Chinese herbal medicine support for MAC treatment

Posted by winema @winema, 5 days ago

Has anyone tried herbal support for immune system and lung health? Traditional Chinese medicine apparently includes several herbs which have been researched and found helpful as adjuncts to the typical NTM meds. Here's an article from NIH (link below). I don't have the expertise or patience to wade through all the technicalities of the studies, but found the results interesting, and wonder if anyone has tried any. The one I'm looking into is Astragalus membranaceus. I'm not interested in high dosages sold in capsules by various companies which may or may not be reliable; Astragalus can be consumed as a tea. Would love to know what others might have learned or tried.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6630501/

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kathyhg | @kathyhg | 4 days ago

Interesting article. I also curious if anyone has tried acupuncture, with or without the herbal supplements?

pweg | @pweg | 4 days ago

In reply to @kathyhg "Interesting article. I also curious if anyone has tried acupuncture, with or without the herbal supplements?" + (show)

After having a robotic lung resection a year and a half ago, I had a persistent post surgery cough. Acupuncture finally helped resolve it. I showed the acupuncturist a tea I was drinking and she fully supported the herbal ingredients for lung health. I’m not endorsing, but it works for me- LNG-RENEW FROM primalHerb and I put a spoon of Manuka honey in it. The tea contains Mullein.

kathyjjb | @kathyjjb | 4 days ago

I went to an Eastern Medicine Acupuncture and Herbal Clinic a few weeks ago, and the doctor started me on SOL GOGO and Liver capsules. He told me my dose was stronger than daily acupuncture. The clinic does have the powder and the individual herbs for the tea, but based on past experience, due to taste, I'm taking the capsules, even though the alternatives are stronger. I have a CT in 2 months, so it will be interesting if there's any improvement. Thank you for the link, I will print and take to the clinic. The 2 doctors that run the clinic are very impressive; one has 2 PhD's and an MD from China. I take 16 capsules/ day (4 of each twice per day) and I have thus far noticed an improvement in my energy.

wolfplanetzero | @wolfplanetzero | 4 days ago

If you decide to go the supplement route for astragalus, you might consider products standardized for Astragaloside IV. On Pubmed there are hundreds of studies suggesting that it might be beneficial for a variety of medical conditions. Good luck!

winema | @winema | 4 days ago

In reply to @wolfplanetzero "If you decide to go the supplement route for astragalus, you might consider products standardized for..." + (show)

Thank you for the suggestion! What's the advantage of Astragaloside IV compared to Astragalus membranaceus? And, can you recommend reputable brands? Because (in the US) supplements are not tested for purity, there's no sure way of knowing if something is what the store or label says it is.

wolfplanetzero | @wolfplanetzero | 4 days ago

Concentrated extract versus broad spectrum -- both could be beneficial. Nootropics Depot and Vital Nutrients utilize third party testing to verify authenticity and concentrations - - the ND supplement has a higher percentage of Astragaloside IV. You are right about many supplement companies where you might or might not get what's being advertised. Thorne is another good brand, though they don't sell this particular supplement.

winema | @winema | 4 days ago

In reply to @wolfplanetzero "Concentrated extract versus broad spectrum -- both could be beneficial. Nootropics Depot and Vital Nutrients utilize..." + (show)

Thanks!!

hurdgal | @hurdgal | 3 days ago

I haven't yet used Chinese Herbal Medicine. However, I have a close friend who has COPD (and is a lung cancer survivor) who has been immensely helped by Chinese Herbal Medicine. I'm going to find out what herbs she takes and try to see her provider.