Burdock Root

By: Griffin McKenzie  
Entrepreneur, Health Coach, and Blogger 

@griffinmckenzie
www.griffinmckenzie.com

Burdock root has recently become a hot topic in the functional medicine community, but it’s been used in holistic medicine for centuries! An ingredient in our KidneyIQ, Burdock Root is best known for its ability to detox your blood, lymphatic system, and skin!

But before we dive too deep, let’s back up and talk first about the importance of supporting your kidneys and detoxification systems! The kidneys store electrolytes, minerals, and salts, and eliminate waste from the blood through urine. If the kidneys begin to function poorly, you may notice muscle cramps, overall lethargy, and a loss of appetite. Burdock root is just one of many ingredients in our KidneyIQ, but it is a powerful component.

Burdock root contains phenolic acids, quercetin, and luteolin, which are vibrant antioxidants. It has strong anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects and has been made into a tea for centuries as a “blood purifier” or way of detoxing your body from heavy metals (1). But, Burdock root isn’t just a detoxifier. One study, which examined the effect of Burdock root tea on inflammatory markers and oxidative stress in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) showed that the tea significantly improved these measures in the patients involved in the study (2).

A different study conducted on rats showed the plant’s ability to be useful in weight management because it stimulates AMP-activated protein kinase (3). Additionally, Burdock root contains the prebiotic fiber inulin, which improves digestion and lowers blood sugar, further defending against diabetes and promoting a healthy weight (1).

Each ingredient in KidneyIQ brings unique abilities to the supplement, but the best part is that you get so many additional benefits from each small element of the formula that promote overall health and vitality!

References:

  1. https://draxe.com/burdock-root/

  2. Maghsoumi-Norouzabad, L., Alipoor, B., Abed, R., Eftekhar Sadat, B., Mesgari-Abbasi, M., & Asghari Jafarabadi, M. (2016). Effects of Arctium lappa L. (Burdock) root tea on inflammatory status and oxidative stress in patients with knee osteoarthritis. International Journal Of Rheumatic Diseases, 19(3), 255-261. doi:10.1111/1756-185X.12477

  3. Kuo, D., Hung, M., Hung, C., Liu, L., Chen, F., Shieh, P., & … Way, T. (2012). Body weight management effect of burdock (Arctium lappa L.) root is associated with the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase in human HepG2 cells. Food Chemistry, 1341320-1326. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.03.023