Vein Health and Circulatory Conditions

By Bonnie Jenkins, Advanced Natural Medicine

When I was nine, my Aunt Ruth died suddenly after having her veins “stripped.” In those days, this was the only treatment for varicose veins and, as our whole family sadly learned, it was a very dangerous procedure.

Medical science has refined their treatment methods since then. Although surgical stripping is still performed, most doctors now recommend using either lasers to remove varicose veins or sclerotherapy – a process where the veins are injected with a hardening solution which irritates the lining of the vein. In response, the vein collapses and is reabsorbed. While these methods aren’t as radical, they can still be risky.

On the Ropes

Varicose veins frequently run in families and are, unfortunately, more common in women. These bulging, purple, snake-like ropes occur when the valves in veins become weak or ineffective. Unable to keep blood flowing in one direction toward the heart, faulty valves allow blood to spill back into the vein and make them bulge.

Superficial varicose veins are more of an annoyance than anything else. But varicosities that run deeper may cause dangerous blood clots, heart attack or stroke. Even without complications, varicose veins can produce an exhaustingly heavy feeling in your legs, especially when you’ve been standing for a while. And many women experience frequent pain and swelling.

Non-surgical options are far and few between – at least according to conventional wisdom. The most doctors can offer – short of removing the veins – are special support stockings. Not only are these stockings expensive and uncomfortable, they’re not terribly attractive.

But, according to herbalists, a couple of botanical remedies can effectively treat varicose veins – with a much better safety record than that provided by modern medicine.

Getting a Leg Up

One popular botanical for varicose veins is horse chestnut, which was first used in 19th-century France as a treatment for hemorrhoids. It seems that the large seeds from the tree contain chemicals that reduce fluid leakage from vessel walls.

In one review of 13 clinical trials involving more than 1,000 patients, horse chestnut seed extract (HCSE) was better than a placebo in treating varicose veins and other types of venous insufficiency. HCSE’s active ingredient, a triterpene saponin called escin, inhibits enzymes that corrode a vein’s support structure and cause it to leak. It’s so effective that another study found that capillary leakage was reduced by 22 percent. The extract also tones veins and improves blood flow by increasing elasticity in the vein walls.

So how does HCSE measure up when compared to those awful support stockings? German researchers set out to find the answer when they divided 240 patients with chronic venous insufficiency into three groups – one that took an HCSE supplement containing 50 mg. of escin twice a day, another that received a placebo, and the third which only wore compression stockings. After 12 weeks, the HCSE group and those wearing the stockings showed nearly identical results, leading the researchers to conclude that HCSE works just as well as support stockings for reducing swelling.

Most herbalists generally recommend taking 300 mg. of a standardized extract (containing 50 mg. of escin) twice a day. You can also opt for a topical HCSE cream. But research on these formulations is still preliminary – so taking the supplements may be your best bet.

Sweep Away Varicose Veins

Another herb that can effectively treat varicose veins is butchers broom. Now, Europeans have known about this old folk remedy for years. But Americans are just beginning to catch on to this herb’s remarkable ability to support healthy veins.

The vein-narrowing qualities of butcher's broom have been found to actually relieve the discomforts of varicose veins and other circulatory conditions like chronic venous insufficiency. Not only does leg pain (resulting from insufficient circulation in the lower limbs) respond well to treatment with butcher's broom, but it also eases swelling, numbness, cramping, and that “heavy leg” sensation.

One study looked at 40 patients with chronic venous insufficiency in their lower limbs. Researchers reported that those who took butcher's broom for two months had an improvement in their symptoms. But those who took a placebo reported no improvement at all. Larger studies have found similar results.

The standard dose is 150 mg. three times a day. For better results, try taking butcher's broom along with vitamin C to boost its effectiveness; several studies have shown that the combination increases the herb's potency.

One Last Thing ..

Your strategy in battling varicosity naturally is twofold: improving the circulation and strengthening the vein walls so that they stop swelling, leaking and rupturing. Along with taking HCSE and butchers broom, there are a couple of simple things you can try to ease the discomfort. The first is to simply counteract gravity. Standing or sitting all day makes it harder for blood to move up from the legs and back to the heart, since your muscles are static. So when you're at home, put your feet up, making sure that your legs are higher than your head, for 10 minutes every day. This way, you're allowing gravity to help return blood to the heart.

Regular walking and gentle stretching exercises strengthen the muscles around the veins and get the blood circulating more quickly, lessening the pain and discomfort. But choose your exercise carefully. Jogging and other higher-impact exercises (like step aerobics) put too much pressure on the already overtaxed leg veins. If walking isn’t an option, swimming and bicycling are good alternatives.

Before you opt to undergo an invasive procedure to treat your varicose veins, give these alternatives a try. You may just find that those unsightly veins are a thing of the past.

This Just In ...

Want to add a little spice to your health? You just might if you’re diabetic or suffer from high cholesterol.

According to a new study by the USDA’s Human Nutrition Research Center, cinnamon can lower blood sugar, triglycerides and cholesterol. Better yet, it improves insulin function – especially in type 2 diabetics.

Among the 30 patients who took 1,000 to 6,000 mg. of cinnamon extract for 40 days, average glucose levels fell 18 to 29 percent, triglycerides were reduced 25 to 30 percent, and total cholesterol dropped 12 to 26 percent. Those are truly astounding numbers!

But here’s the best part – the scientists say that consuming as little as half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day appeared to provide benefits that, in some cases, are nearly as dramatic as those produced by statin drugs. And, might I mention, it’s a whole lot safer!

Bet this is one study the pharmaceutical industry hopes doesn’t get a lot of press.

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References:

“Cinnamon May Have Medicinal Use: Study.” HealthScout. 29 Jan 2004.

Diehm C, et al. “Comparison of leg compression stocking and oral horse-chestnut seed extract therapy in patients with chronic venous insufficiency.” Lancet. 1996;347:292-294.

Lucker P, et al. “Efficacy and safety of ruscus extract compared to placebo in patients suffering from chronic venous insufficiency.” Phytomedicine. 2000;7:155.

Pittler MH, Ernst E. “Horse chestnut seed extract for chronic venous insufficiency.” The Cochrane Library. 2004;1.