When to take traditional Chinese medicine may seem simple, but it is actually quite complex. Some people take Chinese medicine at the wrong time, which directly affects the effectiveness of the medication, resulting in unsatisfactory treatment outcomes and even adverse reactions. So, when is the best time to take Chinese medicine? Ancient Chinese medicine practitioners have accumulated valuable experiences over thousands of years, such as taking medicine regardless of time, taking it in the morning, after breakfast, after lunch, after dinner, before going to bed, on an empty stomach, before the onset of symptoms, and on an intermittent basis. The "Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica" proposed: "For diseases above the diaphragm, eat first and then take medicine. For diseases below the heart and abdomen, take medicine first and then eat. For diseases affecting the limbs and blood vessels, it is best to take on an empty stomach in the morning. For diseases affecting the bone marrow, it is best to take when the stomach is full in the evening." Guo Zhihong, chief physician of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department of the Rocket Army General Hospital, explains that the timing of taking Chinese medicine is determined based on the patient's condition, the medication, and other specific circumstances. As long as the medication is taken at the correct time, it is easier to achieve good treatment results. Otherwise, not only will the effectiveness be affected, but there may also be adverse reactions.
Different conditions, different medication timing
The severity and urgency of the condition determine the timing and speed of treatment. Generally speaking, for acute and severe conditions, medication should be taken as soon as possible without considering the time, in order to quickly and effectively exert the therapeutic effect. For example, in patients with high fever, medication can be taken multiple times a day to quickly reduce body temperature and minimize brain damage caused by high fever. Chinese medicine for treating asthma, such as Dingchuan Decoction and Suzi Jiangqi Decoction, can also be taken at any time. In addition, for Chinese medicine emergency drugs such as Sini Decoction, Shenfu Decoction, Shengmai Powder, and Angong Niuhuang Pill, they can be taken at any time or multiple times a day when used for critically ill patients to ensure timely rescue and continuous therapeutic effect. On the other hand, for mild conditions, treatment should not be rushed. Medication can be taken before meals, after meals, in the morning, or before going to bed. Some medications can also be taken intermittently, such as taking them every other day or every three to five days, or taking them for a few days and then stopping for a few days, to slowly and continuously exert their effects and achieve long-lasting results.
Different drug properties, different medication timing
Guo Zhihong explains that in general, most patients have symptoms such as yin-yang imbalance, qi-blood imbalance, and dysfunction of organs and meridians. The prescribed Chinese medicine aims to balance yin and yang, regulate qi and blood, and harmonize the organs. For these patients, it is best to take medication in the morning or afternoon, such as 8-9 am in the morning and 4-5 pm in the afternoon, with a 1-2 hour gap from mealtime. This allows the medication to exert its full effect without affecting the function of the spleen and stomach, achieving the best therapeutic results. For kidney-tonifying medicine, it can be taken in the morning and evening, with kidney yang-tonifying medicine taken in the morning and kidney yin-tonifying medicine taken in the evening, which is in line with the principle of nourishing yang in the morning and nourishing yin in the evening in Chinese medicine. For medications that have a stimulating effect on the gastrointestinal tract, it is best to take them 1 hour after a meal to reduce the stimulation to the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, for excessively bitter and cold or excessively spicy and hot preparations, it is also recommended to take them 1 hour after a meal. For medications that do not stimulate the gastrointestinal tract, they can be taken before meals or at any time, such as Siling Baizhu Powder and Si Junzi Tang, which tonify the spleen and stomach.
It should be noted that when many people take herbal decoctions, they often drink a large bowl, which makes their stomachs feel bloated and uncomfortable. This is also incorrect. In fact, taking herbal decoctions is similar to drinking water and should not be consumed in large quantities at once. Consuming too much can be detrimental to the spleen and stomach. Therefore, the amount of herbal decoction should be appropriate. If there is too much decoction, unless it is for emergencies, it can be saved for the next time and does not need to be consumed all at once.
Different drug properties, different medication timing
Many Chinese medicines have a certain impact on the spleen and stomach, such as blood-tonifying medicine, kidney-tonifying medicine, blood-activating and stasis-resolving medicine, and bowel-loosening and mass-dispersing medicine. For patients with poor spleen and stomach function, most medications are not suitable to be taken on an empty stomach, and it is best to take them in the morning or afternoon. Generally, medication should be taken twice a day, preferably 1 hour after a meal or in a semi-fasting state. Medication should be avoided after 9 pm to prevent interference with drug absorption and nighttime sleep.
Chinese medicine should be taken separately from meals. Consuming greasy food after taking tonifying medicine can easily cause vomiting and fever. Taking fruits after taking Chinese medicine can cause diarrhea. So, how long should the interval between eating and taking Chinese medicine be? It depends on the type and nature of the food. If the food is light, a half-hour interval is sufficient. If the food is greasy, it is best to wait for a 2-hour interval. If it is a light rice porridge or similar food, there is generally no need for an interval before taking the medicine. For example, after taking medicine to relieve fever and expel exterior pathogenic factors, it is often recommended to eat hot porridge to promote the therapeutic effect and induce sweating to expel the pathogenic factors as quickly as possible. Eating greasy food after taking the medicine can interfere with the effectiveness. This is because the herbs used to relieve fever and clear heat have a light and dispersing nature, while greasy food is sticky and heavy, which not only neutralizes the effects of the herbs but also aggravates the condition.
As for Chinese patent medicine, different formulations have different rates of disintegration and absorption in the body, so the timing and interval of administration are also different. Pill formulations dissolve and absorb slowly, resulting in a slow and sustained effect, so they are generally taken once or twice a day. Ointments, wine preparations, syrup preparations, and lotion preparations are absorbed quickly in the body, so they are usually taken three times a day.
