He Shou Wu (Fo-Ti) for Energy And Fatigue

Research suggests that evidence for He Shou Wu as an energy or fatigue remedy is limited and mixed in direction. A 2021 laboratory study using C. elegans found that a He Shou Wu extract improved mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP content, pointing to potential benefits for energy metabolism at a cellular level, though animal and invertebrate models do not reliably predict effects in humans. Counterbalancing this, a 2015 systematic review of documented liver damage cases associated with the herb noted fatigue as a reported symptom of its hepatotoxicity, meaning that for some individuals the herb may worsen rather than improve energy levels. The overall body of evidence here is very sparse, consists of no human clinical trials, and the safety concerns identified in the review literature are an important consideration when evaluating any potential benefit claims.