Many people today are looking for herbs and other natural remedies to support their overall wellness. One such herb that has many promising benefits is stinging nettle.
Despite not being very well-known, stinging nettle is a very intriguing herb and may help with hormonal health, allergies, detoxification, and more! This article explains all of the stinging nettle benefits and also provides a list of quality stinging nettle supplements to add to your wellness routine.
What is Stinging Nettle?
Stinging nettle (Urtica diocica L. ) is a perennial herb found in many areas of the world, including Europe, North America, North Africa, and parts of Asia. Its name comes from the presence of trichomes, which are small, needle-like projections that inject chemicals when touched, thus causing pain and irritation.
But fear not! Despite needing to be carefully handled, stinging nettle is quite a beneficial herb. It has been used for thousands of years in various traditional medicine systems for a variety of health benefits.
Bioactive Components
All parts of stinging nettle have been used to promote health, including the leaves, roots, leaf, stem, and seeds, but the leaves are used most often. Regardless, all components of stinging nettle are rich in bioactive components, including:
- Fiber
- Minerals (e.g. zinc, potassium)
- Vitamins (e.g. vitamin C, vitamin A)
- Antioxidants (e.g. carotenoids, polyphenols)
Among these, the phenolic compounds, such as flavonoids, tannins, and lignans, are thought to be behind many of the benefits in stinging nettle supplements.
Stinging Nettle Benefits
There are numerous stinging nettle benefits, which are backed by a combination of modern research and traditional usage. Specifically, stinging nettle may help with any of the following:
- Allergies:
- Stinging nettle blocks histamine and lowers the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which can help with seasonal allergies. It is backed by several clinical trials, including this one.
- If you’re looking to include stinging nettle alongside a comprehensive allergy relief plan, check out our article with other great tips for the allergy season.
- Inflammation and oxidative stress:
- The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of stinging nettle help to decrease inflammation and oxidative stress. These effects offer further benefits, such as for joints, skin, and liver function, while promoting greater overall health.
- Detoxification:
- Stinging nettle aids detoxification in many ways, such as by neutralizing acids and excreting toxins, stimulating the lymphatic system, and improving nutrient uptake in the stomach to prevent toxin accumulation.
- Microbial infections:
- The wide variety of bioactive compounds in stinging nettle can ward off various viruses, bacteria, and other microbes. This is one of a few lesser-known benefits of stinging nettle.
- Blood sugar regulation:
- Stinging nettle supports insulin secretion, which helps to control blood sugar levels. It may support individuals with diabetes.
- Prostate health:
- Stinging nettle may help decrease prostate size, which can help with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and the accompanying symptoms.
- Women’s health:
- The astringent properties of stinging nettle can help with cramps and bloating during menstruation.
- It offers nutritional support during pregnancy and nursing
- It helps balance hormone levels, including for women nearing menopause
Stinging nettle may also have benefits for other areas, including:
- Skin, hair, and nails
- Heart health
- Kidney and gallbladder function
- Eye health
- Testosterone and hormonal health
The Best Stinging Nettle Supplements
With so many stinging nettle benefits, you’re probably wondering what is the best stinging nettle supplement to use for overall health support. In our search for stinging nettle supplements, we focused on ones that provide well-rounded effects with additional direct support for allergy relief, given that this is one of stinging nettle’s main benefits.
Here are some top stinging nettle and allergy relief supplements:
(These work well on their own or may even be combined with other allergy supplements for more potent relief, depending on your needs and goals).
- Designs for Health Quercetin and Nettles: Designs for Health offers hundreds of research-backed supplements for numerous health needs. Their Quercetin and Nettles supplement is just as it sounds, with 600 mg of quercetin and nettles. This combo offers potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects for allergy control and overall health support.
- NutriDyn Aller Pro: NutriDyn is one of the best when it comes to pure, well-tested supplements. Just one capsule of Aller Pro provides 200 mg of stinging nettle, along with quercetin, vitamin C, bromelain, and more. Together, the ingredients in Aller Pro help control histamine, quell inflammation, and provide well-rounded allergy relief.
- Ortho Molecular Natural D-Hist: Natural, safe, and pure are the words to describe Ortho Molecular’s supplements. Their Natural D-Hist formula offers potent doses of stinging nettle, quercetin, vitamin C, and other ingredients to support healthy histamine levels and control allergy symptoms when you need it most, while also helping with inflammation and overall wellness.
- Ortho Molecular D-Hist Jr.: D-Hist Jr offers the same beneficial ingredients as Natural D-Hist, but with lower doses suitable for kids. It’s a great way to help give your child allergy relief, and it comes in a tasty chewable tablet!
- Looking for additional natural ways to help your child with allergies? Find out how to help a child with seasonal allergies.
FAQs
What is the best stinging nettle supplement?
The best stinging nettle supplement depends on your goals and needs. In general, you want a high-dose product that’s pure, properly tested, and fully verified for its ingredients. Many times, products include stinging nettle along with other beneficial ingredients for more well-rounded support, just like the ones mentioned above. Those are all great choices to start with.
What are the stinging nettle testosterone benefits?
The stinging nettle testosterone connection is a bit nuanced, but stinging nettle may help increase free testosterone levels by reducing sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG).
How do you use stinging nettle for allergies?
Stinging nettle can be consumed in various forms, such as tea, capsules, powder, and tinctures. Ideally, you should take stinging nettle every day for the total duration of your specific allergy season. Consult our practitioners to see if stinging nettle is right for you, and how to take it to best suit your needs and goals.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
