Did you know…?
Sarsaparilla has long been used as a
blood purifier and tonic that boosts stamina
and energy. Although there is no definitive
evidence, many body-builders strongly
maintain that Sarsaparilla (or Smilax) helps
to build
Muscle mass, while avoiding the harmful
side effects of anabolic steroids.
Sarsaparilla is considered a fine tonic
herb, an antibacterial and
anti-inflammatory, and the herb may even act
as an aphrodisiac
Facts:
Sarsaparilla contains vitamins A,
B-complex, C and D. Also the minerals iron,
manganese, sodium, silicon, sulfur, copper,
Zinc, and iodine. It contains the amino
acids methionine and cysteine.
It also contains diogenin, a saprogen
which in turn contains the female hormone
progesterone and the male hormone
testosterone. Sarsaparilla helps strengthen
the nerve fibers and tissues of the brain,
spinal cord, lungs, and throat. Sarsaparilla
is especially good for removing heavy
metallic contaminants from the blood, which
are received through the nostrils in the
foul, smog-filled air of urban areas.
Sarsaparilla root, which contains
testosterone, will help hair regrow.
History:
Sarsaparilla is a woody, perennial,
climbing vine, native to the rain forests of
Central and South America, Jamaica and
Caribbean regions, and also grows in other
temperate zones such as Southeast Asia and
Australia. The root is long and tuberous and
supports a ground-trailing evergreen vine
that may reach fifty feet in length, and the
fragrance of the root (which has been used
for centuries in herbal medicine) is
spicy-sweet and it has a pleasant taste. Its
name is derived from two Spanish words,
sarza, meaning "bramble" and parilla,
meaning "vine."
Conditions:
Sarsaparilla is considered to be a fine
tonic and blood purifier that is said to
attack and neutralize toxins (including
environmental poisons) in the blood. In
addition, the herb also promotes urination
and sweating; and that action is believed to
further rid the body of toxins through
bodily secretions. It also helps to cool the
body and break intermittent fevers.
As an antibacterial, Sarsaparilla has
been used internally and externally to
counteract infections of all kinds.
Internally, the herb is said to attack
microbial substances in the blood and also
counteract
Urinary Tract Infections. It was used
for centuries as a treatment for syphilis,
gonorrhea, and other sexually transmitted
diseases, being officially listed in both
the United States Pharmacopoeia and the
United States Dispensatory for those
ailments. Externally, it is said to treat
psoriasis, leprosy, boils, abscesses, skin
diseases, wounds and
Eczema. Conventional medicine recognized
Sarsaparilla's value in treating skin
conditions in the 1940s, when The New
England Journal of Medicine officially
praised it for treating psoriasis.
Sarsaparilla is an anti-inflammatory that
is believed to ease rheumatism,
Arthritis and other inflammatory
conditions. Because of its diuretic
properties, the stimulation of urine
production increases the excretion of uric
Acid, which also helps to relieve
Gout; and although it does not relieve
acute cases of
Gout, its use may prevent attacks when
taken over a period of weeks or months.
There is much mystique and controversy
surrounding Sarsaparilla's hormonal
properties in both men and women. In men,
the herb is said to stimulate production of
natural hormones (testosterone), which may
help to restore both sexual interest and
erectile function.
Bodybuilders claim that the natural
steroidal glycosides in Sarsaparilla help to
build
Muscle mass, while avoiding the harmful
side effects of anabolic steroids, although
there are no clinical results to prove this.
Additionally, they maintain that use of the
herb boosts energy and stamina, and eases
the inflammatory conditions brought about by
strenuous exercise.
Sarsaparilla is said to be a fine tonic
and "alterative," an agent that may
favourably alter an unhealthy condition of
the body with the tendency to restore normal
bodily function. The herb is also thought to
help keep the glandular system in balance.
In women, hormonal production is also
said to be encouraged, which may not only
boost diminished sex drive, but may also
help to alleviate the symptoms of menopause
Sarsaparilla has been used in Chinese
medicine for centuries for all of the above
reasons.
