Terminalia chebula: The “King of All Medicines”

Called the King of Healing in Tibet, Terminalia chebula (Haritaki) extract provides digestive and joint health support.

A story in the ancient Sanskrit texts says that Indra, the King of Heaven, let a drop of nectar fall to earth. Where it landed, the Haritaki tree came to life. Ayurvedic healers have long called Terminalia chebula the “king of all medicines,” believing it can destroy all diseases (roga in Sanscrit), eliminate all waste from the body, and promote tissue growth and health.

It’s particularly known for providing digestive support and joint health support.

Digestive Support

The primary traditional use of Terminalia (also called Haritaki) in Ayurvedic practice is to support the digestive system. It has been used to address digestive disorders, irregular fevers, constipation, flatulence, ulcers, vomiting, colic, and hemorrhoids. It may also help with other gastrointestinal ailments such as ascites, enlargement of the liver or spleen, worms, colitis, and food poisoning.

One main traditional use of Terminalia is to promote healthy digestion and address digestive disorders. It’s regarded in traditional systems as being useful for constipation, irritable bowel system, flatulence, ulcers, vomiting, intermittent fever, kidney stones, and hemorrhoids. It maintains regular elimination, helping to clear accumulated toxins in the gut. Many scientific studies support these claims, including this study and this study.

Joint Support

Terminalia chebulas is valued for its healing and rejuvenating powers. Therapeutic uses include strengthening and nourishing the joint tissues. It is also used to support the proper function of the colon, lungs, liver, and spleen.

Joint and connective tissue integrity, comfort, and function are critical for optimal performance in exercise, recreational, and occupational activities. The fruit of Terminalia chebula has been used extensively in many traditional health systems for different ailments, including those that affect joint health. Recent studies suggest that using it as a dietary supplement may improve joint mobility, comfort, and functional capacity.

A recent randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study suggests the extract may be effective at improving joint health and decreasing joint discomfort. Studies in healthy subjects report that use of it as a dietary supplement can increase the reported pain threshold related to range of motion and duration of joint activity. The subjects of the study were able to be active longer and bend joints further before reporting the activity as painful.

Other Terminalia Health Benefits

Here are some other possible Terminalia chebula health benefits:

Heart Health: Terminalia may support the removal of the body’s toxins in a natural way and improve digestion. As a result, it may help boost metabolism, support metabolic syndromes, increase energy, and reduce hypertension, thus helping heart health.

Healthy Brain Function, Energy, and Awareness: Terminalia is commonly used as a rejuvenator of the mind and a meditation support to increase clarity of thought. It’s frequently used to support the treatment of cognitive deficits and to improve learning, memory, intelligence, and awareness.

Dental Issues: It can be used as a mouth rinse to support oral and dental health issues.

Skin Health: Applications are used externally on eczema and acne and small wounds.

Stress: Terminalia is an adaptogenic herb that helps maintain the balance of the nerves when you’re under stress. Adaptogens help the body combat the effects of stress and enable the body to function normally during traumatic periods.

Eye Health: As an eye rinse, Terminalia may be used on eye inflammations.

We Love Terminalia chebula!

We sell Terminalia chebula extract in sizes of 200 grams to 1,000 grams, and we also sell it as part of our Health Made Simple line of smaller 100 gram (50-serving) extracts. To learn more, a good place to start is with our Terminalia chebula FAQ. We love it, and we think you will too!

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