Is it better to take Chinese medicine before or after meals?

The theory of Chinese medicine has a history of two to three thousand years. When people are sick, in addition to taking Western medicine to relieve the condition, they also like to take Chinese medicine to regulate the body. The theory of Chinese medicine is rich and there are many requirements. In addition to the medicinal materials, the method and time of boiling, the control of the heat, etc., which affect the medicinal properties and efficacy, the time of taking is also very particular. The right time of taking can promote the efficiency of the drug being absorbed by the body. So, should Chinese medicine be taken before or after meals?

Best time to take Chinese medicine

Only by choosing the correct time to take medicine can you get the best therapeutic effect, especially for traditional Chinese medicine.

It needs to be determined based on the specific purpose of the medication. Traditional Chinese medicine calls the area below the chest and above the navel the middle burner. So for diseases below the middle burner, take medicine first and then eat, which will not affect the arrival of the medicine at that location. On the other hand, when using medicine to treat the middle burner or above, you should eat before taking the medicine. The time to take Chinese medicine should be determined according to the condition and the nature of the medicine. Most medicines should be taken after meals, especially tonic medicines (such as ginseng), stomachic medicines (such as Bupi Yichang Pills) and medicines that are more irritating to the gastrointestinal tract (such as Ganlu Xiaodu Tablets); anthelmintics (such as Wumei) and laxatives (such as Dachengqi Decoction) are better taken on an empty stomach; sedative Chinese medicines should be taken before bedtime. But whether you take the medicine before or after meals, there should be an interval of half an hour to one hour to avoid affecting the efficacy of the medicine.

Generally speaking, Chinese medicine usually needs to be taken orally three times a day. Those with mild symptoms can take it orally twice a day; those with more serious and urgent conditions can take the medicine once every 4 hours or so according to the doctor's instructions, including at night, so that the drug effect can last, which is conducive to faster relief of symptoms and alleviation of the condition.

Most Chinese medicines should be taken while warm. Diaphoretics must be taken hot to enhance their efficacy, while heat-clearing Chinese medicines are best taken after cooling.

Now we know that the best time to take different Chinese medicines and medicines for different diseases is different. Everyone should decide according to the medicinal properties of the Chinese medicine they take and the condition of the disease, follow the doctor's advice, and do not mess up the best time to take it. Only in this way can the efficacy of the Chinese medicine be better exerted to achieve the purpose of regulating the body and restoring health as soon as possible.