With the popularity of our Megadose Pine Pollen (the idea of taking 3 tablespoons of a powder, when a normal “regular” dose is just ½ to 1 teaspoon per day), we’re sometimes asked “can I megadose other herbs? What about megadosing medicinal mushrooms?”
Yes, you can megadose some other herbs. But no, there are some herbs you shouldn’t megadose.
For instance, a few years back we talked about megadosing He Shou Wu in the article Megadosing He Shou Wu
Megadosing medicinal mushrooms would be a great idea if you need to greatly restore immune system function, where they really shine. Before I talk about some other specifics, there are a few general things you should know.
Our recommended dosages are just that: recommendations. Some people will go with less than the recommended amount. Some people will go with more.
Some people have taken 8 squirts of Pine Pollen Tincture per day. A bit excessive in my mind, but I’ve heard positive reports from doing so. On the flip side, several women have reported using one to three drops of Pine Pollen Tincture for phenomenal results too.
There is relatively little science looking at the effects of herbs. The science has not really extended far enough to find an optimal dose. (And even if they did, it would vary from person to person anyway.) That’s all to say you don’t need to be super exact with dose, and that’s a good thing.
You can read a lot more about the lack of science, and the art of dosage in the article Dosage With Herbs.
Another important point is that MORE is not always better.
In fact, more of an herb can sometimes bring about the opposite effects as you want to occur. Not always, but sometimes the bell-shaped curve will get you.
So, for instance, a customer recently asked me if they could megadose Albizia or Bacopa to which I answered I just don’t know. There is no research on the subject. I have not personally done it. And I am not aware of anyone else’s experience in doing it.
Therefore, here’s what I would recommend if you want to try it out.
One option is to just go for it. Take five times the upper end of the recommended dose. Notice what happens. This can be a great way to really feel the effects. But, as stated earlier, it could also bring about the opposite effects of what you’d like.
(In the article Feeling the Effects of Herbs I mention that either way, this is a great way to gain knowledge and wisdom about the herb too.) None of our herbs are so strong or potent that doing so is really dangerous. We’re not dealing with Foxglove here.
Still, to be more cautious you have the second option. And that is to ratchet up from a normal dose to a megadose over time.
Start with a regular dose and then add another half-dose on top of that. Next time a double dose. Then a two and a half times dose. Then a three times dose…and so on. Again, pay attention to the beneficial effects this brings, as well as any negative effects that occur.
And then please come back to this page and comment below on your experiences.
On that note, anyone that has experimented with megadosing any herbs (besides Pine Pollen) please feel free to share your results below. By doing so we can at least hear a number of different people’s experiences and hopefully learn what works and what doesn’t.
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Personally, I find it more effective (and safer) to use kinesiology (muscle testing) to let my body tell me what is the optimal dose. Going back and re-testing on a periodic basis also helps me regulate the dosage over time, whether it is because by system has become adapted to the herb (in which case I increase my intake) or because I no longer need as much.
The only bad reaction to mega-dosing that I’ve ever had was from excessive pine needle tea consumption. Your tooth enamel is not amused with that much Vitamin C. But I don’t usually mega dose anyway; I prefer more conservative dosages, but greater variety of sources.