Top 3 Goldenseal Root Benefits and the Magic of Berberine

Goldenseal root benefits have been a long-time favorite in traditional folk herbalism for many decades if not centuries.

Although goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) is native to both the U.S. and Canada, wild sources once grew prolifically in the Ohio River Valley located in the northeastern United States.

Historically, it has been utilized by many North American populations indigenous to these habitats.

It is a member of the buttercup family and while unrelated, the fruit resembles that of raspberry and grows in the center like that of Panax ginseng.

Distinguished by its brightly pigmented golden-yellow roots, the underground rootstock is considered the most medicinally potent part of the plant. It is generally a tangled display of thick rhizomes with off-shoots of slender roots. Usually, dried bulk cut and sifted goldenseal is composed of a mix of both.

However, goldenseal is more commonly used as a powder especially when making homemade preparations such as extracts, infusions, capsules and salves.

In modern times, goldenseal is familiar herbal ally in most worldwide botanical pharmacopoeia (Pharmacopoeias) for some pretty noteworthy aspects.

Due to its extreme potency, it is not one that is recommended for regular use or in large quantities but used periodically at lower dosages within a small time frame.

Here are the top 3 benefits to contemplate.

In the realm of the natural healing traditions, goldenseal has been a long-time favorite for its immune-stimulating attributes that foster the body's natural defense mechanisms.

This is due to the main compounds BERBERINE, HYDRASTINE and CANADINE, alkaloids that have been identified to possess strong antibacterial activity. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11509983/

For this reason, it is often viewed as a type of natural antibiotic for inhibiting acute bacterial infections and subsequent inflammation.

Goldenseal is therefore an often-included ingredient in many herbal supplement formulations as a preventative protocol for inhibiting colds, flus, upper respiratory and sinus infections.

It is common to find it used with other herbs like echinacea and elderberry in winter care formulas.

Also working in conjunction with its mentioned immune supporting attributes, goldenseal and its ANTIMICROBIAL germ-fighting quality is simultaneously useful as an antifungal agent.

Along with pau d'arco, olive leaf, Oregon grape root and oregano oil extracts, goldenseal is on the list of herbal remedies for addressing intestinal candida overgrowth, a fungal infection that throws off gut bacteria.

Goldenseal's constituents like BERBERINE, the main constituent also responsible for the deep golden color, is very BITTER is taste.

Bitter herbal tonics works as bile-promoting digestive aids that encourage better intestinal waste elimination and bowel movements.

Tasting the actual herb by consuming liquid extracts or a small amount of goldenseal powder mixed into water is best for such purposes.

From an herbalist’s perspective, bitter herbs are ANTIPARASITIC, working to open detoxifying pathways. Goldenseal is a great household herb to have handy when little intestinal cleansing is in order.

One of the first things we were personally taught about goldenseal powder many years ago in herbal apprenticeships, is to never infuse it in boiling water.

So preparing it as a hot tea for us in not on the botanical remedy menu. We would however mix ground root powders into room temperature water.

Usually, the average dose amount is very small at about 1/8t of the finely ground powder or about 1-2 capsules. It is good to start out at a small dose if you are new to taking it.

While goldenseal is relatively expensive compared to other herbal roots, it doesn't take much to adjunct a holistic lifestyle routine once in a while when you need a boost.

It delivers a strong bitter earthiness and will pigment water or anything it touches a bold yellow color.

Again, it is safe to short-term adult use only and at recommended dosage amounts on product labels. A little too much can cause nausea or loose stools.

It is widely available from online suppliers in the form of capsules, liquid extracts and of course bulk powders.