Do you know how to properly dose herb tinctures?

I would like to share with you some of my perspectives and tips on how to figure out a dose for tinctures. I also will share with you 3 main ways that I take tinctures.

A tincture is an extract of an herb into an alcohol solvent. The kind of alcohol that is used varies from herbalist to herbalist.

I prefer to use 100 proof vodka, which is 50% alcohol and 50% water.  

I use vodka, because it does not have much of a flavor or other components in it, which allows the herb to shine. 

I use 100 proof because it has enough alcohol content to have a strong extraction, but also enough water to tone it down. The water also extracts some water soluble constituents.

Some people use an 80 proof alcohol of their choice, anything from Brandy to Ginn to Tequila. 

Most tinctures that are sold are extracted into a combination of ethanol alcohol, that is 98% alcohol, and then diluted with an herb-specific percentage of water.

An herb extracted into rubbing alcohol and used only topically (obviously!), is called a liniment.

Tinctures are made with medicinal herbs.  In general, they are not made with nourishing food-like herbs.  Though, there are many exceptions to this rule of thumb, like most rules of thumb in herbalism! Alcohol extracts the medicinal constituents of the plants better than the nutritional constituents.

Deciding how to take a tincture depends on:

1. who is taking the tincture

2. the herb that is in it

3. the reason it is being used. 

Determine these before you start taking a tincture.

In general tincture dosing is person specific. People and herbs vary a lot , therefore, so does the effective amount of tincture. 

It is important to know how you react to things.  Usually people who are sensitive to medications and foods, can also be sensitive to herbs. Therefore they will need to take smaller doses. People who have strong constitutions and are not sensitive to food and medicine, can handle and may even need, larger doses. 

Children and elders will need to take smaller doses, as will people who are weak or in debilitated states.

It is important to know the herb you are working with and if it is dangerous to take in large amounts.

There are a few herbs that are used in modern day herbalism, as tinctures, that need to be taken in very small doses, like 1-2 drops.  Examples of these are Poke Root and Lobelia herb.  Poke root can damage the kidneys ,if taken in large amounts.  Lobelia can make you throw up, if you take too much. 

Once you have determined the herb that you are working with is safe in a range of doses, then you can have some leeway to find a dose that is right for you and your situation..

After you have considered both the herb you are ingesting and your personal sensitivity level, you must consider why you are taking the tincture.

If you are taking the tincture to curb a chronic condition, for long term healing, or as a tonic for a specific organ or body system, then you may want to take the tincture 1-3 times per day in a dose that feels comfortable to you. 

Generally small amounts taken regularly are going to be better than one large dose every once in a while.

If you are taking the tincture to curb an acute situation, then you must take the tincture when you want the effects or 20-30 minutes before you want the effects.

For example, if I am taking Echinacea root tincture, to fight an infection or cold, then I take large amounts many times a day, starting at the first signs of infection.  

Echinacea is an herb that tends to have a standard dose of 1 drop for every 2 pounds of body weight, whether you are an adult or child. That dose is taken every couple of hours until symptoms subside.  

The same goes for elderberry tincture, when fighting common flu and cold viruses.

If I am taking Motherwort herb to calm an anxiety attack, I take it in small amounts (by the druopperful) at the very moment I begin to feel the attack coming on, and continue to take it incrementally until the attack resides. 

If I am taking Valerian root tincture to help me sleep, I will take it 20-30 minutes before I am ready to lie down. If I am not getting the effect that I want when I lie down, then I will take another dose. If I still need it after another 20-30 minutes, then I take another dose, until I find a cumulative dose that works for me.

If it takes me 3 doses of Valerian to get to sleep, then the following night, I would take 2-3 doses, all at one time, 30-60 minutes before I wanted to sleep, and see how that works.  

I will keep working with it, and get to know how my body reacts to it.  In time, I may realize I need less or more depending how I feel in the moment.

You can adjust your dose, as you get to know the tincture that you are working with and how the herb effects you.  

Be observant, start small, and find what works for you.

Some well-known American herbalists work with tinctures in 3-5 drop doses aon nd some work with much larger doses.  

The standard dose on most tincture labels that are sold in stores is 30-60 drops, 3-6 times per day.  I have heard, in the UK, tincture doses historically are measured by the teaspoonful.

So, assuming the herb you are working with is safe, than working with a dose anywhere from 3 drops-1 tsp full multiple times a day, is legitimate.  

This is a huge range!  That is why it is important to know yourself, your plant, and your condition.  It is also important to be observant, start small, and find what works for you.

I prefer to work with herbs as simples, which means there is one herb per remedy.  It makes the proper person-specific dosing easier to discover, because you are only working with one herb, instead of a formula of 3 or more herbs.

If you use formulas, then the herbs in the formula need to be considered, as well as the formula as a whole.  

Most formula tinctures that are sold do not break down the formula on the label, so you can’t tell what percentage of each herb is in each dose.  

This makes the dose difficult for you to figure out for yourself. It also makes it hard to pass on any relevant information about how others may want to work with the herbs in the formula.

There are a few ways that I like to take my tinctures.

1.  I take them by the drop, directly into my mouth.

2.  I put a small amount of tincture in a shot glass, and fill the glass with water, and then drink it down.

3.  I put a day's worth of tincture in a quart jar with a tea or nourishing infusion that is compatible.  Then I carry the jar around with me and sip on it throughout the day.