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Alfalfa Extract Review

By Razvan Radu, Senior Writer, Susanne Blake, MS, RDN (expert review) Susanne Blake is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with expertise in eating disorders, food reactions, & whole foods nutrition. She has worked with children and families, with elders and retirement communities, and has provided nutrition services to detention facilities, schools and recovery programs. Her media expertise is extensive and has included live television, as well as print publications.

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Alfalfa Extract is a tincture based on alfalfa leaves, which are a common ingredient in herbal remedies for congestion, high cholesterol, joint inflammations, and other conditions. The company behind this product is Mountain Rose Herbs.

Mountain Rose Herbs prepares and distributes many single-herb and combination herbal extracts both in bulk and in small-sized containers. Moreover, its herbalists have developed body care products and formulations for a number of health problems. The ingredients are high-quality certified organic or wild harvested plants, according to the claims of Mountain Rose Herbs. The company is in addition a promoter of fair trade practices.

Mountain Rose Herbs claims that Alfalfa Extract is a certified organic tincture based on dried leaves. It was manufactured using one part herb and four parts grain alcohol. The manufacturer does not list any ailment claims for this product. We would like however to note that alfalfa is a medicinal herb which, according to folklore, has many uses like controlling bad cholesterol levels (already backed up by scientific studies). Research is nonetheless ongoing for congestion, blood circulation, and arthritis among other. The product might be helpful to people who suffer from one of these medical conditions or just want to prevent them.

Alfalfa Extract Ingredients

Alfalfa Extract contains the following ingredients: Alfalfa Dried leaf and grain alcohol.

Product Features

Alfalfa Extract is an herbal liquid formula which may be used for various medicinal purposes such as for congestion (laboratory tests have backed up this view), for managing cholesterol levels (this ailment claim has actually been proven through scientific studies), stomach and intestinal problems, bladder, prostate and kidney medical conditions (scientific research is rather limited for these ailment claims with some specialists actually claiming that alfalfa cannot treat bowel diseases), and arthritis (laboratory studies back up this claim).

The herb is known to interfere with the effect of birth control pills and with blood thinners (such as Coumadin and aspirin). The producer also mentions some side effects. For instance, alfalfa may interfere with medication prescribed after organ transplants, which helps the body not to reject the new organ. In addition, consuming large amounts of alfalfa is not safe, as it can increase the red cell count, enlarge the spleen, and cause lupus to relapse.

According to Mountain Rose Herbs, alfalfa may be used in teas, tablets or capsules, as well as in salads. You should use one or two teaspoons for one cup of tea, and should not have more than three tablespoons of alfalfa in one day. Moreover, you should not exceed 12 capsules of one gram in any one day. The producer, however, does not give indications as to the maximum daily recommended dose of Alfalfa Extract.

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Advantages

It costs $7.5-$9.5 per ounce which would recommend it as affordable
It is certified organic
The product comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee

Disadvantages

Shipping fees are high (when you order from the producer)
There are very few online consumer reviews
It has not been evaluated by the FDA

Conclusion

Alfalfa Extract is a tincture made of alfalfa leaves. The product should be effective in lowering cholesterol and possibly other illnesses, based on anecdotal use, provided it is of good quality and used in the correct amounts. The producer does not recommend a maximum dose however. In addition, we have found few customer reviews online, so we do not have much information about the quality of the product.

In our view, you should ask for medical advice before using Alfalfa Extract on a regular basis if you suffer from a certain medical condition, as alfalfa interacts with some drugs (as mentioned above).

Product	Star Rating	10yrs or More Proven Product	Less Than $6 Shipping	Testimonials
HCF Quality (4.8)	(4.8)
Alfalfa Extract (3.1)	(3.1)

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Review History

(Published on: March 8, 2013 5:24 am)

Alfalfa Extract is a tincture based on alfalfa dried leaves that has been certified organic. It is produced by Mountain Rose Herbs. Based on folk medicine, alfalfa may be used for various medicinal purposes like cholesterol problems, arthritis, bladder and prostate conditions, stomach upsets, and asthma. According to the producer, alfalfa may cause lupus to relapse, and may lead to spleen enlargement and high red blood cell count. Moreover, Alfalfa Extract could interact with anticoagulants and immune system suppressing drugs usually prescribed after organ transplants.

Is Alfalfa Extract Right For You?

Alfalfa Extract is an herbal product formulated centrally on the Effectiveness of Alfalfa, a herb that can be used for various medicinal purposes (like lowering cholesterol levels and for congestion). The company that produces Alfalfa Extract is Mountain Rose Herbs.

Mountain Rose Herbs sells herbs and spices in bulk mostly to other licensed businesses. It also manufactures herbal formulas for the general public (like combined extracts and single extracts, infused herbal oils, salves, and elixirs) for a variety of health concerns and cosmetic use. The company negotiates mostly with local certified organic farms. When it is not possible for them to use natural ingredients, they tend to use plants harvested using environmentally-friendly techniques.

According to Mountain Rose Herbs, Alfalfa Extract is certified organic tincture obtained from dried leaves of alfalfa at a ratio of 1:4 (meaning it contains four parts alcohol and 1 part active ingredient). The extract is more potent than alfalfa in encapsulated form; also the company claims that one can see its effects more quickly. Based on alfalfa’s traditional uses, Alfalfa Extract is supposed to help people who need to lower their cholesterol levels, who suffer from symptoms associated with arthritis and stomach problems. The manufacturer does not make any specific ailment claims (we believe this is because the FDA has not evaluated the quality and safety of the product).

Ingredients of Alfalfa Extract

Alfalfa Extract includes the following ingredients: Alfalfa dried leaf and grain alcohol.

Effectiveness of Alfalfa Extract

Alfalfa Extract is a tincture whose key ingredient is alfalfa. Alfalfa is a perennial plant commonly used for congestion as it has antimicrobial properties and is a natural antihistamine. It is the sprouts and the seeds that contain antihistamine compounds. According to scientific evidence, alfalfa may lower bad cholesterol levels. It is also recommended in traditional medicine for gastrointestinal disorders, bladder, kidney, and prostate problems. However, scientific research so far does not back up the Effectiveness of alfalfa in treating bowel conditions and ulcers. Also, alfalfa sprouts are used traditionally to alleviate symptoms associated with joint inflammations (or arthritis). Scientific evidence for this ailment claim is nonetheless insufficient.

One side effect associated with alfalfa is increased sensitivity to sunlight. Moreover, there is the risk that alfalfa sprouts may be contaminated with salmonella or other bacteria, so you should buy alfalfa from a trusted source. Also, alfalfa may interfere with birth control pills and with anti-coagulants (like aspirin).

The extract has not been evaluated by the FDA; therefore, its quality or safety may not be guaranteed. According to Mountain Rose Herbs, alfalfa may interact with blood-thinning medication such as Warfarin and with drugs that suppress the immune system usually prescribed after an organ transplant. Consuming larger-than-recommended amounts of alfalfa may lead to a high increase in the number of red cells, spleen enlargement, or lupus relapses. However, the greatest risk when eating alfalfa is related to the fact that the sprouts may have grown in contaminated water.

We have not found online testimonials about Alfalfa Extract by Mountain Rose Herbs.

Alfalfa Extract Price

Alfalfa Extract is sold in bottles of one ounce and four ounces. The price per ounce varies primarily depending on the container size, and most would consider the product to be affordable. One has to take into account shipping charges as well if you order online (they are quite as high when ordering from the producer).

Customers may order Alfalfa Extract directly from Mountain Rose Herbs. They could purchase from the online store or place their order by email, mail, telephone (toll-free), or fax. If you return the product in 60 days, you will get a full refund with no restocking fees charged. However, customers bear the responsibility for return shipping costs.

The extract produced by Mountain Rose Herbs is not available at many online retail companies.

Does Alfalfa Extract Work?

Alfalfa has several ailment claims, although many of them have been scarcely studied by scientists (lowering bad cholesterol is the only claim backed up by scientific evidence). Alfalfa Extract might be effective if we take into consideration the long historical use of the herb. However, the extraction process is also critical when preparing a tincture. Mountain Rose Herbs states that they are very meticulous when it comes to their production process. There is a lack of online customer testimonials, though, so we do not know whether or not customers have been satisfied with the quality of Alfalfa Extract manufactured by Mountain Rose Herbs.

Rating: 3.5/5. From 2 votes.

2 Reviews

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D.W. Rue

I order Alfalfa Extract on a regular basis and I think it is quite potent, at least for stomach upsets.

Essie W.

I usually add Alfalfa Extract to the orange juice I drink in the morning. I can’t say my cholesterol levels have been going down though since I started using it, about one month ago.