Horsetail Herb: Health Benefits, Uses and More

Horsetail has been used to treat a wide variety of ailments since ancient times, including wounds, inflammation, weak bones, high blood sugar, and urinary issues. However, you most likely know it as a pesky garden weed. 

Common horsetail, or field horsetail (Equisetum arvense L.), is the most common form that grows in the Midwest and is toxic to livestock and other animals, especially when eaten in large quantities, most likely because of its depletion effect on thiamine levels. Despite its toxicity to animals, it’s been used and studied for its beneficial impact on human health with limited side effects.¹

Keep reading to learn more about what horsetail is, its potential health benefits, the risks of using it, and popular herbal alternatives! 

{{mid-cta}}

What is Horsetail? 

Horsetail, aka Equisetum arvense, is a perennial plant found in temperate regions like North America, Europe, and Asia and may be found as a common “weed” in gardens. Its use dates back thousands of years to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who used it to stop bleeding, heal wounds, and treat other health conditions like kidney stones and tuberculosis.²

Appearing like the course strands of a horse’s tail (hence the name), approximately 25% of its dry weight is in the form of silica, a compound made of silicon and oxygen molecules.In addition to silica, horsetail is rich in various polyphenols, antioxidants, fixed and volatile oils, and other active substances that may impact human health.³ 

Today, horsetail herb is consumed as a tea, taken as an extract, as a topical ointment or cream, or in the form of pills for its potential health benefits, including improved hair, skin, and nail health, bone health, urinary and kidney conditions, and even to help lower blood sugars. As with many traditional herbs and supplements to treat diabetes and other health conditions, there’s not a lot of solid evidence supporting the effectiveness. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be in the future if more research and clinical studies are completed. We’ll cover the top reasons people use horsetail herb below and whether or not research supports them.

What is Horsetail Good For?

Even though the research for all of its potential benefits may not be conclusive, there are several reasons people choose to take horsetail herb, including: 

• To Reduce Inflammation: Traditionally, people have used horsetail to help treat inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. Horsetail may help inhibit lymphocyte proliferation, which is the first step in the process of inflammation, most likely due to the combination of minerals, flavanoids, and other plant compounds.⁴ Research on horsetail and inflammation has found that topical applications may be more useful than oral supplements and noted that more research is needed in this area.
• ‍To Lower Blood Sugar: Some people use horsetail as a natural way to lower blood sugar. Animal studies have found that supplementing with horsetail had an anti-diabetic effect on blood sugar and improved insulin sensitivity. While it’s successful in treating diabetes in animal and lab trials, limited human studies are proving its effectiveness at this point.⁵‍
• ‍To Improve Bone Density: Horsetail is a rich source of silica, which may help reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Silica can increase the absorption and use of calcium by the bones and aid in the formation of collagen, a protein that helps minerals bind to bone tissue. In one study, rats who received 120 mg/kg of horsetail extract experienced an increase in bone density compared to those who did not.^{6, 7}‍
• To Help With Incontinence and Other Urinary Issues: Traditionally, horsetail is known as an astringent used to help rescue urinary incontinence, likely related to the high amount of silica in the herb. Studies that have used horsetail extract as part of an herbal combination treatment found that it reduced frequency and urinary incontinence episodes, but as it was included with other herbs, it’s impossible to determine the direct effect of the horsetail.⁸ ‍
• To Lower Blood Pressure: Some studies have found that horsetail may be as effective as popular blood pressure-lowering medications in stage one hypertension. The blood-pressure-lowering effect of horsetail is thanks to its diuretic properties, increasing urine output and eliminating excess fluid in the body.⁹‍
• For Hair Growth: Thanks to its high antioxidant and silica content, horsetail may promote hair growth and protect against hair loss. When used as part of an herbal compound, it’s been found to reduce hair thinning and promote biological activities that combat hair loss. The issue with these studies is that horsetail is used as part of a compound, so it’s impossible to attribute the positive study results to horsetail alone.^{10, 11}‍
• For Skin Healing: Horsetail's combination of antioxidants, silica, and other phytochemicals supports wound healing by promoting collagen growth, inhibiting bacteria growth, and mediating inflammation. In studies that have found a positive effect on horsetail and wound healing, the herbal supplement is used topically instead of as an oral supplement.¹²

<div class="pro-tip"><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href=spices-that-may-lower-blood-sugar>Spices That May Lower Blood Sugar</a></a>.</div>

Side Effects of Horsetail

While there are plenty of potential health benefits of using the herb horsetail, there’s also an abundance of reasons you should stop and think twice before trying it. Like many other herbal remedies, horsetail has potential risks and side effects, including: 

• An Increased Risk of Thiamine Deficiency: Horsetail contains an enzyme, thiaminase, that can break down vitamin B1, or thiamine, in the body and could lead to thiamine deficiency if used long-term. Thiamine is a water-soluble B vitamin that plays an important role in energy metabolism and the development of cells. Symptoms of a thiamine deficiency include anorexia, weight loss, confusion, muscle weakness, and heart issues.^{13, 14}‍
• Not Recommended for People Who Are Pregnant or Breastfeeding: There is not enough information on how horsetail may impact pregnancy or an infant during breastfeeding, so experts recommend avoiding it during these critical times of development.¹⁵ 
• It Can Cause Hypoglycemia in People With Diabetes: Because horsetail is thought to lower blood sugar levels, it could lead to hypoglycemia, when your blood glucose gets dangerously low, if combined with blood sugar-lowering diabetes medications. 
• ‍It Can Cause Low Potassium Levels: With its diuretic effect, horsetail could cause too much potassium to be excreted through the urine, leading to hypokalemia. This is especially concerning for anyone who already has low potassium levels or is at risk, such as anyone who already takes a diuretic or laxatives or who has inflammatory bowel disease.¹⁶ 
• ‍It Can Cause Negative Interactions With Certain Medications: Because horsetail impacts various parts of your body and affects everything from your blood pressure to your blood sugar and fluid retention, you’ll want to be extra cautious when taking it with any sort of medication, especially diuretics, blood-sugar-lowering medications, alcohol, or digoxin (a medication used to treat heart failure).  Before starting any supplement, even a natural herbal one, make sure you check with your doctor and pharmacist. 

5 Alternatives to Horsetail Herb

If you’re interested in the health benefits of horsetail but aren’t excited about the potential side effects or may not be a candidate for it, you’re in luck. Plenty of other natural solutions to lowering blood sugar and promoting overall health and well-being. Before you try any herbal or natural remedy for lowering blood sugar or addressing another health condition, check with a healthcare provider. Here are a few alternatives to horsetail: 

• Cinnamon: The spice you sprinkle over oatmeal and add to Snickerdoodle cookies has well-studied blood sugar-lowering effects. In one study of healthy adults, eating three to six grams of cinnamon a day lowered post-meal blood sugars compared to no cinnamon or just one gram of cinnamon per day. Known for its ability to help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce inflammation, cinnamon is a versatile spice with numerous health benefits.¹⁷‍
  • While it seems to lower blood sugar in healthy people, it’s also effective for those with higher than normal blood sugars. A review of cinnamon’s effect on blood sugar in people with diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) found that supplementing with cinnamon lowers fasting glucose levels, insulin resistance, and hgbA1C.¹⁸‍
• Chromium: This trace mineral can support healthy blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity by enhancing the effect of insulin on target cells and tissues. A review of 28 randomized controlled trials on chromium and diabetes was assessed, and researchers found that chromium supplementation resulted in a significant reduction in fasting glucose levels, insulin, and HgbA1C. The dose of chromium in studies resulting in lowered blood sugar levels ranges from 200 micrograms (mcg) to 1,000 mcg.^{19, 20, 21}‍

• Aloe: While you may remember it as the plant your mother or grandmother used to soothe stovetop burns, aloe vera may also help lower cholesterol and blood sugar. One small study of people with non-insulin-dependent diabetes found that taking 100 to 200 milligrams of aloe gel powder daily for three months resulted in significantly lower fasting blood glucose, post-prandial blood sugars, lower total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-cholesterol with a significant increase in HDL-cholesterol compared to the group who took the placebo.²² ‍
• Bitter Melon: Often used in traditional medicine for its antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects, bitter melon has properties that help regulate blood sugar levels and support metabolic health.²³‍
  • In a small, 12-week trial, participants with pre-diabetes were given an oral glucose tolerance test, then given 2.4 grams of a bitter melon extract supplement per day for 12 weeks and tested again. Those who received the bitter melon extract had a significant reduction in their glucose levels following a second oral glucose tolerance test. Researchers attribute this improvement in blood sugars to bitter melon’s ability to suppress glucagon, a hormone that increases blood sugar.²‍
• ‍Bilberry: Rich in antioxidants, especially anthocyanins, which give the berries a deep hue, bilberry is best known for its impact on eye health. The berries and leaves may help lower blood sugar. Animal studies have found that anthocyanins stimulate insulin secretion, and glucose levels have been reduced with various amounts of bilberry leaf extracts.²⁴‍
  • A small human trial found that enriching the diets of people with metabolic syndrome with bilberries resulted in better glycemic control than those whose diets were supplemented with low-anthocyanin fruits like strawberries and raspberries.²⁵

Learn More About How to Improve Blood Sugar Health With Signos’ Expert Advice

While no shortage of herbs and spices may lower blood sugar, you can’t underestimate the importance of a healthy diet, exercise, and choosing the proper medications to manage your diabetes. By helping you understand how your diet, movement, and lifestyle choices impact your blood sugars (in real time!), Signos supports healthy blood sugars and weight loss. 

You can learn more about glucose and why it’s important for your overall health and weight management on Signos’ blog. Then, take our quick, free quiz to see if Signos is a good fit for you and your wellness goals! 

<div class="pro-tip"><strong>Learn More: </strong><a href=/herbs-and-spices-that-can-help-you-lose-weight>10 Herbs and Spices That Can Help You Lose Weight</a>.</div>