Dosing Guidelines

Each person is unique and must be dosed individually.

Age-To-Dose Dosing Guidelines

Weight-To-Dose Dosing Guidelines

Veterinary Dosing Guidelines

The standard dose of herbal extracts for an average adult is 6 grams per day, usually divided into two or more doses through the day. Take the herbs on an empty stomach 1 hour before meals or 2 hours after meals. Heat clearing and purgative herbs can be taken with meals should they upset the stomach. Take the herbs at least 2 hours apart from a prescription medication or other supplements. Serve with warm water. (If taking granules, dissolve the granules in warm water and drink like tea. Granules do not dissolve well and may clump up in cold or hot water.) Do not take herbs with juice, coffee, tea, or anything else as they may alter the property of the herbs. Take herbs only with warm water.

In treating acute or severe cases, the dosage of some herbal formulas may be increased up to 20 grams per day for a few days. Since not everyone is an “average adult,” the fundamental concept in dosing is to realize that one size does not fit all. Every person is unique and must be treated individually. When in doubt, start with a lower dose and slowly increase the dosage until the desired effect is achieved.

The following charts provide herbal practitioners with a handy reference for calculating dosages for those patients who fall outside the definition of an ‘average adult.’ However, it is still important to keep in mind that these charts serve only as a guideline--not an absolute rule. One must always remember to treat each patient as a unique individual, not as an 'average case' or a chart!

Recommendation for better compliance in your pediatric patients: Mix some honey into the herbal tea and have them drink it with a straw so they do not taste the herbs.