Chinese Herbs for Infertility
When researching Chinese herbs for infertility, there are innumerable choices. However, there is a structure to understanding your options with Chinese formulas and I hope to clarify these options in this article. We will
discuss traditional patent formulas, modern patent formulas, personalized formulas, and the various ways to ingest Chinese formulas for infertility.
Learning about your fertility from a Chinese medicine perspective can be confusing. If you don't understand a word or phrase, please visit my quick and easy TCM and Fertility Dictionary to look it up before reading on.
Patent Formulas
First, the big decision is determining whether to take a patent herbal remedy for infertility or a personalized formula. Patent herbal remedies are ready made formulas, based on either traditional or modern formulations. Traditionally, in countries like China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam where a large segment of the population practices some form of traditional Chinese medicine, patent remedies offer a safe, low dose method of treating everyday complaints like headaches, flus, and PMS.
Traditional patent remedies for gynecological conditions have been used for hundreds of years. Two examples of traditional formulas include Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (6 Flavors), a standard formula for nourishing the yin and Xiao Yao Wan (Relaxed Wanderer), an often used formula that promotes the smooth flow of qi in the body. Herbal remedies like this are generally used long term by patients as an affordable, long term treatment.
Modern formulations are often based on traditional formulas, with herbs added to address modern imbalances. Often the animal products used in traditional formulas are deleted and plant based herbs are substituted in their place. These modern formulas are available from many herb manufacturers in North America and the European Union.
Personalized Formulas
Personalized formulas are where Chinese herbal medicine excels. I find the herbal medicine component of TCM to be fundamental in restoring a woman's natural fertility. Traditionally, herbalists combine specific herbs at certain dosages for a patient's presentation. Since the formula is based on the individual's particular imbalance, the herbs directly target the areas of the body that need assistance. When looking to enhance fertility, personalized formulas offer the most effective route to success, as the herbalist is able to target the particular imbalances that are affecting fertility.
In the clinic, the difference between the use of personalized formulas and patent formulas is significant. Last year, I had 2 patients with similar initial BBT charts, who started with me during the same month. Both had erratic temperatures and delayed ovulation. The patient that took personalized formulas saw a dramatic change in her BBT chart the first month and was pregnant in 4 cycles. The other patient who chose to take patent remedies for 5 cycles saw slower improvement in her BBT charts, but she did eventually get pregnant after an additional 3 cycles of personalized herbs for infertility.
Raw Herbs, Powders or Pills?
Traditionally, Chinese raw herbs, like bark, roots and leaves were boiled in a clay pot over fire. The resulting decoction was drunk as a warm tea 3 times a day. Some herbalists provide bagged decoctions, which work for busy people that want to drink a decoction. These days, most people don't have time to boil up their herbs and many don't like the taste of Chinese herbal decoctions. Hence, while herbal decoctions are more effective, many alternative abound for both patent and personalized Chinese herbs for infertility.
The closest alternative to boiling up your own herbs is making a tea from granules. In a manufacturing facility, raw herbs are cooked and the resulting concentrated decoction is sprayed on a dextrin starch medium. These granules then easily dissolve in water to make a tea. These granules taste like Chinese herbs.
If you don't like the taste of Chinese herbs for infertility, there are other options. Granules can be pressed into tablets or put in capsules, which allows to to get a concentrated dosage of your formulas without drinking a tea. I prefer the tablets over capsules, as there is some risk of MSG in gelatin capsules. Also, there are good tinctures available where the Chinese herbs have been extracted with grain alcohol.
According to Philippe Sionneau, a renowned author, acupuncturist and herbalist from France, the true power of Chinese herbology lies in the ingestion of herbal decoctions that were prescribed personally for the patient. However, with patients that can't drink Chinese teas, granules might offer the next best option.