Horsetail

Overview

Horsetail is a plant. The above ground parts are used to make medicine.

People use horsetail for "fluid retention" (edema), urinary tract infections, loss of bladder control (urinary incontinence), wounds, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. Using horsetail can also be unsafe.

Horsetail is sometimes used in cosmetics and shampoos.

Classification

Is a Form of:

Plant

Primary Functions:

Fluid retention

Also Known As:

Asprêle, Bottle Brush, Cavalinha, Coda Cavallina, Cola de Caballo

How Does It Work?

The chemicals in horsetail may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Horsetail contains chemicals that work like "water pills" (diuretics) and increase urine output.

Uses

  • Weak and brittle bones (osteoporosis). Early research suggests that taking dry horsetail extract or a specific product containing horsetail extract and calcium can increase bone density in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.
  • Loss of bladder control (urinary incontinence).Early research shows that taking a supplement containing horsetail and other herbs helps to reduce urination and loss of bladder control in people that have trouble controlling their bladder.
  • Fluid retention.
  • Frostbite.
  • Gout.
  • Hair loss.
  • Heavy periods.
  • Kidney and bladder stones.
  • Swelling (inflammation) of the tonsils (tonsillitis).
  • Urinary tract infections.
  • Use on the skin for wound healing.
  • Weight loss.
  • Other conditions.

Recommended Dosing

The appropriate dose of horsetail depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for horsetail. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.

Horsetail Supplements Frequently Asked Questions

What is horsetail supplement good for?

Horsetail is used for “fluid retention” (edema), kidney and bladder stones, urinary tract infections, the inability to control urination (incontinence), and general disturbances of the kidney and bladder. Horsetail is applied directly to the skin to treat wounds and burns.

Is horsetail safe to take?

Horsetail remedies prepared from Equisetum arvense are generally considered safe when used properly. Another species of horsetail, however, called Equisetum palustre is poisonous to horses. To be safe, never take that form of horsetail. People with heart or kidney disorders, diabetes, or gout should not use horsetail.

Is horsetail safe for kidneys?

Horsetail remedies prepared from Equisetum arvense are generally considered safe when used properly. People with heart or kidney disorders, diabetes, or gout should not use horsetail. DO NOT drink alcohol regularly while taking horsetail because horsetail may cause levels of thiamin to drop.

What are the side effects of horsetail?

Side Effects & Safety

When taken by mouth: Horsetail is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth, long-term. It contains a chemical called thiaminase, which breaks down the vitamin thiamine. In theory, this effect could lead to thiamine deficiency.

Can horsetail help hair growth?

Horsetail and hair growth

Horsetail can also improve circulation, leading to the improvement of hair follicles and to help stimulate hair growth. It also contains selenium and cysteine, which are known to promote healthy hair growth.

Is horsetail good for joints?

The healing properties of horsetail are connected to its high silica content. Horsetail is used to treat inflammation of blood vessels and joints, connective tissue diseases, hematuria, poor diuresis connected to electrolyte imbalance, mineral deficiency and poor calcium absorption.

How long can you drink horsetail tea?

Horsetail Tea

Steep 15 minutes to several hours. Drink 2-3 cups a day on a regular basis. Horsetail combines well with other herbs.

Is horsetail good for skin?

Along with the antioxidant benefits of anti-ageing, and the anti-inflammatory benefits for acne and irritation, horsetail extract has other skin benefits. When applied to the skin, it can help heal rashes, burns and wounds thanks to its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.

How much horsetail is safe?

An herbal infusion: 2 to 3 teaspoons of dried horsetail, three times per day. A tincture: Ratio should be 1-to-5 (dosage should be determined by a health care provider) A compress (for wounds or skin treatment): 10 grams of herb per 1 liter (33.8 ounces) of water per day.

Does horsetail really work?

Researchers aren't yet sure exactly how or why the herb may work. There is little solid evidence to prove that it is effective. A recent study compared horsetail to a common diuretic, hydrochlorothiazide, and found the herb to be as effective as the medication without causing excessive electrolyte loss.

How much horsetail tea should you drink?

An herbal infusion: 2 to 3 teaspoons of dried horsetail, three times per day. A tincture: Ratio should be 1-to-5 (dosage should be determined by a health care provider) A compress (for wounds or skin treatment): 10 grams of herb per 1 liter (33.8 ounces) of water per day.

What does horsetail look like?

What does horsetail look like? “The leaves of horsetails are arranged in whorls fused into nodal sheaths. The stems are green and photosynthetic, and are distinctive in being hollow, jointed and ridged (with sometimes 3 but usually 6-40 ridges). There may or may not be whorls of branches at the nodes” (Wikipedia).

Is horsetail a diuretic?

Horsetail, or Equisetum arvense, is an herb that has historically been used as a diuretic to make you urinate more frequently. Diuretics affect the kidneys, increasing the amount of water and salt released into the urine. Horsetail remedies are made using the leaves and stems.

Is silica and horsetail the same?

While horsetail is an herb that does contain silica, it can not compare to the power of the mighty bamboo. Let's discuss. I suspect that horsetail secured its place as a high-quality plant source of silica because nutritional benefits bamboo silica is still considered a little known secret.

Is horsetail plant poisonous?

Toxicity. Brackenfern and horsetail are toxic when horses eat it fresh (in pasture) or dried in hay. If horses eat a diet with 20 to 25 percent brackenfern or field horsetail for about three weeks, neurological signs may occur.

Can you take biotin and horsetail together?

No interactions were found between biotin and horsetail. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

How do you eat horsetail?

Eating horsetail Fertile Shoots

Young fertile shoots are considered a delicacy among many Coast Salish People. Pinch off stem close to the ground, peel off the brown papery sheaf around each node, and then pull off the top cone. The tender growth between the nodes is eaten fresh and is traditionally dipped in oil.

What kind of plant is horsetail?

Horsetail, (genus Equisetum), also called scouring rush, fifteen species of rushlike conspicuously jointed perennial herbs, the only living genus of plants in the order Equisetales and the class Equisetopsida. Horsetails grow in moist, rich soils in all parts of the world except Australasia.

How do you take care of a horsetail plant?

Caring for horsetail is easy once planted. Soil should remain wet at all times. If you are growing in a container, keep an eye on moisture levels and water accordingly. Keep old stems pruned for best performance.

What is horsetail butter?

Horsetail Butter is a proprietary cosmetic "butter" developed exclusively for cosmetic use. Horsetail Butter is actually an extract of Equisetum arvense (Horsetail) using SoapGoods butter base which produces a smooth, velvety "butter" at room temperature.

Is horsetail plant poisonous to cats?

All species of Equisetum should be considered potentailly toxic to animals until proven otherwise.

Clinical Studies