Arjuna for cholesterol: the one study
- Who: 105 Indian patients with heart disease, split into 3 groups of 35.
- What: one group got a dummy capsule. One got vitamin E. One got 500 mg of arjuna bark powder a day in a capsule.
- Result after 30 days: in the arjuna group, total cholesterol fell about 10%, and bad cholesterol (LDL) fell about 16%.
- Where: Journal of the Association of Physicians of India, 2001.
That is a good result for arjuna for cholesterol in one month. But look at the size: 35 people in the arjuna group. And it is one study, 25 years old.
Arjuna for cholesterol: hype or help? Our verdict
Claim you will see | What the proof says |
|---|---|
"Arjuna cures heart disease" | No. No study shows this. |
"Arjuna lowers cholesterol" | One small Indian study says yes, by about 16% for bad cholesterol. We did not find a big review of many trials. |
"Arjuna replaces your tablets" | No. No study tested it as a replacement for medicine. |
"Arjuna is a heart tonic in Ayurveda" | Yes. The old books call it hridya, a heart tonic. |
Plain meaning: arjuna is a reasonable add-on, with your doctor's okay. It is not a cure, and it is not yet proven the way isabgol or amla are. (Read: isabgol for cholesterol and amla for cholesterol.)
Arjuna bark benefits in the old books
- A heart tonic. Ayurveda classes arjuna as hridya, a herb for the heart. Old texts use it for hridroga, heart disease.
- Its nature: astringent taste (kashaya, like the taste of raw banana), light and dry, cooling, and pungent after digestion.
- In all three great books: Charaka lists it in his astringent group. Sushruta and Vagbhata list it in their herb groups too.
- How it is taken: a common way is bark powder boiled in milk, called arjun chaal doodh.
Honest note: the old books praise arjuna for the heart. They do not use the word cholesterol, which is modern. The cholesterol claim rests on the one study above.
How to take arjuna powder for cholesterol
- Ask first. If you take heart medicine, BP medicine or a blood thinner, ask your doctor before starting. See the safety list below.
- The study dose: 500 mg of bark powder a day, in a capsule. Herbal references give 1 to 6 grams of dried bark a day as a usual range.
- The milk way: simmer about a teaspoon of arjun chaal powder in a cup of milk for 5 to 7 minutes, strain, drink warm. No sugar. (This is a common home recipe; the study used capsules.)
- Start low. Begin at the lower end for a week, and see how your stomach takes it.
- Not forever. Herbal references say long-term safety is not studied, and suggest not more than 3 months at a time without advice.
- Test, don't guess. Get a cholesterol test before, and again after 3 months.
Arjuna side effects and who should not take it
- Side effects seen: headache, constipation and stomach irritation in some people.
- Do not take if pregnant. Traditionally not given in pregnancy. Avoid while breastfeeding too, unless a doctor says otherwise.
- Do not take if you have constipation. Herbal references advise against it.
- Blood thinners: there may be an interaction with medicines like warfarin. Ask your doctor.
- Other medicines: arjuna may affect how the liver handles some medicines. If you take regular tablets, ask.
Arjuna for cholesterol: the short version
Question | Answer |
|---|---|
Does it work? | One Indian study: bad cholesterol down 16% in 30 days. Not yet proven by many trials |
Old books? | Yes, a heart tonic (hridya). Cooling, astringent, light |
Dose? | Study: 500 mg a day. References: 1 to 6 g bark a day |
How? | Capsule, or bark powder boiled in milk. No sugar |
How long? | Up to 3 months, then review. Test before and after |
Who should not? | Pregnant, constipated, on blood thinners (ask first) |
Thinking about arjuna for cholesterol? Start with daily support. Ayuvya Cholest Pro Juice is made for people who want healthy cholesterol levels, and we also offer it with Arjuna capsules. Take it with the food changes in this series and your doctor's advice.
Read next:
- Amla for cholesterol: what the Indian study found
- Isabgol for cholesterol
- High cholesterol symptoms: why you feel fine but have it
This article is for general information only. It is not medical advice. Arjuna does not replace heart or cholesterol medicine. If you have heart disease, take any medicine, are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask your doctor before taking arjuna. Do not stop or change any medicine because of this article.
Sources
- Arjuna bark powder in 105 heart patients: randomised placebo-controlled trial. Journal of the Association of Physicians of India, 2001
- Shri Dhanwantry Ayurvedic College: Arjuna, classical properties and references (Charaka, Sushruta, Vagbhata; hridroga)
- Herbal Reality: Arjuna, safety, cautions and dose
