STINGING NETTLE: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews (2024)

FAQs

What are the side effects of taking stinging nettle? ›

Stinging nettle is generally considered safe when used as directed. Occasional side effects include mild stomach upset, fluid retention, sweating, diarrhea, and hives or rash (mainly from topical use). It is important to be careful when handling the nettle plant because touching it can cause an allergic rash.

Nettle tea benefits the kidneys by increasing urine output and uric acid removal. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it improves kidney function and urinary flow. Nettle tea is a natural diuretic that promotes proper fluid flow in the kidneys and bladder, preventing kidney stones from forming.

When taken by mouth: Stinging nettle is possibly safe when used for up to 1 year. It might cause diarrhea, constipation, and upset stomach in some people. When applied to the skin: Stinging nettle is possibly safe. Touching the stinging nettle plant can cause skin irritation.

Dosage information Medical disclaimer

For allergic rhinitis, the recommended dosage is 600 mg of dried nettle leaf per day taken in three separate doses. In benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a daily dose of 360 mg of aqueous root extract taken as 3 divided doses is suggested for up to 6 months.

Nettle can change the effects of medicines that affect blood pressure. These include diuretics and antihypertensives. Don't take nettle if you take medicines, herbs, or other supplements. Check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist first.

Stinging nettle extracts are generally well tolerated and have not been implicated in instances of serum aminotransferase elevations or cases of clinically apparent liver injury.

Stinging nettle was traditionally used to treat high blood pressure ( 21 ). Animal and test-tube studies illustrate that it may help lower blood pressure in several ways. For one, it may stimulate nitric oxide production, which acts as a vasodilator.

Antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs (blood-thinners) -- Stinging nettle may affect the blood's ability to clot, and could interfere with any blood-thinning drugs you are taking, including: Warfarin (Coumadin)

The bottom line

Whether you forage for your own leaves or buy it in a more convenient teabag form, having a cup of nettle tea every day offers a range of health and nutritional benefits, from reducing blood pressure to offering protective anti-inflammatories and antioxidants.

The chemical compounds in stinging nettle have a variety of health benefits for women. Because of its astringent characteristics, it can relieve unpleasant premenstrual symptoms including cramping and bloating, as well as reduce blood flow during menstruation.

How much stinging nettle per day? ›

There's no one recommended portion size for nettle leaf or nettle leaf products, though the Arthritis Foundation suggests these amounts for arthritis benefits: 1 cup of tea three times a day. Up to 1,300 milligrams a day in capsule form. As a tincture (a solution in alcohol), 1-4 milliliters, three times a day.

Animal studies have shown that nettle extracts may have estrogenic effects, although these effects were relatively weak compared to synthetic estrogens.

Stinging Nettle doesn't stimulate testosterone production, but it may lead to elevated levels of testosterone. The first key to Nettle is preventing a mechanism called aromatase, which converts testosterone to estrogen. A second key is that Nettle may help separate testosterone from red blood cells (SHBG).

In a clinical trial, 287 BPH patients who had been treated with nettle (Urtica dioica) showed significant reduction in IPSS, serum PSA and prostate size (6).

Stinging nettle has a high content of iron and vitamin C, thus making it ideal for helping stimulate production and growth of red blood cells, which consequently improves blood circulation in the body.

Anti-inflammatory activity. Nettles are useful for a variety of inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and chronic myalgia. Nettle tea or herbal supplements have been shown to effectively treat gout, relieve muscle aches and minimize the symptoms of arthritis.

The nettle is above all a powerful depurative which cleans the organism in depth. It is also strongly diuretic, stimulating the functioning of the kidneys, thus contributing to the processes of elimination.