Cistanche
Commonly used for
Healthy Aging
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What is it? / Overview
Cistanche's phenylethanoid glycosides are antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and neuroprotective in laboratory models -- the traditional basis for its use in fatigue and healthy-aging contexts -- but none of this is confirmed in human trials, and the key actives have poor oral bioavailability even preclinically.
How is it used? / Administration
Form: Cistanche deserticola (and C. tubulosa) stem extract standardized to phenylethanoid glycosides (echinacoside, acteoside)
Typical dose studied: No validated human dose
Timing: Not established
Ships trigger-empty given the near-total absence of human efficacy data -- included for tracking, not because a benefit is established.
How well does it work? / Evidence
? Emerging / limited evidence
Who should avoid it?
Avoid with: Organ transplant (on immunosuppression)
Interacts with: Immunosuppressants -- theoretical antagonism given immunomodulatory activity
Already taking it? Human efficacy data are essentially absent -- the supporting evidence is almost entirely preclinical (animal/in-vitro), and the key active compounds have poor oral bioavailability even in those models.
Research & references
Fu Z et al. (2018). Cistanches Herba: An Overview of Its Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Pharmacokinetics Property. Journal of Ethnopharmacology.
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