Despite its atypical name, devil’s claw is a plant with great benefits and properties.
Coming from South America, it owes its name to the shape of its fruit, whose hooked ramifications seem to mimic claws, and is consumed in the form of a concentrated extract, capsules or powders (it is also found in some varieties of tea). But what is its use indicated for?
This plant has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, making it suitable for treating fever, arthritis, pain, indigestion problems, and even cares for and protects our cells from free radicals. Another example of diseases that it helps to alleviate would be gout, in addition to being indicated for weight loss.
Even so, not everything is positive, as it can lead to side effects. Therefore, we offer you the definitive guide to the devil’s claw so that you can take advantage of its benefits effectively.
5 properties of devil’s claw
1. Reduces inflammation
When something strange or unusual happens in our body, the immune system reacts to it to fix it. Inflammation is one of those responses, which appears, for example, when we have an infection, we have hit ourselves at some point or we have a fever.
That inflammation occurs is, therefore, a sign that everything is working properly, as long as it is not chronic, in which case it can be dangerous.
Cases such as arthritis and gout are directly related to this problem (we will go into more detail later), and the iridoid glycoside component (anti-inflammatory and antioxidant) of devil’s claw make it an alternative treatment for inflammation . The only but is that this beneficial effect has not yet been studied in depth in humans, but the answer is positive in animals and test tube experiments.
2. Improves the symptoms of osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis . This basically causes the cartilage to wear out, so the protection that each bone has at its ends is diminished, leading to friction between one and the other. This obviously causes pain, as well as swelling and stiffness.
Despite the scarcity of clinical studies demonstrating the soothing properties of devil’s claw in this context, one of the studies already conducted found that among the 122 participants with osteoarthritis in the knee and hip. taking a daily dose of up to 2,610 mg of this plant relieved pain to the same extent as diacerein, a drug commonly used for this purpose.
3. Softens the symptoms of gout
If devil’s claw is used as an anti-inflammatory remedy for arthritis, its use with respect to gout is the same, also because it reduces uric acid levels (the culprit in gout attacks in those who suffer from it). Redness and swelling are characteristic of this disease, with pain concentrated in the toes, ankles, or knees.
The soothing properties of devil’s claw also help in this case, which is why it has been proposed as an alternative treatment to conventional medication. Even so, again the studies are scarce, as there are not yet any that have specifically focused on gout.
4. Relieves back pain
In the devil’s claw we find an active chemical called harpagoside , to which it owes its medicinal properties against pain and inflammation. For this reason, this plant is recommended for those who suffer from back pain, for which it is especially indicated.
In a study it was observed that the extract of this chemical was as effective as one of the anti-inflammatory drugs used in these cases, reducing back pain by an average of 23% after 6 weeks compared to 26% of the drug.
It is also stated in other studies that taking harpagoside daily in a dose of between 50 and 100 grams is more effective in reducing back pain than not carrying out any treatment, but more research is necessary to confirm these results in a resounding way.
5. Helps to lose weight
Another benefit of devil’s claw is the help it exerts in weight loss due to its interaction with the hunger hormone (ghrelin), which sends signals to the brain from the stomach indicating that it is time to eat.
The studies that support this fact were carried out with animals. In these, the mice that had ingested plant root powder ate less in the following hours than those that had been given a placebo. However, the study of these properties in humans is still non-existent.
Devil’s claw side effects
Despite its properties, devil’s claw may have contraindications . In principle, a daily intake that does not exceed 2,610 mg should not have negative effects but, although the most common are mild (such as diarrhea, allergies or headaches), this can be aggravated when the person who does it consume has any health problem, as it can affect the heart rate, reduce sugar levels in diabetics or cause stomach ulcers, among others.
On the other hand, those who take medications regularly should take into account that devil’s claw can produce a negative reaction when interacting with them. This could happen, for example, with anti-inflammatories, stomach acid reducers and anticoagulants, although the list is not closed.
Although for most people these risks are low, those with special conditions should always consult their doctor before adding any supplement to their diet or medication.
Recommended intake of devil’s claw
To talk about recommended amounts of devil’s claw we must take into account what was said in the previous section: it should not be used without medical advice in people with any special health situation or if they are taking medications. But, from there, it appears to be safe for the general consumer at a dose of up to 2,610 mg per day.
When buying it, the concentration of harpagoside is the most important, this being the main asset in the properties of the plant.
Conclusions.
Although devil’s claw has beneficial properties that relieve pain and inflammation problems in diseases such as arthritis or gout, it has not been officially recommended for treating them.
The amount of existing studies in this regard is insufficient to confirm its effects in humans, both positive and negative, so it is necessary to use it with caution and follow the advice of a doctor in its use, especially if we have any health problems or we take medication.
References
- Meixner, M. Devil’s Claw: Benefits, Side Effects and Dosage. In Healthline [reviewed October 2018]
