Tulsi TeaSacred Basil/BE CAREFUL OF IT!!!!

[FernRhizome]

Someone introduced me to Tulsi tea last week which is 3 varieties of sacred basil. It is totally delicious and made me feel amazingly better in all ways, rather miraculous, but then the day after I got less well. I didn't realize after the first cup that there might be bad side effects and after a couple of days I tried it again and had very strange symptoms that I thought were from something else. But then I tried a third cup yesterday and got SEVERELY ill today. I thought I was going to pass out. I nearly went unconscious. The stuff is TOXIC at least in me and with my disease situation. I looked up the main ingredient and it is hepatoxic as well as toxic in other ways too. PLEASE BE CAREFUL IF YOU ARE DRINKING THIS TEA!!!

 

[FernRhizome]

It took me a week to get over this reaction and I even ended up with a 24 hour hospitalization. It caused a sudden autonomic collapse.

 

[Dreambirdie]

How strange... I actually found Tulsi to be a life saver for me.

When I took hydrocortisone (HC) last year and became severely OVER-stimulated from the HC, Tulsi (and magnesium) were the ONLY thing that I could take to calm down the SEVERE ANXIETY that the HC caused. I actually took up to 6 capsules per hour for days at a time. I went through 3 bottles of 120 capsules of Tulsi before I finally calmed my system down enough to stop taking it.

This is just another example of how different we all are.

 

[Hysterical Woman]

How strange... I actually found Tulsi to be a life saver for me.

When I took hydrocortisone (HC) last year and became severely OVER-stimulated from the HC, Tulsi (and magnesium) were the ONLY thing that I could take to calm down the SEVERE ANXIETY that the HC caused. I actually took up to 6 capsules per hour for days at a time. I went through 3 bottles of 120 capsules of Tulsi before I finally calmed my system down enough to stop taking it.

This is just another example of how different we all are.

Hi DB,

I have had the same experience, I love Holy Basil and it really helps me. I have never, tho, drank more than 2 cups per day. However, it is always prudent to be careful when we start new things whether those are meds, herbs, or supplments, you never know how a cfs body is going to respond to something. We've all been there. Sigh.

Hysterical

 

[FernRhizome]

Wow! Amazing. Do you remember the brand name on the tulsi tea you both drank? Mine was organic india. It's possible it was something in this particular brand. I also read that if it's grown in an area that is polluted it can have toxic levels of chromium. You are both lucky that you can drink it with no ill effects. I only drank it three times over the course of a week and only one of those times did I drink two cups, from the same tea bag.

 

[FernRhizome]

I actually ended up in the hospital a week after my last cup of tea (I had only four cups over the course of one week). It caused an automonic "crash" such that I experienced utterly profound weakness and it happened quickly. I also had pain in my lower legs, arms and the backs of my hands. Needle-like pain. I am hypersensitive to drugs, pharmaceutical or herbal, but this was really more of a reaction than I've ever had to something herbal.

Some of the main chemical constituents of Tulsi can be quite toxic: Oleanolic acid, Ursolic acid, Rosmarinic acid, Eugenol, Carvacrol, Linalool, and β-caryophyllene.[6]

 

[FernRhizome]

As it turns out, my reaction may have been, at least partially, to a new PVC shower curtain which was offgassing.....I am hoping it wasn't the tea. But afraid to try the tea again to find out! I started a separate thread on PVC plastic shower curtains offgassing & toxic reactions from the 108 toxic chemicals in PVS plastic.

 

[priya]

tulsi tea should be 'occimum sanctum'- holy basil; i've not heard of the 3 varieties. perharps your lot was contaminated or contained herbs other than holy basil. considering a lot of it comes from india, i'd not be surprised if you got a lot more ( of something) than you bargained for.

 

[Hip]

Holy basil does have a profound effect on the adrenals and cortisol production. Holy basil is supposed to normalize adrenal function and cortisol output, but it may be that, in certain individuals, holy basil reduces cortisol, which can make you feel weaker. When I use holy basil, I find that it relaxes my mind and anxieties, but also significantly reduces my appetite (which is poor at the best of times). Since low appetite is connected to low cortisol, I think this appetite diminution is caused by holy basil lowering my cortisol.

 

[FernRhizome]

Hip, oh that's very interesting! The gut is part of the autonomic system so it makes sense it might come to a halt along with relaxing all smooth muscles, which is not a good thing in dysautonomia.

 

[sregan]

How much Holy Basil are you taking???

Hey, new guy here. Just started Holy Basil yesterday and had a terrific day! Hoping it lasts. I've suffered for 7+ years with CFS. A salivary test showed high cortisol in the AM then low the rest of the day. If I typically take any supplement that can lower cortisol it wipes me out. I did not experience that with the Holy Basil.

I'm not sure which action is helping me then. I read that it was a mood lifter which is why I tried it. I'm currently taking the NOW brand one per day in the AM @ 500mg.

I'm interested in taking more but don't want to push too hard yet.

I recently tried LDN (Low Dose Naltrexone) and it wiped out my adrenals in 5 days. I'm taking B5 and MACA in the AM with the Holy Basil.

How much are you taking? How long does it take to help? Do you have adrenal issues?

Cheers!

 

[IcyBlue22]

Does anyone know why Holy Basil tea makes me very aggressive minded + mean? My thoughts become quite negative on it after a few days. Yet ironically it may have been responsible for restoring some loving emotions as well. Ones which I have been missing dearly for quite some time. Organic India is the brand. I wonder why the aggression and meanness though? Is there anything to take the edge off? I noticed I looked healthier from Tulsi too and now without it I feel I have less energy and feeling like a worthless slug again .

 

[Hip]

Does anyone know why Holy Basil tea makes me very aggressive minded + mean?

Holy basil (Ocimum sanctum) in animal studies has been found to increase both free testosterone and total testosterone, which could explain your aggressive mood:

Holy Basil and Its Ability to Boost Testosterone Levels Naturally

Perhaps you can counter this increase in testosterone: apparently flaxseed, licorice, peppermint and spearmint reduce testosterone, according to this article.


Holy basil can also have a calming effect, possibly through its supposed cortisol lowering ability. In addition, it has anti-inflammatory effects by lowering COX-2.

One of the main active ingredients is eugenol, which is also found in clove essential oil.

Holy basil has immunomodulator properties too.

I found the effects of holy basil unpredictable. The first time I tried it, it put me in a deeply calm spiritual state, which was really nice. This herb is known to create such spiritual effects. However, when I tried the herb again, I could not repeat this result. I wish I could, because I'd like to cultivate a spiritual state.

 

[Sidereal]

Holy Basil / Tulsi tea makes me feel really awful. I drank it a few times for its supposed mast cell stabilising properties. It gave me anxiety/agitation/irritability every time.

 

[The Lady of Shalott]

I know this thread is from ages ago but I also want to say how absolutely bl**dy awful I feel from Holy Basil too. I took some powdered Holy Basil just two days ago and I've felt extremely irritable since and losing my temper very easily; a bit like severe PMT. I tried it due to Cort's new blog posts about the Cortene drug/hypothesis. Holy Basil does reduce corticosterone; perhaps it reduced it too much and too quickly for me.

I've found Maca causes a 'feeling of well-being' but it might be a false sense of well-being after reading 'The Dark Side of Adaptogens' (http://traditionalroots.org/files/2015/05/Bergner-Dark-Side-Adaptogens.pdf). In the end, 'adaptogens' can cause burnout and atrophied endocrine glands; whilst we think we're supporting our adrenals, we can be doing more harm than good as some of them increase cortisol at the expense of testosterone.

Also, my recent thyroid test results show lowered thyroid hormone levels after using Maca for a month, despite it making me feel 'good' and already being on 150 mcg levothyroxine with previously stable levels. But on the plus side, I didn't have any period pain at all and I don't think my flow was as heavy either.

 

[hopeforaday22]

I know this thread is from ages ago but I also want to say how absolutely bl**dy awful I feel from Holy Basil too. I took some powdered Holy Basil just two days ago and I've felt extremely irritable since and losing my temper very easily; a bit like severe PMT. I tried it due to Cort's new blog posts about the Cortene drug/hypothesis. Holy Basil does reduce corticosterone; perhaps it reduced it too much and too quickly for me.

I've found Maca causes a 'feeling of well-being' but it might be a false sense of well-being after reading 'The Dark Side of Adaptogens' (http://traditionalroots.org/files/2015/05/Bergner-Dark-Side-Adaptogens.pdf). In the end, 'adaptogens' can cause burnout and atrophied endocrine glands; whilst we think we're supporting our adrenals, we can be doing more harm than good as some of them increase cortisol at the expense of testosterone.

Also, my recent thyroid test results show lowered thyroid hormone levels after using Maca for a month, despite it making me feel 'good' and already being on 150 mcg levothyroxine with previously stable levels. But on the plus side, I didn't have any period pain at all and I don't think my flow was as heavy either.

That's scary. Does this apply to all adaptogens?

 

[Rufous McKinney]

But afraid to try the tea again to find out! I started a separate thread on PVC plastic shower curtains offgassing & toxic reactions from the 108 toxic chemicals in PVS plastic.

Chemical sensitivity is such a pain in our chemical ridden society. I'm just all the time reacting to innocent smells.

Everyone was smelling the new bar of lavender soap, all natural. I start choking.

The wrong brand of dish soap- had to hide that in the back closet so as not to smell it outgasing.

Shower curtains- once I got one which didn't outgas, Martha Stewart. Don't know how she managed it.