Circulation
Fu Fang Dan Shen Pian
Red Sage & Notoginseng
5.0 · 5 reviews
Two herbs, both deep red roots. A modern recipe that's become a household name in China.
£24.50
Heart & circulation
Heart Health Supplements
In Chinese medicine the Heart was always more than a pump. It ran the Blood and the vessels, sure, but it was also said to house your spirit, which is why heart formulas so often turn up for restless nights as well. Three classic formulas here, each coming at the heart and circulation from a slightly different angle.
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Traditionally chosen
Fu Fang Dan Shen Pian
Red sage root and notoginseng. Just two herbs, and hugely popular in China.
View formula
3 formulas
Shop heart health supplements
Circulation
Three herbs
Sheng Mai San
Generate the Pulse
Ginseng, ophiopogon and schisandra. Herbalists' favourite for hot, tiring summers.
£24.50
Calming
Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan
Heavenly Emperor's Heart Formula
Rehmannia, dong quai and eleven more. Also lives on our sleep page, for reasons explained below.
£24.50
Side by side
Our heart and circulation supplements compared
| Compare | Fu Fang Dan Shen Pian | Sheng Mai San | Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herbs | 2 | 3 | 13 |
| Key herbs | Red sage, notoginseng | Ginseng, ophiopogon, schisandra | Rehmannia, dong quai, ophiopogon |
| The idea | Keep the Blood moving | Top up the pulse | Settle the Heart and mind |
| First recorded | A modern recipe | 1186 | Ming dynasty |
A bit of history
Heart supplements, the traditional view
The old books call the Heart the emperor, no less. Blood and vessels were its patch, so circulation fell to it, and on top of that it was meant to keep your spirit (the Shen) in its place. When the Heart was happy, so were you, and you slept like a log. When it wasn't? A fluttery chest, cold hands, nights spent staring at the ceiling, a head that wouldn't quieten down. Every one of those turns up in the classics.
That's why the three formulas here look so different from each other. One is about keeping the Blood moving, one tops up the pulse after you've overdone it, and one settles the Heart so the mind can switch off. None of them is meant to stand in for proper heart care, which matters more here than on almost any other page we have.
What's inside
The herbs behind our heart supplements
Three roots, all with a long history around the Heart and Blood.
丹参
Red Sage Root
Dan Shen
A cousin of the sage in your garden, but with a bright brick-red root. It's one of the herbs herbalists most link with moving the Blood.
Found in: Fu Fang Dan Shen Pian and Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan
三七
Notoginseng
San Qi, "three-seven"
Said to be named for its three leaf stalks with seven leaflets each. It's a close cousin of ginseng and a famous Yunnan herb.
Found in: Fu Fang Dan Shen Pian
人参
Ginseng
Ren Shen
The best-known tonic herb there is. In Sheng Mai San it does the heavy lifting.
Found in: Sheng Mai San and Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan
Just so we're clear, this is about how these herbs have traditionally been used. Our tablets are food supplements, mind. Not medicine.
Looking after your heart
What actually makes the difference
Straight from NHS advice. Honestly, any one of these will do more for your heart than a bottle of anything.
- 1Check your blood pressurePop into a pharmacy. Plenty of them will do it for nothing, and you don't need to book.
- 2Get movingThe NHS asks for 150 minutes a week. A brisk walk to the shops counts, so it adds up quicker than you'd think.
- 3Go easy on salt6g a day, tops. That's roughly a level teaspoon. Most of it hides in bread and ready meals.
- 4Stop smokingThe biggest single thing you can do for your heart. The NHS will help, free.
What are the best supplements for heart health?
Whichever ones your GP's comfortable with, first and foremost, and doubly so if you're already on tablets. On the herbal side, the traditional pick for circulation is Fu Fang Dan Shen Pian, and for feeling puffed out it's Sheng Mai San. The quiz up top helps you choose between them.
Can herbs help with blood circulation?
Keeping the Blood moving is one of the biggest ideas in Chinese medicine, and red sage has been tied to it for centuries. Ours are food supplements though, not a treatment for any heart or circulation problem. Hands and feet always freezing? Mention it next time you see the GP.
Are they safe with blood thinners?
Please don't mix them without your GP's say-so. Red sage is known to interact with warfarin and medicines like it, and notoginseng may affect bleeding as well. The same goes for blood pressure or heart tablets. Check first, every single time.
Can these replace my heart medication?
No, never. Keep taking whatever you've been prescribed. And chest pain, sudden breathlessness or a heartbeat that's racing for no reason needs 999 or your GP, not a supplement.
Why is Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan on the sleep page as well?
Because in Chinese medicine the Heart looks after sleep too. A restless Heart meant restless nights, so the same formula fits both places.
How long does a bottle last?
Ten days at six tablets a day. If you're planning to stick with one for a while, the 6-bottle pack works out cheaper.
Learn with Aura
More on the heart in Chinese medicine
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.