Supplements Herbal Supplements What to Know About Eucommia By Jennifer Lefton, MS, RD/N, CNSC, FAND Updated on May 03, 2023 Medically reviewed by Melissa Nieves, LND Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Uses of Eucommia What Are the Side Effects of Eucommia? Precautions How Much Eucommia Should I Take? Interactions How to Store Eucommia Frequently Asked Questions Sources & What to Look For Eucommia is an herb that comes from the Chinese rubber tree (Eucommia ulmoides). The plant contains various chemical compounds, including lignins, phenolics, flavonoids, and more. Eucommia has been used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to support the endocrine system, improve kidney health, and strengthen bones and muscles. It is also said to prevent osteoporosis and enhance heart health. While alternative medicine practitioners turn to eucommia to increase vitality and promote longevity, in the West, it is mostly known as a supplement to lower blood pressure. While marketed for use in several conditions, most research has been done in animals and is preliminary. There is not enough evidence that eucommia is beneficial in humans. This article reviews eucommia, its side effects, and precautions to take if adding it to your supplement regimen. Dietary supplements are not regulated like drugs in the United States, meaning the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve them for safety and effectiveness before products are marketed. When possible, choose a supplement tested by a trusted third party, such as USP, ConsumerLab, or NSF. However, even if supplements are third-party tested, that doesn’t mean they are necessarily safe for all or effective in general. Therefore, it is important to talk to your healthcare provider about any supplements you plan to take and check in about potential interactions with other supplements or medications. Supplement Facts Active ingredient(s): Eucommia ulmoidesAlternate name(s): Du ZhongSuggested dose: No standard doseSafety considerations: No reports of toxicity; mild side effects reported. Always talk to your healthcare provider about your supplements. Uses of Eucommia Supplement use should be individualized and vetted by a healthcare professional, such as a registered dietitian, pharmacist, or healthcare provider. No supplement is intended to treat, cure, or prevent disease. The herb, also known as du zhong, is a rich source of antioxidants, lignans, and isoflavonoids—naturally occurring chemicals with hormone-like effects. Eucommia has been used and may be marketed for various uses, including sexual dysfunction, cancer, metabolic syndrome, neurological diseases, and more. However, most research is limited to animal testing and small clinical trials. One clinical trial evaluated the effect of eucommia on high blood pressure. Most of the remaining research has been done on animals. Since there is not enough research on eucommia, there are no current recommendations for using eucommia. Research on using eucommia for high blood pressure is included here as it was the only clinical trial found on eucommia in humans. High Blood Pressure A small study suggested that eucommina may help lower high blood pressure (hypertension). For the study, 30 healthy adults took 1 gram (g) of eucommia three times daily for two weeks. At the study's end, the herb was shown to lower blood pressure by an average of 7.5/3.9 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) compared with the control group. Another study included 24 healthy adults randomized to take 500 milligrams of eucommia extract three times daily for eight weeks. No toxicity or difference in blood pressure was found between the group taking eucommia and the control group in the study. Additional research on humans is needed to validate these findings. A meta-analysis of TCM for high blood pressure found that the addition of eucommia combined with traditional medicine was safe, effective, and superior compared to traditional medicine alone. What Are the Side Effects of Eucommia? Eucommia has been used in TCM for centuries with limited reports of side effects. One therapeutic trial of eucommia documented a few possible side effects, including: Moderately severe headacheDizzinessEdema,Onset of a cold The National Institutes of Health (NIH) warns that herbal products, in general, may be contaminated with toxic compounds, heavy metals, pesticides, or microorganisms. Manufacturing errors, in which one herb is mistakenly replaced with another, have also occurred. Therefore, it is important to be diligent when selecting products. To ensure quality and safety, opt for supplements independently tested by a certifying body like the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), NSF International, or ConsumerLab. The certification confirms that the supplement contains the ingredients and ingredient amounts listed on the product label. Verywell / Anastasia Tretiak Precautions There are no data on the safety and efficacy of eucommia use during pregnancy or breastfeeding, so it is best to avoid supplementing. You should also avoid eucommia if you are sensitive to any of the components found in the product. Always talk to your healthcare provider before taking any new supplements to determine whether it is safe for you. Dosage: How Much Eucommia Should I Take? Always speak with a healthcare provider before taking a supplement to ensure that the supplement and dosage are appropriate for your individual needs. There is no standard recommended dose of eucommia. In research studies, doses of up to 3 gram of eucommia daily were safe and well tolerated for up to two weeks. However, always follow the directions on the supplement label and your healthcare provider's recommendation. What Happens If I Take Too Much Eucommia? There is not much information available about the side effects of eucommia or the potential effects of taking too much. As a general rule of thumb, never take more than what is stated in the directions on the supplement label. Consult your healthcare provider if you're unsure how much you should take. Interactions Little is known about the safety of long-term or regular use of eucommia. There are no documented drug interactions. However, people taking the following medications should consult their healthcare provider before using eucommia due to the theoretical potential for interactions: Diabetes medicationsHigh blood pressure medicationsAnticoagulantsAntiplateletsThrombolytics How to Store Eucommia Store supplements at room temperature and away from light, such as in a kitchen cabinet, unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer. Supplements and medications should always be stored out of reach for children. Frequently Asked Questions Can eucommia increase testosterone levels? A study done in rats suggest that eucommia could increase testosterone production. However, this was preliminary research, and we don't know yet whether this would work in humans. Is eucommia recommended for people with diabetes? No. There is insufficient evidence to support using this herbal product for diabetes management. Sources of Eucommia and What to Look For Dietary supplements containing eucommia extract are sold in some natural-foods stores and shops specializing in herbal products, as well as online. In addition to capsules, eucommia is sold in extract, tea, and dry forms. These products may contain extracts from the leaf, stem, bark, and flower of the plant. You may want to seek out options that are predominantly or solely made from the bark, as most of the research done on this herb focuses on that component. Eucommia also comes as a tea made from the leaves and bark of the eucommia tree. Eucommia tea is said to taste slightly bitter and slightly sweet, and it is commonly served with milk and sugar. Steep loose herbs or teabags in hot water for two to four minutes. Always look for products that have been third-party tested. Summary Eucommia is an herbal product that has been used for centuries in TCM, but there is little scientific evidence to support its use in the treatment or prevention of any disease. While preliminary research shows that eucommia may help lower blood pressure in humans, more clinical trials are needed before it can be recommended. Always discuss your supplement regimen with your healthcare provider. 8 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. He X, Wang J, Li M, et al. Eucommia ulmoides Oliv.: ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacology of an important traditional Chinese medicine. J Ethnopharmacol. 2014;151(1):78-92. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2013.11.023 Hussain T, Tan B, Liu G, et al. Health-promoting properties of Eucommia ulmoides: a review. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016;2016:5202908. doi:10.1155/2016/5202908 Greenway F, Liu Z, Yu Y, Gupta A. A clinical trial testing the safety and efficacy of a standardized Eucommia ulmoides Oliver bark extract to treat hypertension. Altern Med Rev. Wang Q, Lin J, Li C, et al. Traditional Chinese medicine method of tonifying kidney for hypertension: Clinical evidence and molecular mechanisms. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022;9:1038480. doi:10.3389/fcvm.2022.1038480 National Institutes of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine. Hsu SM, Lin HJ, Kao YW, Li TM, Shia BC, Huang ST. Concurrent use of Chinese herbal medicine and anticoagulants may reduce major bleeding events. PLoS One. 2022;17(8):e0271965. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0271965 Huang, L., Lyu, Q., Zheng, W. et al. Traditional application and modern pharmacological research of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. Chin Med 16, 73 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-021-00482-7 Li Z, Yang P, Xue S, et al. Testosterone promotion effect of Eucommia ulmoidesstaminate flower via the steroidogenic pathway and potential hormonal mechanism. Sci Rep. 12, 18765 (2022). doi:10.1038/s41598-022-23578-y Additional Reading Kwon SH, Ma SX, Hong SI, Kim SY, Lee SY, Jang CG. Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. bark attenuates 6-hydroxydopamine-induced neuronal cell death through inhibition of oxidative stress in SH-sy5y cells. J Ethnopharmacol. 2014;152(1):173-82. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2013.12.048 By Jennifer Lefton, MS, RD/N, CNSC, FAND Lefton is a registered dietitian/nutritionist and certified nutrition support clinician with over 20 years of experience in clinical nutrition. Originally written by Cathy Wong See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit