mice, increasing survival rates past 33 per centum (22).

How to Apply Horsetail Herb

There are many dissimilar ways that yous tin employ horsetail herb. It can be used both internally and externally and is quite simple to prepare.

To make a strong infusion, take a handful of dried horsetail herb (nigh 1/two cup), and boil in 2 cups of hot water for ten minutes. Permit it and then sit for 1-7 hours after washed boiling. The longer you let it sit down, the stronger the infusion volition be (and more nutrient-dense).

You can employ this infusion for:

– Herbal Hair Rinse to back up strong pilus and hair growth. Once it has finished steeping, strain the infusion and use as a hair rinse in the shower.

– Skin Tonic for glowing skin. Strain the infusion and use as a rinse on your face. Alternatively, you can soak a paper confront mask in the tea and wear information technology on your face for upwardly to 30 minutes.

– Sore Throat. Strain the infusion and mix with some sea salt. Irrigate with this mixture a couple times a day until symptoms beginning going downwardly.

– Gingivitis. Strain the infusion and irrigate/swish, for iii-4 times a day until remedied.

You lot can also sit in a bathroom of horsetail herb to soften your pare, and also get rid of urinary tract infections. By sitting in a bath with horsetail tea for at least 15 minutes two to 3 times a week, yous can heal the symptoms of UTIs. Steep 10 teaspoons of stale horsetail herb into one quart of boiling h2o for 10-15 minutes, and add the strained tea to the bath water.

Horsetail herb tin likewise exist taken internally by drinking the above infusion, or by taking horsetail tincture or capsules (as outlined below).

Where to Buy Horsetail Root

Horsetail herb can be easily purchased online or plant at your local wellness food store. In comes in different forms such equally capsules which can exist taken orally, dried leaves to employ for teas, and tinctures where you can apply as directed in the labels. It's upwardly to you to determine which one you like best.

Horsetail Herb (Fresh): Tin be harvested wild, or purchased in local health food stores (I have personally not found it in local health food stores, but have found wild horsetail).

Horsetail Precautions

According to Dr. Jennifer Brett, N.D., you lot should avoid horsetail " if yous take high blood pressure. Some cases of high claret force per unit area are due to kidney abnormalities (a condition chosen renal hypertension), and horsetail tin irritate the kidneys. Those who have a family history of silica kidney stones too should avert horsetail. Horsetail may brand breast milk less palatable to nursing infants ."

She also recommends to "limit its use to i calendar month at a fourth dimension, or stop for one calendar week every three weeks when taking this herb."