Supplements have used Astragalus Root to help people boost immunity and heal wounds but many have started using it for weight loss. With so many supposed effects, can this ingredient really help people significant amounts of fat?

Astragalus Root has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries. It’s considered to be one of the 50 Fundamental Herbs. Traditionally, it was used in many teas and soups to help strengthen immunity, aid digestion, and even treat diabetes. As herbal medicine has grown more popular in the West, Astragalus Root is becoming common in many supplements across the world. However, in many cases it’s being used in ways that are not supported by clinical studies. Is weight loss one of these?

Astragalus Root and Weight Loss

Astragalus Root has been used in herbal remedies to boost metabolism. Higher metabolism can help increase the rate at which the body converts fat and calories are converted into energy. In most diet pills, you’ll find stimulants that are designed to achieve this effect. Some though have started using Astragalus Root as a stimulant substitute. Unfortunately, we have not been able to find studies that have shown Astragalus Root to be anywhere near as effective in creating these same fat burning reactions as a common stimulant might.

Other Astragalus Root Benefits

But while Astragalus Root may not be the best approach for losing weight, it does have other interesting results to offer. The most impressive possibly is its properties as an antioxidant. Astragalus Root’s chemical makeup has been shown to be effective at limiting the production of free radicals thus protecting cells from damage that may cause cancer or premature aging. New research is also popping up that suggests Astragalus Root extract might be able to decrease errors in DNA replication. These errors are one of the main causes of aging. Thus Astragalus Root would be a much more fitting inclusion in an anti-aging product than it would be in a diet pill.