Penny, our 13-year old border collie cross, has suffered from arthritis her entire life; this is a disease that also affects many breeds of hunting dogs as well. For the past several years we have given her a small-dose aspirin daily but recently, her arthritis has been worsening. Her groomer suggested giving her alfalfa pills, 1 pill per 10 pounds of weight. According to her, aspirin lose their effectiveness after a long period of time. We purchased a bottle of alfalfa pills at Wal-Mart and have been giving them to Penny daily, for nearly a week now. This seems to have relieved her pain better than aspirin and she is much more active and playful. Below is some additional discussion on alfalfa as a remedy for both people and animals.
Do not give your dogs any medication or supplements without first talking with your veterinarian; also, do not give or take any medications or supplements without first discussing it with your doctor.
Alfalfa is a folk remedy for arthritis in southern Appalachia. Alfalfa tea is rich with nutritive minerals. We recommend that you do not take the alfalfa powder; take the tea instead. Alfalfa contains 1-canavanine, an amino acid that can cause symptoms that are similar to those of systemic lupus, an autoimmune disease that can also cause joint pain. Some scientific studies show that these symptoms can occur in both animals and humans as a result of eating alfalfa. The amino acid is not present to any significant amount in alfalfa tea. www.holistic-online.com
Currently, the most convincing clinical evidence for a medical effect of alfalfa is for controlling cholesterol. In several animal and human studies, alfalfa supplements reduced blood cholesterol levels, particularly for individuals with a specific kind of high cholesterol known as type II hyperlipoproteinemia. Although the exact reasons are not understood completely, fibers and chemicals in alfalfa appear to stick to cholesterol, keeping it from staying in the blood or depositing in blood vessels. More of the harmful types of cholesterol leave the body, while high-density lipoprotein (HDL—the “good” kind of cholesterol—seems not to be affected.
Results of animal studies show that alfalfa may also lower blood sugar levels slightly due to its high manganese content. Manganese is a trace element that is thought to be involved with several body processes, including the use of carbohydrates from food. Some of the enzymes that control carbohydrate use and blood sugar levels depend on manganese as an activator. Low levels of manganese have been associated with diabetes in some studies. However, manganese may be toxic in high doses. For manganese, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences has set the adult tolerable upper limit (the highest amount of a substance that probably will not cause side effects for the majority of individuals taking it) at 11 mg per day. Side effects such as confusion, memory loss, stiffness, or trembling may result from taking too much manganese. Individuals who use a product containing manganese should be careful not to take more than 11 mg daily.
Theoretically (based on other laboratory and animal studies) alfalfa may also have other medical effects. It may have some ability to enhance immune system function. Chemicals in alfalfa have mild diuretic properties, which may promote the loss of water from the body. Therefore, alfalfa may relieve swelling caused by excess water accumulation. Because other components of alfalfa may act somewhat like the female hormone, estrogen, it has been suggested as potentially useful in relieving the symptoms of menopause. In some countries, alfalfa seeds are used as a folk remedy for asthma or other breathing conditions. However, no substantial proof exists to support the use of alfalfa in any of these conditions. www.drugdigest.org
Eating alfalfa for arthritis can be a good idea in addition to the other recommendations on this site. I don’t feel it’s as strong as Oriental medicine remedies, but It’s a common folk remedy used in Southern Appalachia and has many benefits.
Alfalfa contains lots of minerals (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium) that have a neutralizing effect on your blood. Since arthritis is often caused by acidosis (an acid condition of the blood), alfalfa can help reverse or prevent that condition. It also has a general detoxifying effect on your body.
Warning – something to note here. Alfalfa contains an amino acid that, studies have shown, can cause symptoms similar to systemic lupus, an autoimmune disease that also causes joint pain.
So, it’s not recommended to use alfalfa powder. Instead, make alfalfa tea:
• Place 1 ounce of alfalfa in a pot
• Cover it with one quart of water
• Boil for thirty minutes
• Strain and drink the quart throughout the day.
Do this for only 2 or 3 weeks, then break for a week before starting again.
Research suggests that 10 to 20% of arthritis sufferers will benefit from using alfalfa, with an nearly total reduction of pain symptoms. www.natural-health-remedies.net
Tags: alfalfa, arthritis, arthritis in dogs, arthritis remedy, holostic
December 21, 2008 at 1:55 am |
Thanks for the interesting article.
June 9, 2009 at 10:21 pm |
I started my Afghan on Alfalfa and it has helped. He has started lifting his leg again when on wants. He had been squating, like it was too difficult or painful to lift his leg to relieve himself.
I notice he was doing better after about ten days.
I hope it keeps working.
I would rather give him this than rimadyl. I think it is safer.
Thank you!
June 10, 2009 at 6:58 pm |
I prefer natural remedies as well, although I’m skeptical of most homeopathic medicines.
From what I’ve been able to find out, alfalfa seems to be just as effective and doesn’t cause permanent damage like some medicines do.