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Astragalus

Supplement botanical immuneenergy
Aka: Astragalus membranaceus, huang qi, bei qi
Brands seen in Singapore: NOW Foods, Nutricost, Swanson Vitamins, Nature's Way, Vitamatic
Not medical advice. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change the timing of anything you take.
How to use
What it’s for
Promoted for immunity and fatigue — evidence not sufficient
Pros & cons
Pros
  • Root used for centuries in traditional chinese medicine
  • A 2023 review of 19 studies saw immune-marker changes
  • Up to 60 g/day for 4 months: no adverse effects seen
Cons
  • NCCIH: not enough reliable evidence for any condition
  • The immune studies were small and ran very differently
  • No thorough safety evaluation has been done
Sources
  1. NIH NCCIH — Astragalus, last updated May 2025 · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “There is not sufficient reliable scientific evidence to know whether astragalus is useful for any health condition.”
  2. NIH NCCIH — Astragalus, Background section · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “astragalus has been promoted as a dietary supplement for many conditions, including upper respiratory infections, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes. It's also promoted to improve the response of the immune system.”
  3. NIH NCCIH — Astragalus, What Have We Learned (2023 immune review) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “A 2023 review of 19 studies (involving 1,094 participants) found that astragalus enhanced immune responses and reduced levels of proinflammatory cytokines … The studies were small, and there were many differences in how the studies were done, however.”
  4. NIH NCCIH — Astragalus, What Do We Know About Safety · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Because astragalus might worsen symptoms of autoimmune diseases, people with autoimmune diseases should avoid using astragalus. Also, astragalus may interact with medications that suppress the immune system”
  5. NIH NCCIH — Astragalus, What Do We Know About Safety (oral use) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Astragalus may be safe when used orally. (Taking up to 60 grams per day for as long as 4 months does not seem to cause adverse effects.) However, a thorough safety evaluation has not been done.”
  6. NIH NCCIH — Astragalus, What Do We Know About Safety (pregnancy) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Little is known about whether it's safe to use astragalus during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Some research in animals suggests that during pregnancy, astragalus can be toxic to the fetus.”
  7. HSA Singapore — Guidelines on Prohibited and Restricted Ingredients in Health Supplements and Traditional Medicines, GL-CHPB-1-012 Rev. No. 001 (October 2025), Annex A (118 rows) and Annex B (4 rows) — Astragalus not listed in either · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “The objective of this guideline is to highlight the substances of concern when used in HS and TM and is not meant to be an exhaustive list.”
  8. HSA Singapore — Health Supplements Guidelines GL-CHPB-3-001 Rev. No. 020 (January 2026), clause 4.8 with Tables 4–5 (vitamins and minerals only — no botanical rows) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “4.8 HS for use by the general adult population should not contain vitamins and minerals exceeding the stipulated limits stated in Tables 4 and 5.”
  9. iHerb Singapore — Astragalus category page, default listing order · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “1 - 43 of 43 results … NOW Foods, Astragalus Extract, 500 mg … Nutricost, Astragalus Root, 550 mg … Swanson Vitamins, Full Spectrum® Astragalus Root, 470 mg … Nature's Way, Astragalus Root … Vitamatic, Astragalus, 5,000 mg”
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Updated 2026-08-29. Every line above traces to a numbered source. Kozen-X is not a medical device and does not give medical advice. It lists what published sources have written down — nothing more. A pair not listed is unrecorded, not cleared. Before you start, stop or re-time anything, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.