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Active lifestyle
Supplements for Energy & Recovery
For people who do a lot and occasionally pay for it. Herbal formulas for when your energy's flagging, plus a couple of old-school rubs for after a long run or a day in the garden. Natural energy boosters, if you like, though not a drop of caffeine anywhere, before you ask.
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Traditionally chosen
Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan
Tonify the Middle. Li Dongyuan's famous formula from 1247, with astragalus and ginseng.
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8 formulas
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Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan
Tonify the Middle
4.7 · 10 reviews
Eight herbs led by astragalus and ginseng.
£24.50
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Rub in
Cramps
Moving
Three herbs
Tonic
Side by side
Comparing our energy supplements
| Compare | Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan | Sheng Mai San | Shi Quan Da Bu Tang | Shao Yao Gan Cao Tang |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herbs | 8 | 3 | 12 | 2 |
| Best known for | Running on empty | Wrung out and sweaty | Deep, cold tiredness | Cramping muscles |
| How it feels | Lifting | Restoring | Warming | Relaxing |
| First recorded | 1247 | 1186 | Song dynasty | Han, around 200 AD |
The thinking behind it
Supplements for tiredness, without the caffeine
Energy drinks give you a loan. Chinese tonic herbs were meant to top up the account. That's how herbalists would put it, anyway. Qi is your fuel, and if you keep spending more than you put back in, sooner or later you hit the wall.
So these formulas aren't stimulants. You won't get a buzz. The idea is to build you up gently over a few weeks, alongside proper food and proper sleep, so the afternoon slump isn't such a cliff.
What's inside
The herbs behind our energy supplements
The big names in Chinese tonic herbs.
人参
Ginseng
Ren Shen
Two thousand years as the king of tonic herbs. In three of the formulas here.
Found in: Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan, Sheng Mai San, Shi Quan Da Bu Tang
五味子
Schisandra
Wu Wei Zi, "five flavour berry"
Sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent all at once. Popular with athletes in Russia and China for decades.
Found in: Sheng Mai San
黄芪
Astragalus
Huang Qi
Does the heavy lifting in Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan.
Found in: Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan and Shi Quan Da Bu Tang
Just so we're clear, this is about how these herbs have traditionally been used. Our tablets are food supplements, mind. Not medicine.
Recovery basics
Stuff that keeps you going
Supplements help. These help more.
- 1Fuel properlyEat within an hour or so of training. Something with protein in it.
- 2Sleep, reallySeven to nine hours. Nothing in a bottle replaces it.
- 3Rest days countBit of a twist, this. You actually get stronger on the days off, not the days you train.
- 4Still tired?Weeks of tiredness with no reason is worth a GP visit and a blood test.
Verified Loox reviews
What our customers say
"You can tell its a high quality/potent product."
"Very good quality fresh herbal supplement of an excellent formula."
"Love these. Great quality product."
What are the best supplements for energy?
Want a quick buzz? Have a coffee, honestly. If you mean feeling less drained week to week, herbalists would point you to Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan first. The quiz up top narrows it down.
Can supplements help with fatigue and tiredness?
Feeling worn out is one of the oldest complaints in the herbal books, and tonics like Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan were written with exactly that in mind. They're food supplements though, not a cure for fatigue. If you've been shattered for weeks and can't work out why, see your GP. A simple blood test can rule out things like low iron or thyroid trouble.
Do any of these contain caffeine?
No. None of the tablets on this page have caffeine or stimulants in them.
Are these suitable for athletes?
Plenty of active people take them. If you compete at a level with drug testing, check every product against your sport's rules and use batch-tested supplements, as we can't certify ours for that.
How long does a bottle last?
Ten days at six tablets a day. The oils and gel last a good few weeks of regular use.
Learn with Aura
More on energy and recovery
Just so we're clear: food supplements aren't a replacement for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle, and they aren't meant to diagnose, treat or cure anything.