Study: Lemongrass May Help Anemia Patients
Anemia is the most common blood disorder in the world. It is a condition associated with a decreased number of healthy red blood cells that carry oxygen to the body’s tissues. Aside from a feeling of fatigue and a lack of energy, other symptoms of it may include shortness of breath, chest pain, headache, paleness of skin, fast or irregular heartbeat, and light-headedness.
According to a study, drinking herbal tea can help address and manage symptoms of various ailments, including anemia.
Lemon Grass and Anemia
For the study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, researchers from the University of Uyo and the University of Calabar in Nigeria have found that lemongrass tea can assist in increasing red blood cell production, making it a great natural treatment for anemia.
For the study, 105 individuals (aged 18 to 35 years) underwent a thorough pre-survey medical screening. They were assigned randomly to one of the three groups:
Group 1 – received 2 grams of lemongrass leaf powder
Group 2 – received 4 grams of lemongrass powder
Group 3 – received 8 grams of lemongrass powder
The powder was mixed in 150 ml of hot water and was consumed by the participants once a day for 30 days.
The participants’ hematologic indices were assessed by the researchers one day before the intervention and then on the 10th and 30th day after the intervention.
At the end of the study period researchers have found that:
- Lemongrass powder is an aromatic storehouse of flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, macronutrients, and micronutrients that provides an array of health benefits.
- Consumption of lemongrass tea has significantly increased the packed cell volume (PCV), the measurement or fraction of red blood cells present in the blood.
- Lastly, the infusion of lemongrass leaf was able to increase the body’s hemoglobin and red blood cell levels.
Due to these beneficial results, the team concludes that lemongrass has potent antioxidant effects that can help boost the body’s ability to produce red blood cells, thus making it a possible treatment for anemia.
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