General considerations about Horse Chestnut and what it is used for

The horse chestnut is a medicinal plant that has properties capable of decreasing the size of the dilation of veins, and also works as a natural anti-inflammatory. In addition, this is a very effective plant to combat poor blood circulation, varicose veins and also hemorrhoids.

The horse chestnut is a plant that can be found in several places, such as pharmacies and some natural products stores, more specifically in the form of dried leaves, which are used to make tea, and also in powder, capsules, creams or moisturizers. You will see throughout this article that the horse chestnut has a number of beneficial properties for the body.

Want to know more? Be sure to read this article to the end!

Horse Chestnut, medicinal properties and side effects

The horse chestnut has a number of medicinal properties and brings several benefits to the health of people. In addition to having substances that fight inflammation, it also acts against diseases such as hemorrhoids. Learn more in the following topics!

Horse Chestnut

Although many people are not aware of it, horse chestnut originates from the horse chestnut tree, which is a tree that reaches over 20 meters in height. Several parts of this tree are used for medicinal purposes. The seeds, bark and leaves, all these things can be used to make medicines.

This oilseed is generally widely used to treat circulatory problems, as well as being used to treat hemorrhoids and strengthen hair. This nut comes from a tree that originated in the southeastern part of the European continent. Its seeds have a bitter taste and its extract is widely used to treat problems such as fever and gastrointestinal complications.

Medicinal properties

Among the medicinal properties of the horse chestnut, it can be mentioned the fact that it acts as an anti-inflammatory, besides fighting problems such as hemorrhoids. It is widely used in the treatment of several diseases, besides being used in cases of circulatory problems, such as venous insufficiency and varicose veins.

In addition to the benefits mentioned above, the horse chestnut is also a rich source of vitamin B, C, K and also fatty acids. This makes it bring several health benefits, such as improvement in the immune system and also the preservation of skin health.

Precautions and possible side effects of consuming Horse Chestnut

It is important to always be aware of the contraindications of the consumption of horse chestnut. When it is consumed in excess, it tends to cause irritations in the digestive tract and also on the skin. The consumption of this fruit in large quantities can cause pain and a feeling of a full stomach.

In addition, horse chestnut in excess can cause dilation of the pupil, vomiting, decreased coordination, and in severe cases even paralysis. Another factor to watch out for is that when horse chestnut is used in the form of an ointment, itching and redness may occur at the site of application.

What is Horse Chestnut used for and main benefits of consumption

The benefits brought by the consumption of horse chestnut are many. It also has a number of medicinal uses. It has antioxidant properties, anti-inflammatory, vasoconstrictor, among other things. Check out the following main uses and benefits!

Relief of symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency

Although many do not know this disease, chronic venous insufficiency is a pathology that is characterized by insufficient blood flow to the lower limbs. Among the most common symptoms of this pathology, it is possible to mention the occurrence of itching, swelling, pain and ulcers.

Horse chestnut extract is widely used in the treatment of several diseases, including those related to poor blood circulation, such as chronic venous insufficiency. If you have these symptoms, seek medical advice.

Aid in the treatment of varicose veins

Varicose veins can be defined as the presence of swelling in the veins. In general, they appear more frequently in the lower limbs and can also be caused by a chronic venous insufficiency. However, if the individual has this disease, he can use the horse chestnut as a complementary treatment to treat it, due to the properties that it has.

This nut helps to improve the venous tone, which makes the blood flow in the lower limbs improve considerably. Consequently, the swelling goes down and so does the pain in the area. First of all, seek a specialized professional. He will give you the proper guidance on how to proceed.

Relief in discomfort caused by hemorrhoids

Horse chestnut has anti-inflammatory properties, which makes the extract of it helpful in relieving the symptoms of hemorrhoids, causing the inflammation to reduce considerably and the swelling in the veins affected by hemorrhoids as well. Hemorrhoids are a health condition that is characterized by the presence of swollen veins around the anus and rectum.

The symptoms are quite uncomfortable and can include itching, irritation, pain, and even bleeding. When experiencing the symptoms of hemorrhoid, seek a healthcare professional as soon as possible to begin recovery.

Combats inflammation

Inflammations by the body can end up causing a certain accumulation of fluid in the body tissues. This ends up causing a certain swelling in some areas, and the retention of a large amount of fluid. This is more common in women. To solve this problem, the horse chestnut emerges as a viable solution, because it has anti-inflammatory properties.

Many people do not know, but the substance that is the cause of the anti-inflammatory properties of this oilseed is escine. It is nothing more than an active compound that has, in addition to anti-inflammatory properties, a venotonic action. This causes the tone of the blood vessel walls to increase.

Aid in the healing of wounds

Horse chestnut is an oilseed that aids in wound healing due to its ample anti-inflammatory potential, which is able to decrease a swelling at the wound site. In addition, this nut has a venotonic property, which is able to increase blood circulation, something that is necessary for wound healing.

However, for the effects of the horse chestnut to act in a correct way, it is essential that you take other precautions, such as having a healthy diet and avoiding some harmful habits, such as smoking or drinking alcoholic beverages.

Aid in weight loss

The horse chestnut, even because it is an oilseed, is an excellent food to combat overweight. This is due to the fact that it is rich in fiber, which gives a greater feeling of satiety and decreases appetite considerably. Consequently, the individual tends to eat less and lose weight.

However, it is important to emphasize that for the horse chestnut to be effective in losing weight, it is essential that it is part of a healthy and balanced diet, in addition to being allied to the practice of regular physical exercises.

Reducing the risk of Atherosclerosis

Besides all the benefits that have been mentioned earlier in this article, the horse chestnut also reduces the risk of a disease called atherosclerosis. This is due to the fact that this oilseed contains monounsaturated fat, which is popularly known as the good fat. It helps increase the levels of good cholesterol, HDL, which is responsible for promoting the regulation of LDL levels.

With this, the horse chestnut is able to prevent the formation of fatty plaques inside the blood vessels, allowing the blood to circulate better and consequently decreasing the risk of disease occurrence.

Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes

Because the horse chestnut has in its composition the monounsaturated fat, it helps to keep controlled the sugar levels in the bloodstream, preventing the increase of the sugar level, which leads to problems such as diabetes type 2, for example. The fibers that are part of the composition of the horse chestnut also help to reduce the blood sugar levels.

Because of this, this oilseed is effective in fighting problems such as type 2 diabetes. Among the symptoms of this type of diabetes are the constant feeling of thirst, hunger, tingling in the feet and hands, constant urge to urinate, among other symptoms.

Antioxidant action

Horse chestnut extract has antioxidants, which are substances capable of preventing damage to cells, which is caused by unstable molecules, called free radicals. Flavonoids, such as quercetin for example, which are present in horse chestnut extract, act as powerful antioxidants.

Free radicals are the molecules responsible for the occurrence of inflammation, cell damage and also for the development of several diseases, such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Combat male infertility

Male infertility is a problem that ends up affecting much of the male public. One of the most common causative factors of this condition is varicocele, which is the swelling of veins that are located near the testicle. The horse chestnut is important to reverse this condition because it has anti-inflammatory and anti-swelling properties.

Among the main ones, it is possible to mention: the decrease in the number of spermatozoa, as the man ages, the low sperm motility is also a contributing factor to this picture. In addition, factors such as vasectomy, difficulty in sexual intercourse and STDs are also determining factors for this picture.

Cancer Prevention

The escine is a substance present in abundance in the horse chestnut. It is able to significantly reduce the number of tumor cells, besides slowing down their growth in certain types of cancer, such as liver cancer, leukemia and multiple myeloma. In addition, some tests have proven that escine can cause the death of cancer cells.

However, in those studies done on escin, concentrated amounts of the substance were used. There is still no consensus on how much extract is needed to get the same effect, so some studies need to be done on humans to reach solid conclusions.

How to consume the Horse Chestnut

Despite all the benefits brought by the horse chestnut, it should not be consumed in an unrestrained way, otherwise, instead of bringing benefits, it can cause health problems. Stay tuned to the forms of consumption below!

Dry extract and tablets

The horse chestnut can be consumed in several ways, including capsules, which must be ingested according to medical prescription, powder or leaves, which are used to make teas or infusions, and even placed under the skin in the form of creams and soaps that contain the horse chestnut in its composition.

It is important to be aware of the daily dose that should be taken, for example, the dry extract can only be consumed in a dose of 200 to 600 mg per day. With the tablets it is a little different, the individual can consume 100 mg dry extract of the horse chestnut, in this case, 3 tablets per day.

Horse Chestnut Tea

Horse chestnut tea is made with the leaves of it, and is an excellent method to relieve hemorrhoids, skin problems, dermatitis and also eczema, as well as inflammation in the joints. To make this tea is very easy, you will only need: 30 g of horse chestnut leaves and 1 liter of boiling water.

To prepare this tea, you just need to add chestnut leaves to boiling water and let it sit for approximately 20 minutes. After that, just strain it and drink 2 to 3 cups of tea daily to treat hemorrhoids and other health problems.

Horse Chestnut Tincture

The Indian nut tincture has an anti-inflammatory activity on the peripheral circulation, antiedematous and phlebotonic. This product is indicated for people who have fragile hair, varicose veins, hemorrhoids and edema due to poor blood circulation. In addition, problems such as chronic venous insufficiency are also combated by this product.

In addition to the above, horse chestnut tincture also reduces the process of hair retention, skin, weight and pain in the legs. However, before using this product, consult a health professional and read the instructions for use carefully.

What to do in case of overdose?

If the patient ingests the horse chestnut in excess, he should immediately discontinue the use of the medication and seek medical assistance as soon as possible. Supportive treatment and control of vital functions is recommended. Excess consumption of this chestnut can cause vomiting, diarrhea, muscle contractions, weakness, lack of coordination, among other problems.

Another thing to be very aware of is the fact that in cases of unwanted reactions during treatment with horse chestnut, the doctor should be informed as soon as possible, so that he can guide how you should proceed.

Are Horse Nuts and Horse Chestnuts the same thing?

The Indian nut is often confused with the horse chestnut by most people. The truth is that they are very different. This is due to the fact that the horse nut is a seed of a fruit that has properties that assist in weight loss. In contrast to this, the horse chestnut is an oilseed that is generally used to treat hemorrhoids.

In addition, the horse chestnut still has several properties that help fight diseases such as atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, skin problems, cellulite, among other things. Stay tuned to the contraindications and the ideal dosage for the consumption of this nut and you will have a better quality of life.