Astragalus root

What human studies say about astragalus root

• Telomere length, frailty · Meta-analysis, 8 studies, 750 participants · 2025
  TA-65 was associated with longer leukocyte telomeres compared with controls, but the meta-analysis found no significant improvement in frailty measures or inflammatory markers (CRP/IL-6). Mild gastrointestinal effects were reported. Limitation: Industry-funded trials reported larger effects than others, and the compound is a purified extract at doses not comparable to eating Astragalus root. PubMed 41286474
• Kidney function · Meta-analysis, 22 studies, 1,323 participants · 2014
  Compared with placebo, no treatment or conventional care, Astragalus was associated with lower 24-hour proteinuria and higher haemoglobin and serum albumin. Effects on kidney function (creatinine) were inconsistent, and key outcomes such as dialysis need and mortality were not reported. Limitation: Included studies were low quality overall (high or unclear risk of bias) and heterogeneity was substantial for several outcomes, so definitive conclusions could not be made. PubMed 25335553
• Post-stroke fatigue · Systematic review, 16 studies, 1,222 participants · 2020
  Compared with routine intervention alone, adjuvant Astragalus was associated with lower fatigue severity scores and better quality-of-life measures. Adverse effects were reported as mild. Limitation: Evidence was poor in quality, with unclear or high risk of bias across the included randomized trials; stronger trials are needed. PubMed 31440984
• Stroke recovery · Randomized controlled trial, 61 participants · 2017
  At 84 days, good functional outcome scores were similar in the PG2 and placebo groups (GOS 69.0% vs 48.4%, p = 0.2). Inflammatory markers also did not differ significantly between groups. Limitation: Small sample, and the authors describe the results as preliminary; the extract was given intravenously, which is not comparable to dietary intake. PubMed 28361971

Most studies used extracts or doses that differ from home cooking. Full details in the Nourilo Research Library.

Safety: May interact with medicines that suppress the immune system. A thorough safety evaluation has not been done, and little is known about its safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding. Source: NIH NCCIH — Astragalus