NOW Supplements Astragalus

Supplement Facts

Serving Size: 1 Veg Capsule

Amount Per Serving

%DV

Astragalus Root Extract(Astragalus membranaceus) (Standardized to min 70% Polysaccharides)

500 mg

The product is found useful for the following medical conditions

We examined the effectiveness of Ninjin Yoei To (NYT), a traditional herbal medicine that contains astragalus root among other ingredients, in treating lung cancer. Over a period of 7 weeks, an elderly patient received a daily dose of 15 grams of NYT.

During the study, we observed notable changes in the patient's health. The levels of tumor markers, specifically CEA and CA19-9, decreased. Additionally, the patient’s symptoms improved significantly as her cough vanished and her appetite returned, indicating an enhancement in her overall well-being.

While the study did not isolate the effects of astragalus root alone, the positive outcomes suggest that traditional herbal combinations, including this ingredient, may offer benefits for cancer patients. The assessments based on yin-yang and xu-shi diagnostic systems even indicated a shift in the patient’s health status.

Although NYT is a multi-component herbal formula, we still see it enhancing quality of life for patients facing malignancies. Hence, incorporating such traditional remedies might be a valuable aspect of holistic care in cancer treatment.

Extra energy gained

Most Useful Review

4 people found this helpful

This Astragalus extract provides me with extra energy while undergoing cancer treatments.

Cold Sores details

Effectively reduces symptoms

Most Useful Review

2 people found this helpful

I take this at the first sign of cold sores. Typically, the symptoms disappear the following day. I’ll continue to purchase it.

Allergies details

Effects of herbal formula on allergies

Kobayashi H, Mizuno N, Teramae H, Kutsuna H, Ueoku S, et al. The effects of Hochu-ekki-to in patients with atopic dermatitis resistant to conventional treatment. Int J Tissue React. 2004;26:113.

We investigated the effects of Hochu-ekki-to, a traditional Japanese herbal formula that includes astragalus root, on patients struggling with atopic dermatitis who were resistant to conventional treatments.

The treatment consisted of administering this herbal formula for three months, during which we monitored changes in specific markers associated with allergies, namely serum IgE levels and eosinophils, which are key indicators of allergic responses.

Following the treatment, we observed a statistically significant reduction in eosinophil counts, suggesting that Hochu-ekki-to may help alleviate some allergy-related symptoms. Additionally, serum IgE levels showed a slight tendency to decrease, which hints at a potential positive effect on allergies.

It’s important to note that while these findings are promising, the multi-ingredient nature of Hochu-ekki-to makes it difficult to pinpoint exactly how much astragalus root contributes to the overall efficacy. Thus, while we found improvements, it’s challenging to isolate the effects of each ingredient, including the astragalus root.

7.5

Eases allergy symptoms

Most Useful Review

8 people found this helpful

This product is a fantastic value. Astragalus supports blood pressure and blood sugar—both of which I need—but I mainly buy it for immune support due to my allergies, as I was often falling ill. My mother suffers from severe allergies, and this product alleviates her symptoms effectively. If you find this review helpful, please consider a thumbs up!

Bacterial Infection details

8 people found this helpful

I've been using Astragalus for approximately two years now. Previously, I would suffer from multiple bronchial infections annually. Since I started taking this product, I've had just one infection in the last two years. It works well for me.

Chronic Cough details

Significant improvement

Most Useful Review

15 people found this helpful

Excellent immune booster! I have used Now Foods Astragalus Extract for 2 years during the cold and flu season. It has greatly benefited my wife, who suffers from chronic cough due to bronchitis. Since taking 1 capsule twice daily, she has only experienced one minor flare-up, a significant reduction from the usual 5 or 6 severe attacks each year requiring a doctor’s visit. We are convinced of its effectiveness.

Common Cold details

22 people found this helpful

Good immunity booster. My family has relied on it during cold seasons and it was particularly beneficial when I was undergoing chemotherapy as it helped maintain my immunity. I’ve also heard it supports liver health against chemotherapy's toxic effects. It has worked wonderfully for us and we always keep it stocked.

High Cholesterol details

Improved kidney function

Most Useful Review

8 people found this helpful

According to studies, Astragalus enhances kidney function. I initially took it for this reason, expecting no quick results, yet I experienced significant improvement. After one week, my nightly bathroom trips decreased to twice, and by the second week, it was just once. Highly recommended!

Hypertension details

Positive for hypertension

Most Useful Review

10 people found this helpful

Astragalus restores strength during heavy mental and physical stress, increases immunity, effectively slows down the ageing process, and rejuvenates. It enhances cerebral circulation and tissue respiration of the brain. It has diuretic, hypotensive, and sedative effects, improves heart function, and dilates cardiac and renal vessels. Notably, it positively impacts the course of hypertension.

Lung Cancer details

4 people found this helpful

This Astragalus extract offers me extra energy during my cancer treatments.

Adrenal Gland Disorder details

Strengthens adrenal glands

Most Useful Review

41 people found this helpful

Very Strong Astragalus has been highly beneficial for my cirrhosis, effectively supporting my immune system and detoxifying my liver. It has also bolstered my adrenal glands, which in turn supports my thyroid. Strengthening the adrenal glands is crucial, as they produce the hormones required for thyroid function.

Back Pain details

11 people found this helpful

Frankly, with a clear conscience regarding my kidney inflammation, I used it for 10 days, and thankfully the back pain has ceased.

Flu details

Astragaloside IV lowers H1N1 inflammation

Zhang J, Zhang W, Ren L, He Y, Mei Z, et al. Astragaloside IV attenuates IL-1β secretion by enhancing autophagy in H1N1 infection. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2020;367. doi:10.1093/femsle/fnaa007

We investigated the effects of astragalus root, specifically a compound known as astragaloside IV (AS-IV), on H1N1 infection, which can cause severe respiratory issues. The key focus was on how AS-IV impacts autophagy, a process cells use to manage inflammation.

In our findings, AS-IV enhanced the formation of autophagosomes, cell structures that help clean up trash within cells, in the context of H1N1 infection. This was significant because H1N1 often leads to an overwhelming release of inflammatory substances, known as a cytokine storm, which can worsen pneumonia symptoms. Surprisingly, while AS-IV didn't impact viral replication or levels of pro-inflammatory proteins, it did significantly lower the secretion of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), a key inflammatory marker.

Overall, our study suggests that AS-IV could be helpful in reducing harmful inflammation during H1N1 infection, promoting autophagy activation as a potential avenue for treatment. However, it's crucial to note that the research did not isolate AS-IV's effectiveness specifically as a flu treatment. This leaves some questions remaining about its overall impact on flu symptoms.

Sickness prevention

Most Useful Review

28 people found this helpful

I gave this to my son, who suffered many colds, flus, and strep throat at UCLA. Since starting this product, he’s stopped getting sick. If he feels unwell, he amps up the dosage, and it seems to prevent the illness.

Sore Throat details

11 people found this helpful

Astragalus is a safe daily tonic for good health. It combats ailments like sore throat and enhances immune function. I prefer large doses for effective results. Daily use has shown me great benefits without side effects.

Diabetes details

SCIENTIFIC SCORE

Possibly Effective

Based on 2 Researches

Astragaloside IV benefits diabetic nephropathy

Fan Y, Fan H, Li P, Liu Q, Huang L, et al. Mitogen-activating protein kinase kinase kinase kinase-3, inhibited by Astragaloside IV through H3 lysine 4 monomethylation, promotes the progression of diabetic nephropathy by inducing apoptosis. Bioengineered. 2022;13:11517. doi:10.1080/21655979.2022.2068822

We explored how astragaloside IV (AS-IV), a natural compound from the Astragalus root, impacts diabetic nephropathy (DN) and its symptoms. In our observations, AS-IV treatment showed promise in alleviating DN symptoms in mice, leading to improvements in several health markers, including body weight and kidney function indicators such as urine microalbumin and serum creatinine levels.

We noted that AS-IV seemed to reduce the progression of DN by lowering apoptosis, the process of programmed cell death that often contributes to kidney issues in diabetes. Our research revealed that AS-IV affects specific epigenetic modifications, particularly H3 lysine 4 monomethylation (H3K4me1), a mechanism tied to gene expression regulation.

Through our analyses, we pinpointed a gene, MAP4K3, which was elevated in DN conditions but decreased following AS-IV treatment. Silencing this gene led to reduced cell death in kidney cells exposed to high glucose levels, indicating that AS-IV might counteract the harmful effects of diabetes on kidney health. Overall, our findings suggest that AS-IV could play a significant role in protecting against diabetes-related kidney damage, offering a hopeful avenue for future therapies in diabetic nephropathy.

7.5

Diabetes management support

Most Useful Review

60 people found this helpful

An investment in my health! As I turn 50, I realised the importance of taking better care of myself. I chose this astragalus product for its quality and benefits, including regulating diabetes. These supplements may not provide overnight changes but support gradual, consistent healing over time.

Bone Pain details

11 people found this helpful

Frankly, with a clear conscience, I used this for 10 days due to inflammation in my kidneys, and thankfully, the pain is gone.

Cold details

Astragalus-root shows mixed effects

Liang X, Jin J, Bi X, Kamruzzaman M, Kudo T, et al. Effects of Chinese herbal medicine and cold exposure on plasma glucose, leucine and energy metabolism in sheep. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2018;102:e534. doi:10.1111/jpn.12792

We conducted an experiment to evaluate the effects of a traditional Chinese herbal medicine mixture, including astragalus-root, when sheep were exposed to cold temperatures. The study involved feeding four sheep either a mixed hay diet or hay supplemented with 2% of the herbal mix over two periods, during which they experienced a controlled cold exposure for five days.

While we observed some benefits of the herbal treatment, specifically regarding nitrogen balance and energy metabolism, the results showed that the metabolism of plasma leucine—important for protein synthesis—remained unchanged in cold conditions. Although plasma glucose and energy metabolism improved with both the herbal diet and cold exposure, the herbal mixture alone did not significantly enhance the sheep's ability to cope with cold stress in terms of leucine metabolism.

Overall, while astragalus-root mixed with other herbs seems beneficial for certain metabolic processes, it did not provide clear advantages in terms of cold adaptation for the sheep in our study.

Colds stopped completely

Most Useful Review

28 people found this helpful

I gave this to my son, who battled a series of colds, flus, and strep throat in his first term at UCLA. Since he began using this product, he hasn’t fallen ill at all. If he feels anything coming on, he simply increases his intake and it appears to halt the cold in its tracks.