Reviewed by Physician Kwek Le Yin and Dr Eki Wari on January 31, 2023

Top Dang Gui Benefits For Women’s Health

Published March 1, 2023| 5 min read

Dang gui is the one herb you can take for all of your women's health needs. It helps regulate your periods, nourish your body after childbirth, ease menopause symptoms, and even keep your skin healthy. Here's how to use it.

What better way to support women’s health than by taking female ginseng?

Dang gui is known as female ginseng. It also goes by dong quai, Radix angelica sinensis, or Chinese Angelica root.

It’s commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to address women’s health issues, including menopause and irregular or painful periods. It also helps keep your skin healthy and youthful looking.

“It is an excellent herb that is able to both replenish and invigorate blood, improving blood circulation in the body.”

TCM Physician Kwek Le Yin.

Read on to learn more about using Dang Gui for women’s health.

How Does Dang Gui Support Women’s Health?

This blood-nourishing herb has had a long history of use as a female reproductive tonic.

“It is commonly used for Blood Deficiency or Blood Stasis in the body and is described to be the ‘holy medicine for replenishing blood.’ It can also nourish blood-deficient intestines and improve constipation.”

TCM Physician Kwek Le Yin

Here’s how dang gui can help restore women’s health:

1. It can help regulate your periods.

A woman sitting on her bed using a calander to track her periods — *Dang gui* helps regulate your period and reduces period cramps.

A regular menstrual cycle usually refers to menstruation occurring every 21 to 35 days, lasting for five to seven days.

When the length between two periods is less than 21 days or more than 35 days, or when the period is extended and lasts more than seven days, menstruation is considered irregular.

While this is common in older women transitioning into menopause, it may be indicative of an imbalanced body for younger women experiencing such symptoms. Irregular menstrual cycles may also be accompanied by menstrual cramps.

“Dang gui is known to be the first choice for regulating menstrual cycles, and alleviating dysmenorrhea and menopausal symptoms caused by Blood Deficiency.”

TCM Physician Kwek Le Yin

In TCM, this is part of treating Blood Stasis and Blood Deficiency, which are associated with Western diagnoses of no periods, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and endometriosis. As a blood-tonifying herb, it promotes the flow of blood and helps increase its volume.

2. It helps relieve dysmenorrhea.

Chinese herbalists consider this herb to be a uterine tonic. In vivo and in vitro animal studies have shown both its stimulating and relaxing activity on the uterine tissue.

“Dang gui is prescribed for women with dysmenorrhea that may present as a stabbing or a dull pain.”

TCM Physician Kwek Le Yin

The herb appears to contain compounds that stimulate and relax the uterus muscles.

With its anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, and analgesic effects, it can help relax muscle spasms and promote blood circulation, effectively alleviating menstrual cramps and pain during your period.

3. It helps with women’s health after childbirth.

“Dang gui can be prescribed post-pregnancy to strengthen and regulate the body after blood loss,” advises Physician Kwek.

Not only can this be used to replenish postpartum blood loss in the body, but it also helps after menstruation. The herb tonifies the blood, which is helpful to postpartum women with low vitality or qi (vital energy).

4. It helps ease menopause symptoms.

Dang gui can also help menopausal symptoms caused by Blood Deficiency or Blood Stasis, relates Physician Kwek.

“Research has also shown that dang gui can regulate estrogen levels. This can then help alleviate symptoms of menopause.“

However, since the herb can act like estrogen in the body, those who are prone to hormone-sensitive conditions such as breast cancer are advised to consult with a licensed TCM physician before use.

5. It promotes healthy skin.

Physician Kwek also states that this herb can be prescribed for the treatment of facial blemishes.

“Ancient Chinese medical texts have recorded dang gui to be a ‘female’s face medicine’. Its ability to promote blood circulation allows for a radiant complexion and the treatment of facial blemishes, such as age spots or skin pigmentation.”

TCM Physician Kwek Le Yin

How To Use Dang Gui For Women’s Health

Image of dang gui (angelica sinensis) with dang gui ginseng slice on wooden spoon — *Dang gui* can be used alone or added to other TCM ingredients to help support women’s health.

As an anti-inflammatory supplement, Angelica root extract has been shown to enhance the immune system, protect the heart, and manage anemia.

Physician Kwek recommends taking Dang Gui and Egg Herbal soup after menstruation to replenish blood loss.
Dang Gui Ginger and Lamb Soup can help with abdominal pain or postpartum weakness due to Blood Deficiency and Yang Deficiency.

“Research has shown that dang gui can help boost male fertility too. This is due to it being rich in ferulic acid, which increases sperm viability and motility. However, it’s heaty in nature and TCM believes that men should consume less of it compared to females since men have higher levels of yang energy (active energy).”

TCM Physician Kwek Le Yin

Regardless of gender, dang gui is a beneficial herb that can be used either as medicine or incorporated into your meals.

Dang gui is typically combined with other herbs and is rarely used alone.

A waist tonic essence (bu yao jing) containing six types of Chinese herbs including dang gui is great for relieving back pain, strengthening the waist, muscles, and knees, tonifying qi, and reducing fatigue.
Dang gui is one of the primary ingredients in Bak Foong pills, which are used to treat women’s health problems in TCM.