Is it okay to take Chinese medicine after meals?

The side effects of traditional Chinese medicine are less than those of western medicine. Therefore, many people now prefer to drink bitter traditional Chinese medicine to treat diseases. If you want to maximize the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine, in addition to paying attention to decoction, you must also pay attention to the time of taking the medicine. In fact, the best time to take traditional Chinese medicine cannot be generalized. However, people are confused about the time to take Chinese medicine. So, should Chinese medicine be taken before or after meals? Now let’s follow the editor to find out.

Take on an empty stomach

Also known as taking medicine at dawn, it means taking the medicine in the morning before eating. Decoctions with tonic effects should be taken on an empty stomach in the morning to facilitate full absorption. Drugs used to deworm or treat limb blood vessel diseases should also be taken on an empty stomach, so that the drugs can enter the intestines quickly and maintain a high concentration to quickly exert their effects. The same is true for decoctions with laxative effects to enhance the efficacy.

Take before meals

Generally, take the medicine 30 to 60 minutes before meals. If the disease is located in the lower part of the body, the medicine should be taken before meals so that the medicinal properties can be easily delivered to the lower part of the body, such as liver and kidney deficiency or diseases below the waist. For the treatment of intestinal diseases, it is also advisable to take medicine before meals. Because, when the stomach is empty, the drug solution can directly contact the gastrointestinal mucosa and pass through the stomach into the intestine more quickly, so that more of it can be absorbed and take effect, without being diluted by food in the stomach and affecting its efficacy.

Take after meal

Generally, take the medicine 15 to 30 minutes after a meal. If the disease is located in the upper part of the body, the medicine should be taken after meals. If you are treating diseases related to the heart, lungs, chest, diaphragm, or stomach, you should take the medicine after meals to allow the medicinal properties to move upward. Taking drugs that are irritating to the gastrointestinal tract after meals can reduce damage to the gastrointestinal mucosa.

Take before bed

It is usually taken 15 to 30 minutes before bedtime. Drugs that nourish the heart and spleen, calm the mind, and induce sleep can be taken at this time. In addition, some western medicines such as hypnotics, anthelmintics and anti-allergic drugs should generally be taken half an hour before going to bed at night.

Through the above understanding, we can know that the time for drinking Chinese medicine can be divided into or more, and everyone should decide according to their own situation. The editor recommends that you take Chinese medicine before or after meals. Different diseases and different medicines have different taking times, and it cannot be generalized. You must take the medicine under the guidance of a doctor.