Fo-Ti
何首乌 · Hé Shǒu Wū
Builds blood and supports hair, skin, and sleep
What it does
He Shou Wu builds blood for the dizziness, anemia, and premature graying that signal liver-kidney depletion. In TCM, it nourishes liver-kidney yin and is the most-cited classical herb for hair pigment and longevity. The processed form (Zhi He Shou Wu) is the tonic; raw form moves bowels and detoxifies. Liver injury cases are documented with unregulated products.
How to take it
Decoct 9–15g of processed He Shou Wu (Zhi He Shou Wu) in 4 cups water for 30 minutes. Drink 1 cup, 1–2x daily. Always use the processed (steamed-with-black-bean) form.
Try a Zhi He Shou Wu tea daily for chronic fatigue with thinning hair
Take a standardized He Shou Wu capsule (typically 500mg, processed) once or twice daily with food. Look for products that confirm the processed (Zhi) form.
Try a daily processed-Zhi-He-Shou-Wu capsule for hair and skin support
Safety
- Use only the processed (Zhi He Shou Wu) form. Raw form has documented liver injury cases
- Skip if you have liver disease, hepatitis, or take liver-stressing medications
- Stop if you develop dark urine, jaundice, or yellow eyes
- Skip during pregnancy
- Talk to your doctor before starting, especially if you take medication
Where it comes from
He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum) is named after a Tang Dynasty legend about a sickly elderly man named He who took the herb and was said to regain his hair color, vitality, and reproductive function. The Chinese name Hé Shǒu Wū means 'Mr. He's black hair.' Modern toxicology has flagged liver injury cases linked to raw or unprocessed He Shou Wu, especially at high doses. The properly processed (steamed with black bean) form is much safer and is the classical tonic.