Managing Excessive Sweating: Herbs May Prove Beneficial While sweating is the body’s way of eliminating toxins and regulating its temperature, excessive sweating affects between 1 and 3 % of the population, interfering in everyday activities and often compromising the quality of life of the affected person. One of the oldest dermatologic conditions, excessive sweating is often misconceived as being untreatable. However, the reality of the situation for people living with excessive sweating is that effective treatments do exist, ranging from antiperspirants to surgery, although their efficacy will vary between cases. While some herbs and supplements should be avoided by people experiencing excessive sweating, including ginseng and ephedra, as they can increase body heat and lead to more sweating, some herbs may prove beneficial for people suffering from excessive sweating. Herbs like sage and belladonna, for example, may offer potential benefits for dealing with excessive sweating when used as part of a treatment plan recommended by a health practitioner. It is always necessary that serious causes of excessive sweating are ruled out before using herbs for excessive sweating. Excessive Sweating: Herbs to Consider: Tea Tree Oil: A cinnamon-scented, yellowish-green extract from leaves of the melaleuca tree, native to Austraila, tea tree oil is a popular herbal remedy for a variety of cosmetic and health issues. Tea tree oil is mildly antiseptic and deodorizing, and can be applied directly to the sweaty areas. On a cautionary note, the application of tea tree oil may cause dermatitis, and taking tea tree oil in small doses can be toxic. Burdock: Burdock may prove helpful as part of a plan for managing excessive sweating as it is an herb that encourages elimination of fluids from the body by other means, such as the lymph, bowel, and kidney. Due to burdock’s bitter taste, it is more commonly taken as a tincture, rather than a tea. Sage: One of the many uses of sage is as an all-natural antiperspirant. This popular herbal antiperspirant is available in a number of forms, including sage oil, tincture, and tea bags. The tea bags can be used as a drink or as part of a wash, and the tincture or oils can be applied directly to the areas affected by excessive sweating (excluding the face and genitals). It has also been suggested that one teaspoon of the fried herb, infused with boiling water for 15 minutes, can be taken three times a time to help excessive sweating. Astragalus: This herb, native to northeast China, has mild diuretic properties and is helpful in relieving excessive sweating. It is said to play a role in balancing and harmonizing the sweat response, thus resulting in an increase or decrease in perspiration as needed. Astragalus has a mild, sweet taste, making it a suitable choice for convenient ingestion. Among its active compounds are the flavonoids that give its roots and flowers their yellow color. Belladonna: More commonly known as deadly nightshade, belladonna is a perennial herb that has been used for centuries due to its important medical properties. Belladonna is said to relax the smooth muscles of the internal organs and inhibits or dries up secretions, including perspiration, mucous, breast milk, and saliva. Belladonna alkaloids, the herb’s active ingredients, are taken from the leaves and roots of the plants. As they are toxic, they should only be taken under the guidance and advice of a health practitioner. While sweating is a normal bodily function that serves to cool the body, excessive sweating can prove to be extremely embarrassing for the people affected by it. Before experimenting with herbal remedies and other alternative treatments for excessive sweating, be sure to seek medical help in ruling out any potential underlying illnesses. For example, if excessive sweating occurs during the night, or has just recently begun in someone who hasn’t experienced it before, it is especially important to visit a physician. Once other illnesses have been ruled out as causing the excessive sweating, herbs can be considered as part of a more natural treatment for this condition.