Polygonum 14

Polygonum 14™ is an herbal hair tonic treasured by the royal family in the imperial palace of China. It is an anti-aging tonic with actions to revitalize and give radiance to hair, skin, and nails. In TCM, it tonifies Liver blood and Kidney yin.

Why I reach for this formula

Hair is the surplus of blood. When someone presents with thinning hair, premature greying, brittle nails and dry skin together, I am usually looking at Liver blood deficiency with Kidney yin depletion underneath it, not a scalp problem.

That pattern often shows up alongside dry eyes, floaters, scanty menses, night sweats and a thin pulse. Topicals will not move it. The blood has to be built.

Polygonum 14 is my choice when the picture is clearly deficiency rather than heat or damp. It works slowly, which is correct for this pattern. Expect to give it three to six months before judging it, since hair grows on its own timeline regardless of how good the formula is.

What is actually inside it

Two classical formulas sit inside this one, which is what makes it more sophisticated than a single-herb He Shou Wu supplement.

Si Wu Tang is the backbone: Dang Gui, Shu Di Huang, Bai Shao and Chuan Xiong. That is the foundational blood-building formula in Chinese medicine, and it does the structural work here.

Er Zhi Wan is layered on top: Nu Zhen Zi with Mo Han Lian. This pair is the classical answer to premature greying from Liver and Kidney yin deficiency, and it is the reason this formula addresses colour and not only density.

Ge Gen and Gui Zhi are doing something specific. Both move upward and outward, and they carry the blood-building action to the head and neck where you want it. Huang Qi adds qi so the blood has something moving it. Sang Shen and Hei Zhi Ma moisten and nourish yin directly.

Prepared versus raw He Shou Wu

This formula uses Zhi He Shou Wu, the prepared root, processed in black bean juice. That detail matters and most retail listings do not mention it.

Prepared He Shou Wu tonifies Liver and Kidney and nourishes blood and essence. Raw He Shou Wu is a different medicine with a different job: it moistens the intestines and moves the bowels, and it carries a meaningfully higher risk of hepatic irritation. If you are comparing products, check which form you are getting.

Before you start

• He Shou Wu has documented case reports of liver injury, mostly with the raw form and with long uninterrupted use. If you are taking this beyond three months, have liver enzymes checked. If you already have hepatic involvement or take medication cleared through the liver, this needs practitioner oversight rather than self-direction.
• Gan Cao is in the formula. Long-term use can affect potassium and blood pressure, which is worth knowing if you have hypertension.
• Loose stools are the most common early sign of overshooting the dose. Prepared He Shou Wu is less moistening than raw, but rich blood tonics can still be heavy on a weak Spleen.
• Not for use during pregnancy.

If the hair loss came on quickly, is patchy rather than diffuse, or arrived with a thyroid or postpartum change, the pattern is likely different and this formula is probably the wrong tool. That is worth sorting out before spending six months on the wrong thing.

Subcategories & Applications

• Anti-Aging Formula / Skin & Hair Formula

TCM Function

• Tonifies Liver blood and Kidney yin

Ingredients

• Zhi He Shou Wu (Radix Polygoni Multiflori Praeparata)
• Mo Han Lian (Herba Ecliptae)
• Sang Shen (Fructus Mori)
• Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis)
• Hei Zhi Ma (Semen Sesami Nigrum)
• Huang Qi (Radix Astragali)
• Nu Zhen Zi (Fructus Ligustri Lucidi)
• Shu Di Huang (Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata)
• Gan Cao (Rx/Rz Glycyrrhizae)
• Bai Shao (Radix Paeoniae Alba)
• Chuan Xiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong)
• Da Zao (Fructus Jujubae)
• Ge Gen (Radix Puerariae Lobatae)
• Gui Zhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi)

Available in capsules and granules. Browse more herbal formulas or the full Evergreen collection. For hair loss with a different root cause, see Skin Health.

Selected and reviewed by Dr. Stacee Munroe, OMD, L.Ac., NCBAHM board-certified. Last reviewed 18 August 2026.