Horse Chestnut for Varicose Veins

Varicose veins run strongly in my family-- all the women in my family have at least a few of them by the time we're in our mid-twenties. Since these veins are both unsightly and uncomfortable, I try to take steps to minimize my risk of experiencing them, and to control the varicose veins I already have. Horse chestnut, a botanical medicine derived from the tree aesculus hippocastanum, is one of the safest and most effective methods of preventing and treating varicose veins. If you're interested in using horse chestnut for this purpose, here are some points to consider.

Horse Chestnut is "Likely Effective" for Varicose Veins

Medline Plus, a service of the National Institutes of Health, considers horse chestnut to be "likely effective" in the treatment of varicose veins. While this may sound like a less-than-confident conclusion, it's actually extremely rare for the NIH-- which focuses strongly on evidence-based medicine-- to give any supplement this rare mark of efficacy. Many, many studies are needed before the NIH will grant anything approaching a mark of approval for a botanical medicine. Every well-designed study to date has demonstrated that horse chestnut relieves symptoms of varicose veins, but a few more are needed for the evidence to be considered positively conclusive.

Horse Chestnut is Safe-- When Prepared Properly

Raw horse chestnut is extremely poisonous because it contains large amounts of a toxic compound known as esculin. For this reason, it is considered unsafe to use horse chestnut products harvested directly from a tree without careful preparation. However, all horse chestnut supplements sold in the United States have had esculin removed, so they don't pose a threat to human health. Studies have found that esculin-free horse chestnut supplements have side effects comparable to placebo and are safe for healthy adults using the product to treat varicose veins.

Special Precautions

Despite its general safety, horse chestnut may be inappropriate for some people with varicose veins. For example, its effects on pregnancy and lactation have never been sufficiently investigated, so it's not known if it could harm a fetus or breastfed newborn. The NIH also advises people with digestive disease, liver disease, and kidney disease avoid using horse chestnut for varicose veins. Although horse chestnut can theoretically cause problems in people who are allergic to latex, I've never experienced this side effect. Nevertheless, it's best to err on the side of caution if you've ever had an allergic reaction to latex.

Horse chestnut is essentially safe and beneficial for the treatment of varicose veins, as well as related conditions like spider veins, hemorrhoids, and swelling of the legs. Nevertheless, it is prudent to consult your health care provider before taking any over-the-counter product, including botanical medicines. Your primary care provider can help you determine if horse chestnut is a viable treatment option for you.