Chinese Medicine

As we all know that Fo Ti has been consumed by Chinese people as a tonic and anti-aging remedy since Tang dynasty (618-907 A.D.). Actually Shou wu, the counterpart name of Fo ti in Chinese, means black hair. Traditionally Fo Ti has been viewed as the best herbal medicine for the treatment of hair loss and premature graying of hair. Anyway, as a kind of herbal medicine, Fo Ti has its own pros and cons. An old Chinese saying goes like: “All medicine has its bias in property, which is exactly what we are using to reverse the imbalance in human body.”

Adverse reactions associated with Fo ti in hair loss treatment

Fo ti is also known as He shou wu in Chinese, which is one of the most important ingredients of many hair-loss-treating drugs such as Shen Min, Shou Wu Pian and Shou Wu Wan.

In 30 March 2006, MHRA had received seven reports of suspected adverse reactions associated with Fo ti through the Yellow Card Scheme.

Among all 7 reported cases, all are of liver reactions and one of abnormal liver function, seven reports of jaundice, two reports hepatitis and one report of jaundice and hepatitis. The patients, five women and two men aged from 36 to 70 years old, were taking drugs containing ingredient of Fo ti for hair loss (three patients had taken the product Shen Min and three patients had taken the product Shou Wu Wan). All the patients had recovered or were recovering after stopping Fo ti containing drugs.

Reports of hepatitis associated with Fo ti have also been reported in the published literature (1-4).

There are many signs and symptoms of liver disease. These include jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes), dark urine, nausea, vomiting, unusual tiredness, weakness, stomach or abdominal pain, and /or loss of appetite.

Though it remains unknown that whether the above-mentioned adverse reactions was due to fo-ti or product contamination. However we must know what should be avoided in hair loss treatment with Fo ti to reduce the side effects to minimum.

What should be avoided in hair loss treatment with Fo ti?

Traditionally Fo ti is viewed as one of “the four greatest immortality herbs” in China, which in generally was thought as no harm to people at all. So something wrong must have happened to cause the adverse reactions. Personally I thinks the following points should be avoided during hair loss treatment with Fo ti.

• Avoid using large dosage of Fo ti solely for a long term. Traditional Chinese medicine always focuses on the combination and compatibility of herbs. There is a very strict rule that which herb should be compatible and incompatible to other herbs. Chinese medicine believes that herbs have their own nature bias, to some extent equivalence to poisons, which is the key to reverse the imbalance inside our body. So large dosage of Fo ti solely for a long term is not recommended.
• Anyone who has previously suffered from any liver problem or any other serious health problem is advised avoiding taking Fo ti without consulting to their doctor first. The mentioned suspected adverse reactions associated with Fo ti can not rule out he this kind of possibility. Fo ti is one kind of herb drug and has its own property bias, which would worse the liver condition if in improper conducts.
• Avoid Fo ti using along with mutton, radish, shallot and garlic, according Chinese ancient medical documents.
• Avoid boiling Fo ti with any utensils made of iron.
• Anyone who is of severe damp-heat constitution should avoid taking Fo ti in hair loss treatment. From the perspective of Traditional Chinese medicine, Fo ti is not the only drug for hair loss treatment. Hair loss should be treated according to syndrome differentiation. One-size-fit-all method for hair loss treatment does exist.

Fo ti soup

In general, Fo ti is safe and effective remedy on tonification and anti-aging, which is the root cause for the treatment of hair loss and premature graying of hair. Fo ti is very popular in Chinese people, who like to use Fo ti to serve as delicious soup. According the stats from Beijing Tong Ren Tang drugstore, Fo ti is the best seller in commonly used herbal tonics. According to what an authority herbalist said, Fo ti serving as soup is of a small dose, it is not a long-term use, so it has little impact on the human body.