BEWARE HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS which claim to help EDS!

 I've just checked out a website link sent to me about herbal supplements. Having EDS hypermobility (or type III in the old system), I have to be very careful when taking supplements, ESPECIALLY  those proporting to 'help blood circulation.' Does it mean dilating blood vessels or constricting them? For people with high blood pressure, dilation is desirable, to allow more blood flow. For people like me with low BP and lax blood vessels, constriction is helpful, to slow the drop in BP when I stand up or move around, reducing brain fog, fainting, lethargy etc.

Anyway, back to the magic herbal remedies.

Here is the website with herbal 'remedies' which are supposed to help us: https://www.planetayurveda.net/herbal-remedies-for-ehlers-danlos-syndromes-in-ayurveda/. 

 

My attention was caught by the last supplement on the list (of 6 products recommended, mind you. Think of the expense!) - Manjishtha. This is a single herbal formulation used as a natural muscle relaxant. The herb Manjishtha (Rubia cordifolia) is the best blood purifier. It reduces stress, anxiety and depression. It enhances blood circulation and detoxifies the body and is helpful in managing this disease.

 

Feeling skeptical and uneasy I checked another source. Rubia cordifolia

I have low blood pressure and POTS, due to lax blood vessels, and take Midodrine, which is a blood vessel constrictor. And, as I feared, this herb, Manjishtha, would be an absolute disaster for me! - Scientific studies have shown that it regulates blood pressure, blood vessel constriction, and helps protect from blood clot formation. It gets worse. The major attribute of the stems and roots of this plant seems to be as a blood purifier, to rid the body of toxins. Not related to POTS at all.

 

So, please check everything before you buy! I'm very keen to ditch pharmaceuticals where possible and take natural remedies, but getting the correct and accurate information is VITAL. Do your due dilligence! Take mastery over how you manage your condition. So many doctors and specialists haven't a full understanding. We are our best advocates. We know our bodies. Heck, they're constantly sending us overwhelming signals all day long.

By the way, I tried to fill in the contact form to let the website know of their error, but it didn't work. How convenient.

For a HELPFUL list of herbal supplements, check out this article on my website: https://livingwithedsandpots.blogspot.com/p/herbs-helpful-for-managing-ehlers.html

PS I'm not a doctor, so use your own discretion and research further if necessary.