← All supplements

Horsetail

Supplement botanical skin & hair
Aka: Equisetum arvense
Brands seen in Singapore: Nature's Answer, Nature's Way, Swanson Vitamins, Frontier Co-op, Solaray
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
Traditional diuretic use; sold as a plant silica source
Pros & cons
Pros
  • Diuretic effect confirmed in animal and clinical trials
  • One of the richest plant sources of silica
Cons
  • A 2025 review calls it an unfounded hair-loss remedy
  • A case report links horsetail to low blood sodium
Sources
  1. Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of the Genus Equisetum (Equisetaceae): A Narrative Review (Frontiers in Pharmacology 2021) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “the most widespread traditional use of Equisetum is as a diuretic … The most popular species from the Equisetum genus with medicinal use is E. arvense L., whose diuretic effect was confirmed in animal models and clinical trials”
  2. The Influence of Horsetail (Equisetum arvense L.) Powder and Horsetail-Based Silica on the Crystallization Kinetics of Polylactide (Materials 2024) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Another rich source of biogenic silica is common horsetail (Equisetum arvense L.), containing up to 25% SiO2 in the dry matter”
  3. A Qualitative Review of Misinformation on Alopecia (Skin Appendage Disorders 2025) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Alternative unfounded therapies which were touted included mineral supplements, biotin, B vitamin complexes, fish oils, shark cartilage, onion juice, rosemary oil, horsetail extract, and saw palmetto”
  4. Case report title, Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy 2021 (title only — no abstract published) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Hyponatremia Secondary to Decreased Oral Intake and SIADH and Possibly Exacerbated by Horsetail (Equisetum arvense)”
  5. HSA — Guidelines on health supplements (Singapore), maximum daily limits Tables 4–5 · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Table 4: Vitamins Limits … Nutrient Maximum Daily Limit … Table 5: Minerals Limits”
  6. HSA — Guidelines on prohibited and restricted ingredients in health supplements and traditional medicines (Oct 2025), Annex A/B · 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.”
  7. iHerb Singapore — Horsetail category page (default best-selling order) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Horsetail”
Report a correction View as JSON

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.