Sage

October 2, 2020

Overview

Sage is an herb. The leaf is used to make medicine. There are many species of sage. The two most common species are common sage (Salvia officinalis) and Spanish sage (Salvia lavandulaefolia).

Sage is used for digestive problems, including loss of appetite, gas (flatulence), stomach pain (gastritis), diarrhea, bloating, and heartburn. It is also used for reducing overproduction of perspiration and saliva; and for depression, diabetes, high cholesterol, and a condition in which there is too little blood flow to the brain (cerebral ischemia). It is also used to improve mental performance and memory, to reduce pain after surgery, for Alzheimer's disease, and to prevent lung cancer.

Women use sage for painful menstrual periods, to correct excessive milk flow during nursing, and to reduce hot flashes during menopause. Sage is also used by men to reduce hot flashes during certain treatment for prostate cancer called androgen deprivation therapy.

Sage is applied directly to the mouth or throat for cold sores, gum disease (gingivitis), sore mouth, throat, or tongue, swollen, painful nasal passages, and swollen tonsils. It is also applied to the skin after sun exposure to prevent sunburn.

Some people inhale sage for asthma. As an aromatherapy, some people use sage to improve memory and brain function.

In foods, sage is a commonly used spice.

In manufacturing, sage is used as a fragrance component in soaps and cosmetics.

Classification

Is a Form of:

Herb

Primary Functions:

Digestive problems, loss of appetite, gas

Also Known As:

Common Sage, Dalmatian Sage, Feuille de la Bergère, Garden Sage

How Does It Work?

Sage might help with chemical imbalances in the brain that cause symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. It might also improve how the body uses insulin and sugar.

Uses

Alzheimer's disease. Taking extracts of two different sage species, common sage and Spanish sage, for 4 months seems to improve learning, memory and information processing in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.
Mental performance. Taking a single dose of common sage extract or Spanish sage essential oil by mouth seems to improve memory, alertness, and attention in healthy adults. When the essential oils of these sage species are used as aromatherapy, it seems to improve alertness, but not attention and memory.
Diabetes. Taking common sage leaf extract three times daily for 3 months lowers fasting blood sugar and average blood sugar over time (HbA1c) in diabetes patients.
High cholesterol. Taking common sage three times daily for 2 or 3 months reduces "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and blood fats called triglycerides, and increases "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, in people with high cholesterol or high triglycerides.
Memory. Taking a single dose of common sage extract or Spanish sage essential oil by mouth seems to improve memory in healthy adults. However, these sage species do not seem to improve memory when used as aromatherapy.

Recommended Dosing

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

BY MOUTH:

For treating Alzheimer's disease: 1 gram of sage per day. A dose of sage extract, gradually increased over time to 2.5 mg three times daily, has also been used.
For improving mental performance or memory: 25-50 mcL of Spanish sage essential oil or 333 mg of common sage extract have been taken as a single dose before mental tests.
For diabetes: 500 mg of common sage extract has been used three times per day for 3 months.
For high cholesterol: 500 mg of common sage extract has been used three times per day for 2 or 3 months.

Sage Supplements Frequently Asked Questions

What are sage supplements good for?

Are sage supplements safe?

Side Effects & Safety

Sage is LIKELY SAFE in amounts typically used in foods. It is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth or applied to the skin in medicinal amounts, for up to 4 months. However, sage is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth in high doses or for a long time.

What are the side effects of Sage?

Side effects of sage include mild digestive complaints, nausea, vomiting, agitation, wheezing, skin rash, high or low blood pressure (depending on the species), allergic reactions, and lowered blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.

Is Sage good for menopause symptoms?

The takeaway. Some very preliminary evidence suggests that sage might help improve symptoms of menopause, such as night sweats or hot flashes. Sage is available as a tea, essential oil, and oral supplement. Only the supplement form of sage has been shown to be helpful for menopausal symptoms.

Can Sage help you lose weight?

Sage is low in carbohydrates and calories, so can aid in weight loss. It contains powerful antioxidants - polyphenols, which are plant-based chemical compounds.

Does sage increase estrogen?

Spanish sage (Salvia lavandulifolia) and other types of sage may mimic the effects of estrogen, making them potentially unsafe for women with hormone-dependent cancers. Sage may lower blood sugar, interfering with medications for diabetes. Sage may have a sedative effect on some people.

Does Sage tablets make you gain weight?

Sage (Salvia) is part of the mint family. There are over 900 types. People use sage for several menopausal symptoms including night sweats, hot flashes, and mood swings. Up to 80 percent of women who go through menopause will experience these symptoms as well as tiredness, loss of bone density, and weight gain.

How much sage is toxic?

Extended use or taking large amounts of sage leaf or oil may result in restlessness, vomiting, vertigo, rapid heart rate, tremors, seizures, and kidney damage. Twelve drops or more of the essential oil is considered a toxic dose.

Is burning sage bad for your lungs?

As long as you burn sage for only short periods of time, it's unlikely to cause problems, Fleg adds. But if you have asthma or other lung problems, check with your doctor before using it. When Yeager has a patient with lung problems, she won't burn sage with the person in the room.

What does sage do to the brain?

Sage can help support your brain and memory in several ways. For one, it's loaded with compounds that can act as antioxidants, which have been shown to buffer your brain's defense system ( 19 , 20 ). It also appears to halt the breakdown of the chemical messenger acetylcholine (ACH), which has a role in memory.

Why do people burn sage?

Native Americans and other indigenous peoples have burned sage for centuries as part of a spiritual ritual to cleanse a person or space, and to promote healing and wisdom. It's been used since the time of the ancient Egyptians and Romans to treat digestive issues, memory problems, and sore throats.

Is Sage antiviral?

The antiviral properties of sage are mostly attributed to compounds called safficinolide and sage one, which are found in the leaves and stem of the plant ( 7 ). Test-tube research indicates that this herb may fight human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), which can lead to AIDS.

How quickly does sage work?

Menopausal symptoms.

Early research shows that taking common sage extract (Sage Menopause, Bioforce AG) for 8 weeks improves symptoms of menopause, especially hot flashes.

Does sage make you sleepy?

It may improve the quality of your sleep

Some research suggests that sage contains compounds that could help ease insomnia. It's also been used to improve sleep and soothe anxiety.

Is Sage good for sweating?

Natural remedies to treat hyperhidrosis may include herbal substances such as sage tea or sage tablets, chamomile, valerian root, and St. John's Wort. People who suffer from excessive sweating may have sweaty palms, sweaty feet, sweaty underarms, a sweaty face, or compensatory sweating on other parts of the body.

How long does it take for Menoforce Sage tablets to work?

5.0 out of 5 stars Worked on hot flushes within 5-7 days. Started to see a difference on day 5, by day 7 my hot flushes were a thing of the past.

Is Sage healthy?

Sage is an herb with several promising health benefits. It's high in antioxidants and may help support oral health, aid brain function and lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels. This green spice is also easy to add to almost any savory dish. It can be enjoyed fresh, dried or as a tea.

What does Sage cure?

The leaf is used to make medicine. Sage is used for digestive problems, including loss of appetite, gas (flatulence), stomach pain (gastritis), diarrhea, bloating, and heartburn. It is also used for reducing overproduction of perspiration and saliva; and for depression, memory loss, and Alzheimer's disease.

Can Sage kill flu virus?

Poor air quality may be linked to various health conditions. In this way, burning sage is seen as a cost-effective way to purify the air (to an extent). This is because sage is thought to have antimicrobial properties that help kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

Is Sage anti inflammatory?

Some of the compounds in sage helped to reduce this type of inflammation. More recent studies have supported the use of sage in dentistry for its anti-inflammatory properties. Many other herbs and spices similar to sage also appear to have anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antimicrobial effects.

Can you get high off Sage?

Hogan is smoking salvia divinorum, a species of sage that also happens to be the most powerful hallucinogenic herb known to man. It's also perfectly legal. It doesn't take long for the effects to take hold. Seconds after breathing in the smoke, Hogan leans back in his chair and lets out a deep, slightly manic laugh.