Liuwei Dihuang Wan for Nourishing Kidney Yin
Liuwei Dihuang Wan is considered a magical kidney tonic by many people. While it does have nourishing effects on the kidneys, it is only suitable for those with kidney yin deficiency. Before taking Liuwei Dihuang Wan, it is important to determine if you have kidney yin deficiency.
I have a friend who is 45 years old and always feels weak. Especially in winter, his limbs and lower back become sore and cold, and his digestion is not great. Hearing that Liuwei Dihuang Wan is good for men in various aspects, he bought a few boxes to try to nourish himself. However, after taking it for two months, his condition did not improve. In fact, there are many patients who treat Liuwei Dihuang Wan as a universal "tonic" in outpatient clinics, but end up feeling even more depleted after prolonged use.
Liuwei Dihuang Wan is characterized by "three tonifying herbs and three purging herbs." The three tonifying herbs are Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, Corni Fructus, and Dioscoreae Rhizoma, while the three purging herbs are Alismatis Rhizoma, Moutan Cortex, and Poria. Therefore, it is not purely a tonifying medicine, but rather emphasizes the combination of tonifying and purging, making it more suitable for those who need to nourish kidney yin, especially those with kidney yin deficiency.
Self-assessment of Kidney Yin Deficiency
To determine if you have kidney yin deficiency, first look at your tongue. If it is red and dry, and you often have a dry mouth, then it may indicate kidney yin deficiency. Next, check your pulse. Is it thin and fast? Finally, consider if you frequently experience symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, dizziness, and soreness in the lower back and knees. If you are young or have liver and spleen damp-heat or lung heat, taking Liuwei Dihuang Wan may aggravate damp-heat, leading to symptoms such as mouth ulcers and yellow urine. Even if it is suitable for you to take, it is also advisable to quit smoking and drinking, and consume less stimulating foods. In addition, it is not recommended to take Liuwei Dihuang Wan when you have a cold, as it may hinder the dispersing of external pathogens. Those with weak spleen and stomach, loose stools, and poor digestion should also use it with caution. Those with yang deficiency have a pale and tender tongue, a slow and deep pulse, and are sensitive to cold. If you are male, you may also have erectile problems. This group of people is more suitable for using Jin Kui Shen Qi Wan. It should also be noted that this medicine should not be taken with rifampicin, as it contains Corni Fructus, which has a sour taste and can increase the toxicity of the drug to the kidneys.
Liuwei Dihuang Wan is a Balanced Tonic and Should Not Be Abused
Liuwei Dihuang Wan is an excellent medicine for nourishing yin and tonifying the kidneys. It was introduced in the book "Xiao'er Yaogan Zhijue" by Qian Yi, a famous pediatrician in the Song Dynasty. It consists of Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, Corni Fructus, Dioscoreae Rhizoma, Alismatis Rhizoma, Moutan Cortex, and Poria, and is mainly used for liver and kidney yin deficiency. It is used for symptoms such as dizziness, lower back and knee pain, restlessness and insomnia, tinnitus and dry mouth, hot hands and feet, and fatigue.
Although Liuwei Dihuang Wan is a balanced tonic, it should not be taken like a daily vitamin. It is generally recommended to take it for a month and then stop for a week, or take it for a week and rest for one or two days to allow the body to rest appropriately. The duration of use also varies depending on the specific disease. For menopausal syndrome, it may need to be taken for several months or even half a year. For chronic fatigue, it is recommended to take it for half a month initially. If used to treat hypertension, long-term use may be necessary. Some patients have a constitution of liver and kidney yin deficiency from birth, and they may not feel any discomfort even after taking it for several years, but it is important to closely monitor liver and kidney function. In addition, long-term use of Liuwei Dihuang Wan may hinder the digestion and absorption function of the spleen and stomach. It is best to take it 10-15 minutes after a meal, or under the guidance of a doctor, choose some digestive Chinese patent medicines.
Three Groups of People Should Not Take Liuwei Dihuang Wan
Those without obvious symptoms of kidney yin deficiency should not take it: Kidney yin deficiency is characterized by symptoms such as lower back and knee soreness, restlessness, dizziness, and tinnitus. Although Liuwei Dihuang Wan has a tonifying effect on the kidneys, even if a healthy person takes it for a short period of time, there should be no side effects. However, long-term use may cause bloating, loose stools, and loss of appetite.
Those with obvious kidney yang deficiency should not take it: Kidney yang deficiency is often manifested as pale complexion, lower back and knee coldness, physical weakness, and aversion to cold. Many patients with erectile dysfunction believe it is caused by kidney deficiency and take Liuwei Dihuang Wan without proper guidance, but it often backfires.
Those with kidney yin deficiency but poor spleen and stomach function should also not take it: Liuwei Dihuang Wan mainly nourishes yin, and if consumed by those with poor stomach function, it may hinder digestion. Therefore, even if someone has kidney yin deficiency, if their spleen and stomach function is poor, it is not recommended to take it.
Dosage and Precautions for Liuwei Dihuang Wan
The dosage, frequency, and duration of taking Liuwei Dihuang Wan for kidney yin deficiency vary depending on factors such as the specific disease, constitution, and age.
Traditional honey pills: Adults take 1 pill/15 grams at a time; 2-3 times a day for 2-4 weeks.
Chronic diseases mostly require taking it twice a day for 2 to several months, and those with yin deficiency constitution are more tolerant to it.
Currently, most people take commercially available Chinese patent medicines approved by the government. The dosage may vary slightly depending on the type of preparation, but in general, the dosage is smaller than that of traditional honey pills. You can follow the instructions on the medicine label or package insert, or take it as directed by your doctor.
Although Liuwei Dihuang Wan has a balanced tonifying and purging effect, it is still a nourishing medicine. All nourishing medicines have the side effect of "greasy nourishment," and long-term use may hinder the digestion and absorption function of the spleen and stomach, leading to symptoms such as a greasy tongue coating, unpleasant mouth odor, excessive saliva, phlegm, loss of appetite, chest stuffiness, or loose stools. If any of these symptoms occur, the medicine should be temporarily stopped. If you already have these symptoms before taking the medicine, it is even more inappropriate to use this product.
