Dan Shen Health Benefits

Dan Shen health benefits include significant heart health and cardiovascular support, anti-inflammatory support, and blood circulation support.

Salvia miltiorrhiza is a perennial plant in the genus Salvia of the Lamiaceae family of mints. It is often called red sage or Dan Shen in Chinese. Its roots have been used clinically for more than 2,000 years and are highly regarded as a “super grade herb” (an herb lacking visible toxicity) in the Shennong Bencaojing (Herbal Classic of Materia Medica). This book on agriculture and medicinal plants was written sometime between 206 BC and 220 AD.

Dan Shen herbal extract has proved effective in enhancing the health of many individuals, courtesy of its vast properties. In relation to traditional Chinese medicine, Dan Shen encourages the flow of Qi, which has the positive effects of improving blood flow to ease pain and blood stagnation, eliminating heart heat to calm restlessness, and cooling blood.

Here, I’ll discuss the health benefits of Dan Shen, including its potential to improve heart health, circulation, blood flow, and skin health, as well as help reduce chest pain and insomnia.

Dan Shen for Heart Health, Blood Circulation, and Blood Flow

Medical institutions around the world continue to receive numerous reports of increased heart health and cardiovascular conditions, such as acute weariness, heart failure, numbness, cold hands and feet, and muscle cramps. In 2019, there were 523.2 million cases of cardiovascular disease, an increase of 26.6% compared to 2010. Nearly 18.6 million people around the world died of cardiovascular disease in 2019, a 17.1% increase over the past decade.

One of the crucial factors in ensuring the heart’s efficient operation and good cardiovascular health is maintaining blood pressure within its ideal range. The heart needs a certain level of optimum blood pressure to enable blood circulation. Narrow, ruptured, or leaky blood arteries are common in people with high blood pressure.

One of the health benefits of Dan Shen herbal extract is its potential ability to reduce hypertension and help maintain normal blood pressure. This extract blocks the activity of the angiotensin-converting enzyme and the vasodilation process when absorbed into the bloodstream. As a result of this activity, the blood vessels relax and constrict less, possibly lowering blood pressure and improving blood flow.

In fact, recent studies suggest the health benefits of Dan Shen include the possibility of increasing blood flow to the heart. Two of the active ingredients in Dan Shen, salvianolic acid A and magnesium tanshinoate B, prevent low-density lipoprotein  (LDL) from oxidizing, reducing the amount of LDL that macrophages take in. A therapeutic benefit of this function is that it may prevent cells from lipid peroxidation in vascular diseases.

Moreover, poor heart health is linked to elevated plasma cholesterol levels, particularly low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Several Dan Shen phytoconstituents may help the body maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

Cardiac Cellular Level Protection

Dan Shen supports the defense of cardiac cells at the cellular and sub-cellular levels. Dan Shen prevents the heart’s lining cells from inflaming. This, in turn, promotes cardiac microcirculation. It may help enhance cardiomyocyte mitochondrial function by boosting the number of mitochondria, enhancing energy output, and reducing potentially harmful free radicals.

Reducing Chest Pain and Supporting Treatment of Stroke

According to recent scientific research, consuming one or two cups of Dan Shen tea frequently for six months may reduce chest pain in people with heart conditions. In a study involving 30 people with chest pain, 20 of the test subjects consumed an herbal tea made from Dan Shen, while the remaining 10 test subjects took a dosage of thrombolytic drugs. After a month, the 20 people who drank Dan Shen tea reported reduced chest pain, while the rest of the test subjects still complained of severe pain.

Another of the health benefits of Dan Shen tea is the potential to improve the function of the brain following an ischemic stroke. This herbal extract is also used to support treatment for menstrual problems, insomnia, abdominal masses, skin conditions, and wound healing due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

Support for Atherosclerosis and Inflammatory Conditions

Inflammation and innate and adaptive immunity are both involved in the development of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is caused by endothelial damage. This leads to platelet aggregation and the release of platelet factor, resulting in the proliferation of smooth muscle in the arterial intima.

Dan Shen contains tanshinone chemical compounds: tanshinone I, dihydrotanshinone, and cryptotanshinone, These compounds may help prevent interleukin-12 (IL-12) from being produced by macrophages that have been activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). They may also help prevent interferon synthesis by lymph node cells primed with keyhole limpet hemocyanin.

The herbal extract contains SME and Sal B supplements that offer anti-inflammatory properties. When dissolved into the bloodstream, it may help to open the clogged or blocked arteries. In addition, it can help remove plaque from the arterial walls, possibly preventing atherosclerosis’s severe effects. It is essential to mention that consumption of a tea made from Dan Shen may prove safer than angioplasty, stent placement, and endarterectomy surgery procedures used to treat atherosclerosis.

Dan Shen Makes a Great Herbal Tea

Consuming a tea made from Dan Shen herbal extract may help to promote overall health and physical wellbeing. An herbal extract made from Dan Shen can be used to support treatment of vascular disorders and help improve blood flow.

It causes vasodilation, inhibits platelet aggregation and reduces clotting, interferes with extrinsic blood coagulation, mimics antithrombin III action, and stimulates fibrinolytic activity, all of which appear to affect hemostasis and enhance circulation. In this way, it provides support for circulatory issues, “brain attacks” (stroke), angina pectoris, and other heart and blood vessel conditions.

In addition, it is sometimes used to provide support for menstruation irregularities, chronic liver illness, and insomnia brought on by symptoms including a fast heartbeat and a tight chest. Dan Shen is sometimes used to support treatment for skin disorders like eczema, psoriasis, and acne. It may also help with wound healing and the reduction of bruises.

Learn More About Dan Shen Health Benefits

Dan Shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) herbal extract offers a wide range of potential heart blood flow and circulation health benefits. It supports healthy circulation and heart health at the cellular level. Together with a healthy diet and proper exercise, it can support the conditions needed for improved cardiovascular health.

Dan Shen is one of five herbal extracts included in Linden Botanicals CardiAce Heart Health Support Kits. The other extracts include Astragalus, Angelica (Aralia elata), Cistanche, and Hawthorn berry (Crataegus monogyna).

CardiAce Kits are a synergistic collection of five time-tested heart health herbal supplements designed to support vascular health and healthy heart function, bolster mitochondrial energy, improve cardiac stress tolerance, and protect against free radical damage. Kits come in two sizes: 100g (~50 servings) and 250g (~125 servings). To learn more about the health benefits of Dan Shen, a good place to start is with the CardiAce FAQ and the Dan Shen FAQ.

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