Health Benefits of Cistanche

The health benefits of Cistanche include heart health support, brain health support, and longevity and anti-aging support.

Cistanche tubulosa is an extraordinary herb long been known for its potential to improve energy and lower fatigue. Cistanche also show great promise as all-natural herbal support for helping to reduce depressive symptoms through its ability to help restore the homeostasis of gut microbiota.

We get a lot of questions about the anti-fatigue, anti-aging, antidepressant, neuroprotective, heart health, and digestive support properties of Cistanche herbal extract. We also get lots of comments and emails about the beauty of this stunner of a Mongolian plant.

Here, I’ll highlight some of the benefits of all-natural Cistanche herbal extract, which may help explain why it is quickly becoming a global favorite.

What Is Cistanche?

Cistanche is a native medicinal herb that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for hundreds if not thousands of years. It was originally recorded in the Classic of Herbal Medicine, one of the oldest and most important texts in traditional Chinese medicine. The Classic of Herbal Medicine categorizes herbs based on their properties, uses, and effects, and it emphasizes the balance between medicinal benefits and potential toxicity. It provides a foundation for understanding the principles of herbal medicine in traditional Chinese medicine and has influenced countless subsequent works in the field.

The Classic of Herbal Medicine calls Cistanche an herb that can regulate “five (viscera) strains and seven (overeating, anger, moisture, cold, worry, wind and rain, and fear) impairments.”

Another name for Cistanche is Rou Cong Rong. Linden Botanicals calls Cistanche “Methuselah’s Breakfast,” a nickname that is becoming widely known for the plant. Remember Methuselah? The Bible says he lived until the ripe old age of 969, making him the longest-lived human. We like to call Cistanche Methuselah’s breakfast. Cistanche herbal extract is traditionally used to fight aging and increase longevity.

Since ancient times, Methuselah’s Breakfast was taken to clear the mind and enhance cognitive ability. In addition, the benefits of Cistanche include anti-aging properties that may increase stamina and aid healthy sexual performance. Today, Cistanche is quickly gaining popularity due to the wide range of potential health benefits it offers.

Heart Health Benefits of Cistanche

Regular consumption of an herbal tea made from Cistanche extract has been used to provide effective support for people with heart conditions. Cistanche protects the cells of the heart and stimulates the production of natural antioxidants.

Cistanche is considered to be a “yang invigorating” tonic in traditional Chinese medicine. Yang tonics enhance mitochondrial functional and antioxidant capacity. Mitochondria play a crucial role in energy metabolism. Improving mitochondrial function is beneficial to anyone looking to improve endurance or reduce fatigue. Studies have demonstrated that the extract can reduce muscle damage and improve ATP (cellular energy) storage.

In short, the benefits of Cistanche include helping to maintain healthy metabolic function. It is often used to help prevent fatigue and increase energy.

Cistanche herbal extract may also improve the heart rate at a cellular level by controlling the contraction of the heart muscles. Once absorbed in the bloodstream, the extract may increase myocardial Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) generation capacity. Increased generation of ATP improves the heart contractile function. This facilitates a regular heartbeat, helping to prevent any cases of difficulty in breathing.

Moreover, Cistanche has cardioprotective properties that protect the mitochondria in the heart cells due to the plant’s ability to enhance mitochondrial glutathione status.

Other Health Benefits of Cistanche

Anti-Fatigue Benefits: Cistanche extract has anti-fatigue, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging properties. These properties are responsible for its ability to provide cardio-protection and possibly reduce oxidative stress or any other factors that can inhibit apoptotic pathways. Its bio-activities include significant anti-fatigue activity.

Digestive Health Benefits: Cistanche offers several digestive health benefits. The herbal extract is known for its prebiotic properties, which support gut health by promoting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. It helps alleviate constipation through its mild laxative effect, improving bowel movement regularity.

In addition, Cistanche has anti-inflammatory properties that can soothe the gastrointestinal tract, reducing discomfort and improving overall digestive function. Its compounds also enhance nutrient absorption, contributing to better digestive efficiency and overall health.

Cistanche may help alleviate depression symptoms by restoring gut microbiota homeostasis. To learn more about the digestive health support properties of Cistanche, check out our GUTSY FAQ.

Cognitive Health Benefits: Cistanche herbal extract is reputed for its significant brain health benefits, particularly in enhancing cognitive function and neuroprotection. It contains active compounds such as echinacoside and acteoside, which have been shown to improve memory, learning, and mental clarity by promoting neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity.

The herb’s antioxidant properties help combat oxidative stress, a factor in neurodegenerative diseases, thus protecting brain cells from damage. Additionally, Cistanche may enhance cerebral blood flow, ensuring a better supply of oxygen and nutrients to the brain, further supporting mental performance and longevity.

Due to its neuroprotective properties, Cistanche has the potential to enhance learning and memory capabilities. Its adaptogenic, anti-inflammatory and neurotrophic properties work in concert to help activate brain cells and improve memory power as well as the physical state of the body.

Cistanche herbal extract has even shown positive effects in supporting the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. To learn more about the nootropic brain health potential of Cistanche, check out our BrainStorm FAQ.

Antidepressant Benefits: Cistanche herbal extract offers notable antidepressant benefits, primarily through its ability to modulate neurotransmitters and reduce stress. The herb’s active compounds, such as echinacoside, have been found to enhance the levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the brain, which are crucial for regulating mood and emotional well-being. Its antioxidant properties also help reduce oxidative stress, which is often linked to depression.

In addition, Cistanche’s anti-inflammatory effects contribute to alleviating depressive symptoms by reducing inflammation-related brain dysfunction. Together, these mechanisms support improved mood, stress resilience, and overall mental health.

A recent study in Frontiers in Pharmacology suggests Cistanche extract demonstrates antidepressant-like effects on chronic stress. The study addresses the health benefits of the extract, including its antidepressant-like effects through its ability to restore gut microbiota homeostasis.

Aphrodisiac Effects: Cistanche herbal extract is renowned for its aphrodisiac properties, which enhance sexual health and vitality. The herb boosts libido and sexual performance by increasing the production of sex hormones such as testosterone. It improves blood circulation, particularly to the genital area, enhancing erectile function and overall sexual stamina.

Cistanche also supports energy levels and reduces fatigue, contributing to enhanced physical performance and endurance. Its adaptogenic properties help balance stress levels, which can further improve sexual desire and function. Collectively, these effects make Cistanche a valuable natural remedy for improving sexual health and vitality.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has long recognized it as a potent sexual tonic. Some studies have suggested that Cistanche may enhance sexual function by promoting the production of nitric oxide, a compound that helps relax blood vessels and increase blood flow.

Cistanche Extract from Linden Botanicals

There is good reason to believe that a good life-style related approach that ensures optimal health can be enhanced by frequent consumption of Methuselah’s Breakfast.

We sell Cistanche in a 100 gram size (50 servings) as OOMPH! Energy Support. We also sell Cistanche in larger 100-500 serving sizes. In addition, Cistanche is one of the healthy extracts in our CardiAce Heart Health Kits, GUTSY Digestive Health Support Kits, and BrainStorm Nootropic Brain Health Kits.

For each of the products we sell, company owner Michael Van der Linden and members of our team do substantial research, visit the source, and meet with the collectors and processors personally. We back up our faith in our source and our processors with testing.

Curious about the anti-fatigue, anti-aging, antidepressant, neuroprotective, heart health, and digestive support properties of Cistanche herbal extract? Check out the Cistanche FAQ.