What are the effects of nettle and nettle tea?
Both the greater nettle (Urtica dioica) and the lesser nettle (Urtica urens) are used therapeutically. Nettle leaves, the herb (stems and leaves) and the roots are used. Especially nettle tea is said to have a healing effect on bladder infections and an enlarged prostate.
In addition, ingredients of nettles are also found in cosmetic products, for example as an additive in hair tonics and shampoos against dandruff and greasy hair. It has not been scientifically proven that they help against hair loss.
Nettle leaves and nettle herb
Nettle leaves and herb contain active substances such as phenolic carboxylic acids (chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, caffeoyl acid), minerals, amines (including histamine) and tannins.
You can take them internally, for example, in the form of nettle tea. Nettle tea has a diuretic, draining effect. It is also believed to have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
- for flushing therapy in inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract such as cystitis
- for the prevention and treatment of kidney gravels
- as a supportive treatment for rheumatic complaints such as osteoarthritis
In empirical medicine, nettle leaves and herb are also used for mild aching limbs and sore muscles. Further nettle tea is to stimulate the discharge of the lymph and protect thereby against water retention.
Nettle tea is also often included in detox cures. It is said to stimulate the metabolism and help detoxify the liver and gall bladder. However, there is no scientific evidence for the effect of detox cures.
An animal study with rats suggests that nettle tea is good for blood pressure. However, evidence from human studies is still lacking.
When used externally, nettle leaves and herb help to treat inflammatory skin rashes (seborrheic eczema).
Nettle roots
The roots contain, among other things, polysaccharides, a lectin, coumarins and sterols.
In what form is nettle used?
The dried herb or leaves of nettle are available in various forms of preparation. For example, you can make the finely chopped leaves into nettle tea. To do this, pour about 150 milliliters of boiling water over four teaspoons (about 2.8 grams) of the cut drug and strain after 10 to 15 minutes.
How much nettle tea you can drink a day? The recommendation is three to four cups. The average daily dose is 10 to 20 grams of drug. It makes sense to combine nettle in tea with other medicinal herbs, such as goldenrod, hawthorn root and birch leaves.
Nettle leaves and herbs are also available as ready-to-use medicines: powdered in coated tablets, as a dry extract in tablets and capsules, as fresh plant press juice, and as a tea mixture (bladder and kidney tea, urinary tea). You can find out how to use and dose such preparations correctly in the respective package insert and from your doctor or pharmacist.
From the roots of nettles, you can also prepare a tea. To do this, you need to prepare 1.5 grams of coarsely powdered medicinal drug with 150 milliliters of cold water, then heat and boil for one minute. Then remove from heat and strain after ten minutes.
However, symptoms of a benign enlarged prostate can be better treated with ready-made preparations made from nettle roots than with tea. The dry extract is available in tablets and capsules, as well as liquid preparations. The combination with saw palmetto is also said to be useful.
Home remedies based on medicinal plants have their limits. If your symptoms persist for a long period of time, do not get better or even get worse despite treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
What side effects can nettle cause?
When taking or applying nettle preparations, in rare cases the body reacts with mild gastrointestinal complaints or allergic skin reactions.
What you should be aware of when using stinging nettle
- Do not do flushing therapy if you have water retention (edema) due to impaired heart and kidney activity!
- Also refrain from nettle if you are hypersensitive to it. In case of acute arthritis (inflammation of the joints), you should also not treat yourself with nettle preparations, but go to the doctor.
- Do not use nettles together with synthetic diuretics.
- Also note that nettle tea is not tolerated in histamine intolerance, as nettle contains histamine.
- As with all other tea herbs: Do not drink nettle tea for long periods of time and/or in large quantities.
- Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, as well as children and adolescents under the age of 18, should refrain from using nettle preparations, as no studies have yet been conducted to determine their safety.
- Since nettle tea has a dehydrating effect, do not drink it directly before going to bed. Otherwise, you may have to go to the toilet at night.
How to get nettle products
Hair tonics and shampoos as well as body emulsions with the active ingredients of the medicinal plant can also be found there. For information on the type and duration of use of nettle preparations, refer to the respective package insert or ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Stinging nettle: What is it?
The great stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), which grows up to 1.5 meters high, is perennial and dioecious, meaning that there are male and female plants. Its leaves are gray-green and pointed-ovate.
In contrast, lesser stinging nettle (Urtica urens) grows as an annual, grows only about 50 centimeters tall, and is monoecious – so male and female inflorescences sit together on one plant. In addition, the leaves of Urtica urens are fresh green and rather round in shape.
Both species have stinging hairs on the stem and leaves: When touched, they trigger the formation of itchy wheals on the skin. This is because the stinging hairs act like a miniature syringe, injecting histamine and acetylcholine into the skin. These substances trigger an allergic stimulus. There is also talk of nettle venom.
As early as about 30,000 years ago, people used the nettle as a textile plant. However, it was replaced in this role by cotton a few thousand years ago.
