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Six-Ingredient Rehmannia

六味地黃丸 · liù wèi dì huáng wán

Probably the most-prescribed TCM formula in the world. The classical Kidney yin tonic.

What it's for

Three nourishing herbs work with three draining herbs to rebuild what TCM calls Kidney yin, the cooling, fluid, foundational reserves of the body. Practitioners reach for it for the pattern of dry mouth, hot palms and soles, dizziness, ringing ears, lower back ache, and night sweats. It shows up most often in people who have been depleting themselves for a long stretch, whether from overwork, illness, or just years of running hot.

This formula is for you if…

  1. Low back aches and knees feel weak

    soreness in the lower back, legs feel rubbery

  2. Heat in odd places at night

    hot palms, hot soles, flushed cheeks, dry throat

  3. Night sweats and waking up damp

    sweating in your sleep, dry mouth, low libido

Best fit if at least 2 of these sound like you. Heat in odd places plus low-back weakness is the core signal.

You might also notice

  • Lightheadedness or dizziness
  • Ringing or muffled hearing
  • Red tongue with little coating
  • Fast, thin pulse

Not your match if…

  • You feel cold and sluggish, not hot and depleted
  • You bloat easily and have loose stools
  • You're sick with a cold, flu, or infection right now

What's in it

How to take it

Six-Ingredient Rehmannia is sold ready-made as Six Flavor Teapills (六味地黃丸).

Standard dose: 8 pills, 3 times a day.

We're working on a Field Guide–recommended source for this formula. In the meantime, look for Plum Flower brand at a TCM pharmacy or specialty retailer.

Talk to a qualified TCM practitioner before taking this regularly, especially if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or take medication.

Safety

  • Designed for yin-deficiency patterns with the hot, dry, depleted quality. It's not the right pick if you feel cold, have loose stools, or have a thick wet tongue coat. Those patterns call for the opposite kind of formula.
  • Prepared rehmannia is rich and can be hard on weak digestion. If you bloat easily, work with a practitioner on modifications.
  • Talk to a qualified TCM practitioner before using this regularly, especially if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or take medication.