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How to Take a Tincture

9/2/2014

30 Comments

 

How to Take a Tincture

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If you walk into any health food store, you will find shelves full of dropper bottles containing tinctures.  Tinctures are widely used because they are concentrated, portable, convenient to take, and have a very long shelf life. They are also easy to make at home! However, for those who are more accustomed to taking supplements in pill or capsule form, there can be a bit of a learning curve. In this post I hope to demystify the process of taking a tincture and answer some common questions.

Step 1: Shake the bottle

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Tinctures are commonly given in dark glass dropper bottles. The dark glass helps to protect the liquid from light, which may degrade the constituents. This is a convenient way to take tinctures as well, as the dropper is built in.
The first step to taking a tincture is to shake the bottle. This is important so that all of the constituents are evenly distributed.
It is quite common for sediment to form at the bottom of a tincture. While sediment can always be poured off, sometimes it is an important part of the medicine. Some common examples include Milky Oatseed and roots such as Dandelion, Echinacea and Burdock - tinctures of these herbs will have a thick layer of sediment which are just as medicinal as the clear portion of the tincture. Medicinal sediments should not be gritty, but should mix well with the tincture. Even if there is no visible sediment, it only takes a short moment to shake the bottle and ensure consistent dosage.

Step 2: Decipher the Dosage

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A common dosage unit for a tincture is a "dropperful." This unit of measurement is one of the most common causes of confusion for practitioners and clients alike.
First off - what is a dropperful? This term can be quite misleading, as the glass pipette - or, "dropper" -  does not actually become full. When an herbalist says "dropperful," she or he means the amount of liquid that is suctioned into the pipette when you squeeze and release the rubber top once. It will normally fill the pipette about 1/3 to 1/2 full, as in the image above. Some prefer to call this unit a "squeeze" or a "squirt."
Not every dropperful is going to be the same - it varies depending on how hard you squeeze the dropper, how full the bottle is, the barometric pressure, what you had for lunch, etc. It is for this reason that dosages is sometimes given in drops, such as: 30-60 drops 2-3 times a day. Most people are not going to count out 60 drops twice a day, but if you want to be sure you are getting the right dose, you can count out the drops once to get an idea. If there are 28 drops in the dropperful you count, and the suggested dosage is 30-60 drops, then 2 dropperfuls will be sufficient. If there are only 20 drops then you might want to use 3 dropperfuls. My suggestion is to follow the dosage guidelines to the best of your ability, and allow for some variation in the dynamic dropperful.

Remember -  a dropperful is one squeeze and release of the dropper top, and contains roughly 30 drops or 1 ml. There are about 5 ml in a teaspoon.

Step 3: Ingesting the Tincture

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So, now that we've got the dosage clear, and we've shaken the bottle, how does one actually ingest the tincture? One method is to deposit the liquid directly into the mouth. This is easy, especially when you are on the go, but perhaps not the most pleasant way to take a tincture. Most tinctures are between 50 and 98% alcohol, which doesn't always sit well on the tongue - especially if it is a bitter tasting herb.
Sometimes, a bitter taste is an important part of the medicine- tasting something bitter stimulates bile production and improves digestion. In this case, you may want to either take the tincture directly, or, as I prefer, take it in a little water. When I say a little water, I mean 2-4 ounces, or a big gulp. Enough water to sufficiently dilute the tincture and buffer the taste, and not so much that you have to drink a whole glass of slightly unpleasant tasting water to get the dose! You can also take your tinctures in a little juice, which will mask the flavor of the tincture better than water.

So there you go, it's as simple as shake, squeeze, and swallow!


Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What exactly is a tincture, anyway?
A tincture is an alcohol extraction of an herb - the alcohol extracts the medicinal constituents of the herb through the process of osmosis, resulting in a concentrated medicinal liquid. Sometimes vinegar or glycerine are used to make an extraction, which can be taken in a similar manner as a tincture.


Q. Tinctures are new to me and it is a little uncomfortable, is it safe?
A. Tinctures are generally safe - just make sure you are getting them from a person or company that you trust. Here is some basic information you will want: The name of the herb (scientific name as well is best), the ratio of herb to liquid, the date produced or an expiration date, the percentage of alcohol used, and any other ingredients. A tincture is a very common way to take herbs, and in and of itself is no more dangerous than any other way of taking herbs as long as you follow the recommended dosage. That being said, anyone can have a sensitivity or adverse reaction to any substance, so you always want to be aware when ingesting new herbs that you haven't taken before. You also want to know in advance that the herbs you are taking do not interfere with any medications you may be on.

Q. I am concerned about myself or my child ingesting alcohol
A. The amount of alcohol one ingests when taking even a relatively large dose (such as a tsp) of tincture is quite small - a fraction of a standard drink. For example - most tinctures are between 30 and 90% alcohol and dosed between 2 and 5 mls. A standard "shot" of 80 proof liquor is 1.5 ounces, or 45 mls (20 mls of pure alcohol). One would give a reduced dose to children in relation to body weight, as well. However, if you wish to avoid alcohol completely, there are many other ways to ingest herbs. A common substitute for a tincture is a glycerite, which is similar to a tincture but made with vegetable glycerine. Vegetable glycerine tastes sweet, so it is great for children.
Herbs can be taken in a multitude of ways: as tea, a syrup, a powder, in capsules, and eaten fresh! Tinctures are certainly not the only way to take herbs.

Q. How long to tinctures last?
A. Tinctures have a very long shelf life - years! After 10 years, I might get some new tinctures as some of the constituents may have started to degrade at that point ;).

Q. How do I store tinctures?
A. Keep tinctures at room temperature and out of direct sunlight.


If you have any other questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
    Thank you for reading!
        Elise

30 Comments
Rita
9/3/2014 06:31:21 am

This was a well written and thorough explanation for someone like myself, who is new to taking tinctures. Thank you for that! I am looking forward to getting my tincture order, and now I feel more confident I will taking them and storing them correctly.

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Christy link
11/1/2014 12:14:06 am

I love tinctures! Thank you for great added information about taking them properly.

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Kirsty Summers link
7/5/2015 10:09:13 pm

I have to take 5ml three times a day and I literally turn into a foot stomping (and occasionally sweary) child. It tastes so so so bad but having read this I take some comfort that the bad taste has a purpose. However, I have been diluting it in an entire glass of juice to make it more bearable followed by a taste of something sweet immediately after I've swallowed! :(

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Annette
12/23/2015 08:12:06 pm

I need to take 5 tinctures for my disease. Do I start with one slowly titrating to full dose and then add the next? Or do I titrate all 5 together?

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Elise
1/12/2016 01:23:24 pm

Hello! I would consult with the practitioner who suggested these tinctures for you. My personal choice would be to start with one herb at a time, adding a new one each week so that you get a feel for how each one affects you. That way, if you do happen to have an especially strong reaction (whether beneficial or an adverse effect) you know exactly which herb it is. It should be fine to start each herb at full dose. I hope this is helpful! Elise

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Kristine
2/6/2016 10:41:34 am

I made a glycerine based herbal tincture. I am having a hard time getting the liquid out of the dropper. It seems to be sticking to the sides of the dropper. Any suggestions?
Thank you.

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Elise
2/7/2016 11:49:13 pm

Hello Kristine,
Glycerine is a very viscous liquid so that can be a problem. You can dilute it with up to 30% water without reducing shelf life too much, and this will make it much more manageable. Usually I use 20% water and 80% glycerine when I make glycerites. It should not be a problem adding water after maceration, although this will lower the concentration of the final product so just keep that in mind with the dosage.
You could also use 20% alcohol which would reduce viscosity and increase shelf life, but usually the point of a glycerite is to avoid alcohol :).
I hope this was helpful!
Be well,
Elise

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Ste
7/21/2017 01:27:10 am

You should use 40% water and 60% glycerine otherwise its too thick to use in dropper

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CD Roper
7/23/2016 04:19:19 pm

How long after a tincture can you eat?

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Elise link
8/9/2016 11:09:46 pm

Hello CD Roper,
Most tinctures are fine with food. Taking a tincture on an empty stomach may help to feel the effects a little faster, which can be helpful when dealing with acute issues (such as insomnia, allergies, or pain).
Alcohol is quickly absorbed by the body, so if you want to take your tincture on an empty stomach you would only have to wait about 5 minutes before eating, but it is not necessary to do so as much of the alcohol based tincture is absorbed before it reaches your stomach .
Herbal bitters are a good example - the bitter taste stimulates digestion so it is good to take bitters 5-10 minutes before eating to give your digestive juices time to get flowing.
Other herbs may be too stimulating to digestion and you may want to have some food in your stomach first to buffer.
Listen to your body and instructions on the tincture bottle or from your herbalist. For a tonic formula or herb you are taking long term, the most important thing is that you take it regularly.
I hope that answers your question!
Thank you,
Elise

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Ashlee
6/5/2017 06:48:59 pm

Um I'm new to the herbs for chronic pain. I have fibromyalgia and nothing really works. I'm wondering what are some of the things people experience taking this.

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Elise link
6/8/2017 05:04:15 pm

Hello Ashlee,
There are a variety of herbs that can be helpful for chronic pain - turmeric is a commonly used herb that can help to reduce inflammation-related pain. Skullcap, kava, and willow bark also come to mind (note - there may be drug-herb interactions so always check first. Willow bark is not to be taken with aspirin, kava is contraindicated if you have liver problems). There are many herbs that can help with pain; the specific presentation of the pain as well as your individual constitution are factors i would use to decide which herbs to use for you in particular. A variety of dietary and lifestyle practices (such as removing food allergens and specific stretching or movement) can also be quite helpful. I hope that this information is helpful. If you are interested in a consultation with me, please contact me through the website.
Thank you and be well!
Elise

Reply
Annette
6/14/2017 09:08:49 am

Elise, I am doing a lyme protocol. It has about 6 herbs to take. Is it better to take one slowly upping to the maximum dose before adding in the second herb? Or is the synergy of the herbs so important that I should start one slowly and then start the other slowly? Confused since I have been told both ways. Thanks so much.

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Elise link
7/14/2017 05:19:17 pm

Hello Annette - I thought I replied to this comment a month ago! In any case, Lyme protocols are pretty specific, often with a specific rotation of herbs to keep the spyrochetes on their toes. Where did you get this protocol? If from a practitioner, they should give you this information. If you are putting it together yourself, I suggest Stephen Buhner's book "Healing Lyme" for more detailed information.

I often suggest to start with one herb at a time to rule out sensitivities and to see if one specific herb really makes a difference. However, with certain protocols the synergy is important (which can be the case in Lyme protocols). This is why it can be helpful to seek the support of a practitioner. The book I suggested is great and should answer your question. Best of luck!

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Karen link
7/12/2017 02:38:47 am

Hi Elise, if I'm taking a number of tinctures, can I put them all together in one gulp of water or do I need to take them separately with a bit of time in between? Thanks Karen

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Elise link
7/14/2017 05:23:55 pm

Hello Karen,
It should be fine to take all of your tinctures at once. One consideration would be if it makes sense to take different ones at different times to maximize effectiveness. For example, if you are taking one for allergies, one for digestion, and one for sleep, it would be better to take the tincture for allergies in the morning, for digestion before meals, and for sleep in the evening.

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Jaclyn
7/31/2017 04:44:40 pm

Hi! I currently take 5 different tinctures and they are all for support around PCOS and endometriosis. I usually take them all together in a small glass of water. Am I able to evenly add all of them into a bigger dropper bottle so I only have 1 bottle to worry about instead of the 5? Thanks!

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Elise link
11/20/2017 07:49:07 am

Hi Jaclyn - it would be fine to put them all in one bottle, just make sure that you end up getting the same amount of each tincture in the end. So, if you take one dropperful of each, put equal amounts into the larger bottle and take 5 dropperfuls.

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Mark
11/7/2017 10:02:59 am

Hi,
I was wondering if taking a tincture of a plant would allow for the absorption of something that the body would not get normally if you were to eat the plant, root, fungi, etc. raw or cooked?

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Elise link
11/20/2017 07:54:33 am

Hi Mark -
Pure alcohol best extracts essential oils, resins, alkaloids, glycosides, organic acids, chlorophyll, acrid and bitter constituents, and castor oil, but not minerals, gums, or mucilage. Many tinctures are made with some amount of water (up to 50%) which will extract some water-soluble constituents.
The alcohol will extract some of these constituents much better than our digestive systems could.
Water extracts sugars, proteins, gums, mucilage, pectin, tannins, acids, coloring matter, mineral salts, glycosides, some alkaloids, most alkaloidal salts, and some essential oil very well. A tea or decoction will get these constituents and is a fine way to take most herbs.
The main benefit of tinctures is that they are very shelf-stable (constituents will not degrade anywhere near as quickly as with dried plant) and concentrated.
I hope this helps!
Thank you
Elise

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Nancy Odell
12/2/2017 04:06:44 pm

If you want to dilute a 100 proof vodka tincture down about 10 %, do you add the water after you have poured off and filtered the herb? Or dilute while it is still in the alcohol?

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Elise link
12/6/2017 09:59:00 pm

Hello Nancy,

In order for a tincture to be shelf stable it must be at least 20% alcohol. In order to get the best extraction while making a tincture you want at least 50% alcohol (which is 100 proof vodka). So, I would definitely make the tincture with 100 proof vodka, let it macerate 6 weeks, and then strain it. At this point you can dilute it with 1/2 water (end result is 25% alcohol which is shelf stable) and you will have a shelf stable product - however, it will be half as strong as the original tincture so you will have to take twice as much. If you added more water to dilute to 10%, you would have to take 5 times as much for the same dose and it will mold eventually.
So, my question is - why do you want to dilute the tincture? If it is for taste or aversion to alcohol, you can dilute it for each dose by putting the individual dose in water or juice.
I hope this answered your question but please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Thank you
Elise

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Lois Harrison link
2/17/2018 07:16:38 pm

A homeopath has made up a tincture ( I think it is) She said if I take as directed for around a month. I might need to only have it every so often after that. I thought tinctures needed to be taken continuously. Thanks.


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Elise link
2/17/2018 07:54:07 pm

Hello,
Homeopathy is distinctly different from herbalism. It is a vibrational mode of healing using remedies that have the same energy as your ailment in extremely dilute concentrations. Dosage of homeopathic remedy is very specific. If your homeopath made you a homeopathic remedy, then follow her dosage instructions. Even if she made you an herbal remedy, it is good to follow her dosage instructions.
The great thing about holistic medicine (whether it is herbalism, homeopathy, or other) is that it works in a way that heals the body - not just managing symptoms but healing the body systems so that they can function on their own. Sometimes you just need to take a remedy until the system is healed, then your body can function on it's own without going into imbalance. It is always the goal to heal the body - not to have someone be dependent on herbs, which is a more pharmaceutical approach (increase profit and manage symptoms but not actual healing the root of the issue).
I hope this is helpful!

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Debbie H Carter
2/19/2018 09:09:20 pm

I am taking tintures for arthritis.. The dosage is 15-30 drops 3 x a day. I misplaced my bottles with droppers. If I was to take 1 tsp vs the drops, would this be too much? Thanks in advance.
Debbie

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Elise link
2/19/2018 09:14:23 pm

Hello Debbie,
There are about 100 drops in a teaspoon, so you will want to take roughly a quarter teaspoon dose.
Hope this is helpful,
Elise

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Debbie H Carter
2/19/2018 10:47:07 pm

Thanks so much. This is a great help to me in trying to take the correct amount tinture for my specific problem. Nature remedies, so far is best for me versus pain meds prescribed.
Thanks again,
Debbie

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Yumei
2/20/2018 04:34:57 pm

Excellent article! Do you think the alcohol in the tincture will degrade the rubber bulb over time? Thanks!

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Elise link
2/20/2018 05:11:06 pm

Hello Yumei,
Yes, after some amount of time the alcohol can degrade the dropper bulb and your tincture can take on a rubbery taste - not the most pleasant! I store tinctures in bottles with cone lined caps and then fill smaller dosage bottles with dropper tops as needed. It does take a number of years in my experience for the rubber to begin doing this.
I hope this is helpful!
Elise

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Shannon
10/14/2018 07:21:10 am

If a tincture tips over briefly and takes on a rubbery taste is it still safe to take? I know it does not taste good, but it is a tincture that can not be replaced. Thanks

Reply



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    Elise Damilatis is a holistic clinical herbalist with a passion for truth and nature

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