Ingesting stinging nettle capsules takes the "sting" out of the medicinal plant, as does drinking a liquid infusion. Stinging nettle's medicinal roots don't have the "stingers" that the plant's equally beneficial leaves do -- but foragers still need to get past the treacherous above-ground parts to harvest the roots. You may prefer to buy dried tea or capsules at health food stores or specialty shops. Always check with your doctor to rule out potential drug interactions or side effects before using stinging nettle capsules or infusions.
Conditions
What part of the stinging nettle plant you ingest is more crucial than the form in which that nettle part comes, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center, UMMC. Nettle root research centers on its potential to treat men with benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BHP. According to the medical center, European practitioners suggest nettle root to treat symptoms of enlarged prostate such as urination problems. Nettle leaves are associated with hay fever relief, as well as with easing joint pain and skin problems. Nettle leaf tea also provides minerals and vitamins, while root teas do not contain these nutrients.
Infused Nettle Leaf
Infused nettle leaf offers vitamins and minerals, including calcium, iron, potassium and vitamins A, C and K. Standard preparations for nettle tea using the leaves call for steeping 3 to 4 tsp. in ¾ cup just-boiled water, according to UMMC. Use about twice this amount if you are making tea with fresh nettle leaves. Steep for up to five minutes, strain and drink the slightly cooled tea. According to the American Pregnancy Association, some midwives recommend nettle leaf tea, but it has not been proved safe for pregnant or nursing mothers.
Infused Nettle Root
Make nettle root tea with the same proportion of dried plant material to water as when making nettle leaf tea, advises the UMMC. Nettle roots don't have the nutritional properties of nettle leaves, but they may help men who have BHP. While herbalists make nettle leaf tea from either fresh or dried plant materials, infused root preparations generally involve only dried roots.
Nettle Leaf Capsule
Wild foods author Steve Brill notes that eating cooked nettle leaves is a folk remedy for preventing hay fever or lessening the severity of hay fever symptoms. Modern day research on nettle for hay fever, however, focuses on freeze dried nettle leaf capsules. The research that found some potential for decreasing hay fever symptoms used a dosage of 300 mg twice a day.
Nettle Root Capsule
Men interested in using nettle root to treat BHP have their choice of root infusions or capsules. According to New York University's Langone Medical Center, German studies examining the efficacy and potential side effects of nettle root capsules used a dosage of 600 mg to 1,200 mg nettle root each day. Look for capsules in health food stores or through online sources.
References
- NYU Langone Medical Center: Nettle
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Stinging Nettle
- American Pregnancy Association: Drinking Herbal Teas During Pregnancy
- "Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants"; Steve Brill; 1994
