What's the Recommended Dosage for Granule Herbs?

We're often asked about the recommended dosage for our herbs. There are a number of factors that can increase or decrease the recommended dosage, so it's not possible for us to give a "one size fits all" recommendation. However, there are general guidelines that we can share.

Treasure of the East herbal extracts are five times more concentrated than traditional bulk herbs, and raw herb dosages can be reduced by a factor of 5 for granule herbs. Generally, the recommended dosage for an adult is 9 grams per day, which is equivalent to 45 grams of raw herbs. Under the supervision of a licensed healthcare practitioner, the dosage can be significantly higher. With limited supervision, we recommend reducing the dosage to 6 grams a day or, depending on the situation, to as little as 3 grams per day. 

For the typical practitioner-supervised daily dosage of 9 grams, we recommend splitting the dosage into two or three servings per day.  If taken twice a day, each serving size is 4.5 grams.  If taken three times a day, each serving should be 3 grams.

If the formula contains more than 15 single herbs, the dosage should be increased to 15 grams per day, or 5 grams per serving, three times per day. 

For the convenience of your patients, we provide a small measuring spoon with every bottle of herbs at no cost (you can also request no spoons).  Each small measuring spoon is equivalent to a 1/2 teaspoon and holds 1.5 grams of granule herbs.  For a serving of 3 grams, use two level spoonfuls of our small spoons. For a serving of 4.5 grams, use three level spoonfuls.  

Weight and age also affect dosage, and you can use the following table to identify the suggested dosage for patients based on age and weight:  

Age	Weight	% Dosage	Typical Formula Serving (3x per day)	15+ Ingredients Formula Serving (3x per day)
1-2	30-40 lbs	20-27%	0.6 - 0.8 grams	1.0 - 1.4 grams
2-4	40-50 lbs	27-33%	0.8 - 1 grams	1.4 - 1.7 grams
4-6	50-60 lbs	33-40%	1.0 - 1.2 grams	1.7 - 2.0 grams
6-9	60-70 lbs	40-47%	1.2 - 1.4 grams	2.0 - 2.4 grams
9-14	70-80 lbs	47-53%	1.4 - 1.6 grams	2.4 - 2.7 grams
14-18	80-100 lbs	53-67%	1.6 - 2.0 grams	2.7 - 3.4 grams
18+	100-120 lbs	67-80%	2.0 - 2.4 grams	3.4 - 4.0 grams
18+	120-150 lbs	80-100%	2.4 - 3.0 grams	4.0 - 5.0 grams
18+	150-200 lbs	100-130%	3.0 - 4.0 grams	5.0 - 6.5 grams
18+	200-250 lbs	130-167%	4.0 - 5.0 grams	6.5 - 8.4 grams
18+	250+ lbs	167-200%	5.0 - 6.0 grams	8.4 - 10.0 grams

We recommend taking granules dissolved in water for the best efficacy to address acute and/or severe conditions.  For maintenance purposes and for patients who have trouble with compliance, we recommend the ease of capsules.  Capsules have better absorption and efficacy compared to tablets and tea pills, however, capsules have a milder effect compared to granules mixed in hot water to produce a decoction. Each capsule from Treasure of the East contains half a gram, and the recommended dosage for encapsulated formulas is 4-6 capsules per serving.

Please note that the following herbs should not be consumed in large doses or over long intervals: Bai Fu Zi, Ban Xia, Cao Wao, Chuan Wu, Qian Niu Zi, Nian Xing, Tian Xian Mao, Shan Ci Gu, Wu Zhu Yu, and Xing Ren. Stay tuned for another article with more information on precautions for each of these herbs.

Questions? Contact us or schedule a consultation with Dr. Wang. We welcome your ideas for future articles!