Many vitamins and minerals offered on the market as nutritional supplements are used to replenish the body when there are specific deficiencies affecting our body's proper function. These include the likes of B-complex vitamins, iron, magnesium, and zinc – all of which the body needs on a daily basis. Then there are herbal supplements ideal for filling in the gaps areas of your health that might need an extra boost outside what a mainstream vitamin or mineral can readily provide. One of the lesser-known yet amazingly versatile herbal supplements is collinsonia root, also known as stone root or horsebalm, among other names. Collinsonia root is a perennial herb that grows to between two and four feet high and is found in wet, shady woodland areas in North America, ranging from Canada all the way down to Florida, per healthyfocus.org. It is named after English botanist Peter Collins, who happened to be a friend of Benjamin Franklin, per wholisticmatters.com. The medicinal supplements available over the counter are extracted out of Collinsonia root's roots and rhizomes. Once inside the human body, they work together effectively to enhance circulation and digestion, and help relieve congestion. More recently, collinsonia root has become known for its specific ability to treat circulation-relation conditions such as hemorrhoids and varicose veins. Per healthyfocus.org, it is a natural antioxidant that is thought to have tonic, diuretic, sedative, and stringent properties, making it a real handy supplement to keep around the house.
Collinsonia Root's Health Benefits
We've touched on an overview of collinsonia root's versatility when it comes to benefitting the human body. Let's dig in a little bit deeper to see how it works, and why:- Circulation support. One sign that you might have circulation issues is that you feel cold all the time, even when it's warm outside. Collinsonia root can help remedy that. When it comes to hemorrhoid pain, per globalhealingcenter.com, it has been shown to thwart the swelling of rectal veins, which can help alleviate rectal irritation. It's also been found to improve the flow of blood by easing the contraction of blood vessels, reinforcing vein walls and cutting down on the pooling of blood.
- Help with digestion. Anecdotal evidence has shown that collinsonia root may be effective in treating heartburn and digestion made painful due to circulatory stress. There also has been reports that it can assist in reducing the symptoms of diarrhea, constipation, and flatulence.
- Soothe sore throat. Collinsonia root has been used since the late 19th century as an antidote for what in those days was referred to as minister's sore throat, per thesleuthjournal.com, referring to a condition that also affected the larynx. Ministers in those days – and there are still some around today – tended to speak for long periods, straining their voices with exaggerated inflections that produced vocal cords congestion. Collinsonia root proved effective in providing quick relief.
- Improve mental health. Users of the root have reported higher levels of happiness and reduced nervousness from using the root, which also has been linked to enhanced female libido, and heightened energy. As for the mental aspects, a study conducted in California found that collinsonia root, given to test subjects in capsule form that contained other herbal ingredients, per thesleuthjournal.com, showed that 90 percent or more of the test subjects reported lessened nervousness/anxiety, relief from feelings of panic, and overall improvement in feelings of well-being.
- Antioxidant. The presence of tannin and saponins is what gives the root its antioxidant properties; this contributes to our general health by providing a barrier against diseases resulting from oxidative stress. This antioxidant quality can also improve the appearance of your skin, making it useful as an anti-aging compound, per healthyfocus.org.
- Alleviate kidney and urinary tract infections. It is collinsonia root's earlier-referenced diuretic characteristics that are at play here, stimulating urine production and the regularity of urination. Per healthyfocus.org, it is also useful in alleviating painful inflammation of the bladder as well as kidney stones, while also proving helpful in eliminating accumulated toxic uric acid and relieving water retention.