Description
Horsetail is classified as a diuretic, but sources differ as to its strength in this regard. Horsetail tea or tincture may help people who experience edema (fluid buildup) in the legs caused by such conditions as rheumatoid arthritis and circulatory problems.
Because it contains silica and minerals, horsetail often is used to strengthen bone, hair, and fingernails — parts of the body that require high mineral levels. You may drink horsetail tea every day — for no longer than a month — if you’ve broken a bone. Horsetail also may be used by those who have wounds that do not heal well.
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of horsetail tincture, two to five times a day. But don’t take horsetail for longer than a month. For such chronic conditions as osteoporosis and other bone-thinning diseases, take horsetail for a week, then abstain for a week or two before resuming use.