Therapeutic Uses
- Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH) – Nettle works by inhibiting 5-alpha-reductase, an enzyme that plays a key role in the over-growth of prostate tissue that’s characteristic of BPH. (The pharmaceuticals used to treat BPH are also 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors.) One study gave men with BPH 120 milligrams of nettle per day. After 6 months, 81% reported benefits using standard measures of BPH. A german study compared the effectiveness of a combination of nettle (120mg) and saw palmetto (160mg) versus the pharmaceutical BPH treatment Flomax. After more than a year, both treatments showed the same benefit; the herb combination worked as well as the drug.
- Urinary Tract Infections – As a diuretic, nettle can help flush the bladder of the bacteria that cause urinary tract infections.
- High Blood Pressure – Diuretics are often used to treat high blood pressure. In Germany, where herbal medicine is more mainstream, doctors may prescribe nettle instead of drugs. According to medical herbalists, nettle juice is definitely useful in diuretic therapy. It has the advantage of being well tolerated and safe, as distinct from the pharmaceutical thiazides.
- Congestive Heart Failure – Physicians often prescribe diuretics to combat the fluid accumulation associated with congestive heart failure.
- Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) – Diuretics help relieve the bloating caused by premenstrual fluid buildup. Women who are bothered by PMS may want to try taking nettle in the days before their periods.
- Hay Fever – One study found that freeze-dried nettle capsules (300 milligrams twice a day) provide significant relief from hay fever symptoms.
- Arthritis – One study assessed the pain of 40 people with various forms of arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout. Half of the participants were given 200 mg of prescription arthritis medication diclofenac (Voltaren). The other half were given 50 mg of diclofenac and 2 ounces of stewed nettle leaves. Both groups reported about 70% improvement in their pain scores. As an NSAID, diclofenac is notorious for causing abdominal distress and gastrointestinal bleeding. Combining diclofenac with nettle provided equivalent pain relief while allowing a substantial decrease in the NSAID dose – meaning less risk of NSAID side effects.
- Scurvy – Nettle is a good source of vitamin C. This validates the herb’s traditional role in treating scurvy, which is caused by a vitamin C deficiency.
Medicinal Uses: * Allergies * Alopecia/baldness * Amenorrhea * Arthritis * Asthma * Bed Wetting/incontinence * Female Hormones * Fibromyalgia * Herbal Teas * Kidney * Libido * Longevity Tonics * Menorrhagia * Nutrition * Osteoporosis * PMS * Prostate * Rheumatoid Arthritis * Spring Tonics
Nettle Leaf Side Effects: The sting of the nettle can cause a rash in some people. It is a strange fact that the juice of the nettle can provide relief for its own sting. It can also be relieved by rubbing leaves of rosemary, mint or sage. Nettle Leaf Drug Interactions: Stinging nettle might have an effect like a water pill or “diuretic.” Taking stinging nettle might decrease how well the body gets rid of lithium. This could increase how much lithium is in the body and result in serious side effects. Talk with your healthcare provider before using this product if you are taking lithium. Your lithium dose might need to be changed. Taking stinging nettle along with diabetes medications might cause your
