Herbs & Spices · Chinese herbs

Schisandra Berry: Benefits, Dosage, Tea & Side Effects

What schisandra berry is, what human trials show for liver enzymes, menopause symptoms, strength, stress and blood sugar, how to take it as tea, powder and extract, and who should skip it.

By Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS·18-min read

Meet the Medical Advisory Board

Evidence-based30 sources citedUpdated October 21, 2026

Published Oct 21, 2026Last updated Oct 21, 2026Editorial policyMedical review policyFact-checking policy

Schisandra berries, the five-flavor fruit of Chinese and Russian medicine.

The Dr. Axe Score™

7.1/10

Overall Dr. Axe Score · Schisandra Berry

Schisandra scores 7.1 for a traditional record that spans the pharmacopoeias of China, Japan and Korea and the USSR's official medicine, placebo-controlled trials for menopause symptoms, leg strength and blood sugar with a soybean mixture, older controlled liver-enzyme research, and good tolerance in short trials.

Scientific Evidence

5.0/10

Small placebo-controlled trials for menopause symptoms, leg strength and blood sugar with soybean, plus older Chinese liver-enzyme and Russian stamina studies.

Traditional Medicine

9.0/10

Listed in the pharmacopoeias of China, Japan and Korea and in the USSR's official medicine since the 1960s; the five-flavor berry of Chinese medicine.

Clinical Effectiveness

7.0/10

Our judgment: supports liver-enzyme recovery at 4 weeks, eased menopause symptoms through week 12 after 6 weeks of treatment, and added leg strength over 12 weeks, with regular walking in one trial.

Safety

8.0/10

Well tolerated in 12-week trials; can cause heartburn or stomach upset.

Why this score?

Why Schisandra Berry scores 7.1 / 10

Weighting: Evidence 30% · Traditional Medicine 25% · Clinical Effectiveness 25% · Safety 20% (5.0×0.30 + 9.0×0.25 + 7.0×0.25 + 8.0×0.20 = 1.50 + 2.25 + 1.75 + 1.60 = 7.10, shown as 7.1). How we score

A transparent, weighted index built for supplements. See how it’s calculated →

Interaction check: High. It changes how the liver processes many medications; ask first if you take any.2

Transplant and immune-suppressing drugs (tacrolimus, sirolimus, cyclosporine): a southern-schisandra extract raised tacrolimus exposure by 164% in healthy men, raised blood levels by 339% at the same dose in liver-transplant patients, and let kidney-transplant patients who are CYP3A5 expressers (people who clear tacrolimus quickly) use 41% less tacrolimus; sirolimus exposure roughly doubled.21 22 23 24 Don't take schisandra on these drugs unless your transplant team is managing it with blood levels. In China it is sometimes used deliberately for that purpose, under monitoring.23 The WHO also lists cyclosporin.1

Other medicines the liver clears through CYP3A4, especially sedatives: the same southern species raised midazolam exposure by 119% in healthy men.25 Schisandra lignans block CYP3A4 in human liver enzymes, and in rats short-term use raised a CYP3A drug's levels while long-term use lowered them.28 29 Human liver-cell tests predict the same interaction for S. chinensis.20 If you take a prescription drug, ask your pharmacist whether the liver clears it through CYP3A4 before you start. People who take other supplements, such as citrus bergamot, can ask their pharmacist the same question.

P-glycoprotein medicines: S. chinensis extract, 300 mg twice daily for 14 days, raised exposure to the beta-blocker talinolol by 47% in healthy men.26

Warfarin: schisandra sped warfarin clearance in rats, and the WHO lists warfarin among medicines to combine only under supervision.11 1 On warfarin, have your INR checked after starting or stopping schisandra.

Sedatives and alcohol: the WHO advises against combining schisandra with central nervous system depressants.1

Diabetes medicine: an omija-soybean mixture lowered fasting glucose modestly, so check your blood sugar after you start.9

Interactions are rated separately and don't change the score.

Dr. Axe Protocol

Anti-Inflammatory Reset

30-day protocol

The complete root-cause framework for cooling chronic inflammation — and easing the aches, stiffness, puffiness, fatigue and brain fog that sit upstream of nearly every chronic disease.

A symptom self-check
The four-phase plan
A 7-day meal plan

Free with your Dr. Axe account

View the protocol →

Dr. Josh Axe Vitamin Advisor · 4–5 questions

Which supplements belong in your top 5?

What's your biggest goal right now?

Schisandra at a glance

Schisandra is the five-flavor berry of Chinese and Russian medicine, an adaptogen whose best human results are for liver enzymes, menopause symptoms and leg strength added to regular walking.1 5 6 7

Liver: in a controlled trial of 189 adults with chronic hepatitis B, 68% had normal ALT at 4 weeks on schisandra fruit extract; 44% in the comparison group reached normal ALT, with an average recovery time of 8 weeks1
Menopause: in a placebo-controlled trial, 36 women who finished took schisandra or a placebo (18 each) for 6 weeks, and overall symptom scores were lower than placebo through week 12; the researchers named hot flushes, sweating and palpitations as the symptoms it helped most6
Strength: in a placebo-controlled trial of 54 adults over 50 who walked regularly, right knee strength rose 10.2 Nm (newton-meters) and left knee strength 6.7 Nm more than placebo in 12 weeks7
Check first: the interaction rating is High (transplant drugs and other medicines the liver clears through CYP3A4), and anyone on prescription medicine reads the safety section first

Schisandra is the small red fruit of Schisandra chinensis, a berry that tastes sour, sweet, salty, bitter and pungent all at once. In Chinese medicine it is called wu wei zi, the five-flavor berry, and it has been a favorite adaptogen in China and Russia for generations.2 People study it for liver enzymes, menopause symptoms, leg strength, stamina and stress.

The berry is listed in the pharmacopoeias of China, Japan and Korea.1 Modern placebo-controlled trials have tested it for menopause symptoms, leg strength and blood sugar, alongside older controlled liver-enzyme research.1 6 7 9

Schisandra berry is one of my favorite Chinese medicine supplements. It's really unique in that it not only supports the adrenals and the kidneys, it also supports the liver.Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNSFrom 8 Adaptogen Herbs to Heal Adrenals and Reduce Stress, The Dr. Axe Show (2017), at 3:54

Get the free Anti-Inflammatory Reset

This free 30-day protocol works on inflammation from the inside, starting with your plate. It lays out:

A 30-day plan in four phases: remove, cool, repair and maintain
The anti-inflammatory herbs and nutrients that work, ranked
Seven days of meals, planned for you
The inflammation tests worth running, with an hs-CRP retest at day 30

Free with your Dr. Axe account (email or Google). You'll also get the protocol's short email series and the Dr. Axe newsletter; unsubscribe anytime.

Open the free protocol →

Did you know?

Schisandra fruit carries about 30 lignans, led by schizandrin, gomisin A, deoxyschizandrin and γ-schizandrin.1
China's pharmacopoeia accepts both the northern species, Schisandra chinensis, and the southern species, Schisandra sphenanthera.1
The pulp is sour and the seed is pungent and slightly bitter.1

What is schisandra berry?

Quick answer

Schisandra berry is the dried fruit of Schisandra chinensis, also spelled schizandra, a vine fruit used in traditional Chinese medicine and Russian medicine as a tonic and adaptogen.1 3 Its best-known compounds are lignans called schisandrins.1 2

Schisandra grows as a vine with clusters of red berries. The northern species, Schisandra chinensis, is the subject of this page and of the modern trials below.1 The southern species, Schisandra sphenanthera, is accepted in China's pharmacopoeia too.1

In traditional Chinese medicine, schisandra is warming, sour with all five flavors, and tied to the lungs, heart and kidneys. It is used for what I describe as leaky energy: night sweats, chronic cough, frequent urination, poor sleep and a scattered mind. It holds energy in.2 Traditional uses recorded by the World Health Organization include chronic cough and asthma, urinary disorders and a general tonic for fatigue, with astringent, cough-calming and calming actions.1 In TCM, schisandra is one of the few herbs believed to balance all three treasures: jing (deep reserves), qi (energy) and shen (mind and spirit).17

A short history of schisandra

Chinese medicine has used wu wei zi for centuries, and Korean medicine knows the fruit as o-mi-ja.1 Russian researchers studied it through the middle of the last century, and after two decades of Russian research it was recognized as an adaptogen in USSR official medicine in the early 1960s; it was later listed in the USSR National Pharmacopoeia.3 In healthy subjects, those Russian studies reported better endurance, accuracy of movement, mental performance and working capacity.3

What is schisandra good for?

Quick answer

Schisandra is best studied for liver enzymes, where a controlled trial found 68% of people with hepatitis B back to normal ALT at 4 weeks, and it has placebo-controlled trials for menopause symptoms, leg strength with walking, and blood sugar as part of an omija-soybean mixture.1 6 7 9

Where the research stands

The human record is small placebo-controlled trials of 28 to 80 people, one larger controlled liver-enzyme trial of 189 people summarized by the World Health Organization, and older Soviet-era stamina studies.1 3 Several trials used schisandra mixed with another ingredient, and no systematic review has yet pooled schisandra trials for the benefits on this page.

Schisandra benefits, graded by evidence (updated October 2026). Evidence labels are editorial judgments that compare these uses with each other; they aren't formal certainty ratings.
Use	Evidence	What was studied	What the research shows
Liver enzymes	Moderate	Fruit extract; extract with sesamin	68% normal ALT at 4 weeks on schisandra; 44% in the comparison group, whose average recovery took 8 weeks; ALT and AST clearly fell with sesamin1 5
Menopause symptoms	Emerging	Fruit extract	Lower overall symptom scores than placebo through week 12 after 6 weeks of schisandra or placebo; researchers named hot flushes, sweating and palpitations as helped most6
Muscle strength with exercise	Moderate	Fruit extract, 1,000 mg a day	Knee strength rose more than placebo; muscle size didn't change7 8
Stress and mental performance	Emerging	Blend with rhodiola and eleuthero; fruit and extract	Better attention, speed and accuracy after one dose of the blend14
Blood sugar	Emerging	Omija extract mixed with soybean	Fasting glucose fell 5.62 mg/dL, against a rise of 0.66 on placebo9
Cough, sweating and sleep	Traditional	Dried fruit	Traditional uses include chronic cough, excessive sweating and insomnia1 16

Schisandra benefits: what the human studies show

I rank liver support first for schisandra, then endurance, focus and stress resilience.2 Here are the human studies behind each use.

Liver enzyme support

Moderate evidenceHuman studyControlled trial of 189 adults; placebo-controlled mixture trial of 40 adults

In a controlled trial of 189 adults with chronic hepatitis B and raised liver enzymes, 68% had normal ALT at 4 weeks on schisandra fruit extract; 44% taking liver extracts and vitamins reached normal ALT, with an average recovery time of 8 weeks.1 In a placebo-controlled trial of 40 adults with mildly raised liver enzymes, ALT and AST clearly fell over 5 months in the group taking schisandra extract with sesamin, and fatty liver improved.5 The liver section covers both trials.

Study takeaway: liver enzymes returned to normal in 68% on schisandra at 4 weeks; 44% in the comparison group reached normal, averaging 8 weeks to recover.

Menopause symptom relief

Emerging evidenceHuman studyPlacebo-controlled trial · 36 women who finished

In a placebo-controlled trial of 36 women with menopausal symptoms who took schisandra or a placebo for 6 weeks, overall scores on the Kupperman Index, a menopause symptom score, were significantly lower than placebo through week 12; the researchers named hot flushes, sweating and heart palpitations as the symptoms it helped most.6 The menopause section has the details.

Study takeaway: menopausal symptom scores were lower than placebo through week 12 after 6 weeks of treatment; researchers named hot flushes and sweating among the symptoms helped most.

Leg strength with regular walking

Moderate evidenceHuman studyPlacebo-controlled trials · 54 adults over 50; 52 postmenopausal women

In a placebo-controlled trial of 54 adults over 50 with low muscle mass who also walked regularly, right knee strength rose 10.2 Nm and left knee strength 6.7 Nm more than placebo in 12 weeks on 1,000 mg of extract a day, with no adverse events.7 In a placebo-controlled trial of 52 postmenopausal women, quadriceps strength rose and resting lactate fell.8 The strength section covers both.

Study takeaway: right knee strength rose 10.2 Nm and left 6.7 Nm more than placebo when schisandra joined a walking routine.

Focus under stress

Emerging evidenceHuman studyPlacebo-controlled single-dose blend trial · 40 women; older Soviet-era studies

In a placebo-controlled trial of 40 stressed women, one dose of a blend of schisandra, rhodiola and eleuthero improved attention, speed and accuracy two hours later.14 Older Soviet-era studies summarized by the WHO reported steadier heart rate and blood pressure in flight attendants and better work capacity in soldiers.1 The stress section explains the adaptogen use.

Study takeaway: attention, speed and accuracy improved after one dose of a schisandra blend.

Blood sugar support

Emerging evidenceHuman studyPlacebo-controlled mixture trial · 80 adults, 63 finished

In a placebo-controlled trial of 80 adults with fasting glucose of 100 to 139 mg/dL, an omija extract mixed with soybean lowered fasting glucose by 5.62 mg/dL, against a rise of 0.66 mg/dL on placebo, over 12 weeks.9 The blood sugar section has the after-meal numbers.

Study takeaway: fasting glucose fell 5.62 mg/dL on an omija-soybean mixture, against a small rise on placebo.

Traditional tonic uses

Traditional useTraditional useTraditional use in Chinese, Korean and Russian medicine

Chinese medicine has long used schisandra for chronic cough, excessive sweating, frequent urination, poor sleep and a scattered mind, and as a tonic for fatigue.1 2

Study takeaway: a traditional tonic for cough, sweating, sleep and scattered focus.

Is schisandra good for your liver?

Quick answer

Yes: in a controlled trial of 189 adults with chronic hepatitis B and raised ALT, 68% had normal ALT at 4 weeks on schisandra fruit extract; 44% taking liver extracts and vitamins reached normal ALT, with an average recovery time of 8 weeks.1 A placebo-controlled trial of schisandra with sesamin also lowered liver enzymes in 40 adults with mildly raised levels.5

The liver trial, as the WHO monograph summarizes it, gave 107 people an ethanol extract of the fruit with 20 mg of lignans a day, about 1.5 grams of fruit, while 82 people took liver extracts and vitamins. At 4 weeks, 72 of 107 (68%) in the schisandra group had normal ALT. In the comparison group, 36 of 82 (44%) reached normal ALT, with an average recovery time of 8 weeks. ALT rose again 6 to 12 weeks after people stopped, and most responded again when they restarted.1 Earlier Chinese reports without comparison groups, covering more than 5,000 hepatitis cases, found ALT normal in 75% after 20 days.1

Liver enzymes back to normal: schisandra group at 4 weeks

Source: Liu, 1991, as summarized in the WHO monograph on Fructus Schisandrae, 2007 [1]The schisandra group took an extract with 20 mg of lignans, about 1.5 g of fruit, a day.

The placebo-controlled mixture trial ran in Taiwan. Forty adults with borderline-high ALT or AST of 40 to 60 U/L took tablets of schisandra fruit extract combined with sesamin, from sesame, or a placebo for 5 months. In the schisandra-sesamin group, ALT and AST clearly fell, antioxidant capacity rose and fatty liver improved; bilirubin didn't change.5 In China, medicines made from schisandra fruit, and synthetic drugs modeled on one of its lignans, are prescribed for drug-induced liver injury.13

Schisandra is a berry used in Chinese medicine that protects the liver and supports it as well.Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNSFrom Hidden Signs Your Liver Is Sluggish (And What To Do Before It Becomes Serious), The Dr. Josh Axe Show (2026), at 39:50

I group schisandra with milk thistle, dandelion root and artichoke as liver herbs I'm a big fan of.12 Detox happens in the liver's two phases plus the gut, lymph, kidneys and skin, supported by cruciferous vegetables, NAC or glutathione, milk thistle, sweating, movement and hydration.17 Schisandra fits inside that plan as support alongside any hepatitis treatment your doctor has prescribed. For more on how the liver works, see liver function.

How schisandra supports the liver

Researchers have traced the berry's liver effects through its lignans, step by step:

1The berry's lignans

The fruit's active compounds are lignans, led by schizandrin.1

2A liver switch flips on

In human liver cells and rats, schisandra compounds activate PXR, a receptor that turns on the liver's drug- and toxin-clearing enzymes and the transporter MRP2.11

3Glutathione defenses rise

In mice, schisandrin B raised glutathione enzyme activity in the liver and strengthened glutathione inside liver mitochondria.10 30

4Liver cells hold up under a toxin

The same pretreatment protected mouse livers from carbon tetrachloride damage.10 30

5What people measured

Liver enzymes fell in people with raised levels in both human liver trials.1 5

If you take prescription medicine, read the interaction check in the safety section before starting schisandra.

Is schisandra good for women? Menopause symptoms

Yes, it eased symptoms in a placebo-controlled trial. Forty-one women aged 40 to 70 with menopausal symptoms were eligible for the trial in Seoul, and 36 completed it, taking schisandra fruit extract or a placebo for 6 weeks and then being followed to week 12. Neither the women nor the researchers knew who got what. Total Kupperman Index scores were significantly lower than placebo across the follow-up, and the authors pointed to hot flushes, sweating and heart palpitations as the symptoms that improved most.6

I call schisandra a good one for anti-aging, especially if you're going through menopause.27 It works inside a foundations-first plan: sleep, steady blood sugar, protein, a supported stress response, and herbs such as black cohosh, red clover and sage, plus magnesium. Our guides to perimenopause symptoms and menopause symptoms cover the rest, and the free Perimenopause & Menopause protocol lays out the full plan.

Can schisandra build strength?

Leg strength in adults over 50

Source: Cho et al. · Am J Clin Nutr, 2021 [7]Knee-extensor strength rose 10.2 Nm more than placebo on the right leg and 6.7 Nm more on the left.

Yes, alongside regular activity: leg strength rose more than placebo in two Korean placebo-controlled trials of 1,000 mg of extract a day for 12 weeks. In a placebo-controlled trial of 54 adults over 50 with relatively low muscle mass, everyone walked 30 to 60 minutes a day on more than 3 days a week. Knee-extensor strength rose more than placebo, by 10.2 Nm on the right leg and 6.7 Nm on the left. Muscle mass, inflammatory markers and quality of life didn't differ, and no adverse events occurred in any participant.7

In a placebo-controlled trial of 52 healthy postmenopausal women aged 55 to 78, 45 of whom finished, quadriceps strength rose within the schisandra group and didn't change on placebo, a significant difference between groups over time. The researchers calculated about 7.7%. Resting lactate, a blood marker, fell within the schisandra group and didn't change on placebo. Muscle mass, grip strength, balance and walking speed didn't differ.8 Age-related muscle loss, called sarcopenia, responds first to protein and resistance training, and schisandra joins that plan as support for strength.

Schisandra as an adaptogen: stress, energy and mental performance

Schisandra, for energy and clarity, is one of my top five ancient prescriptions for stress, alongside ashwagandha, rehmannia, holy basil, and reishi, chaga and cordyceps mushrooms.18 If you're under a lot of stress and your adrenals are fatigued, schisandra might be the adrenal supplement I favor most.4 Adrenal fatigue names a real, measurable pattern: a disrupted cortisol rhythm and brain-adrenal signaling that can be tested and improved. Endocrinology societies debate the label, and low cortisol needs testing rather than self-treatment. Start with sleep of 7 to 9 hours, steady blood sugar, daily down-regulation and connection, and test your cortisol levels by rhythm if fatigue persists. Our guide to foods that lower cortisol covers the plate side.

The mental-performance data come from blends and older studies. In a placebo-controlled trial of 40 healthy women who reported long-term stress, one 270 mg tablet of a fixed blend of schisandra, rhodiola and eleuthero improved attention, speed and accuracy on an attention test two hours later, with a trend toward fewer errors.14 Older Soviet-era studies summarized by the WHO found that in 59 flight attendants on seven 9-hour flights, heart rate and blood pressure rose during flights in the comparison group and didn't rise in the group taking 0.5 grams of extract, and that work capacity rose in soldiers and athletes 24 hours after 2 grams of extract.1

Rest comes first. "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).

Can schisandra lower blood sugar?

An omija-soybean mixture did, modestly. In that 12-week placebo-controlled trial, 63 people finished, and fasting glucose fell from 116.62 to 111.00 mg/dL at 500 mg a day, a fall of 5.62, against a rise of 0.66 on placebo; HbA1c didn't differ between groups. Blood sugar 30 and 60 minutes after a glucose drink, insulin at 60 minutes, fructosamine (a two- to three-week blood sugar marker), total insulin across the glucose test and LDL cholesterol were also lower than placebo.9

Fasting blood sugar after 12 weeks

Source: Kim et al. · Nutrients, 2022 [9]Change in fasting glucose over 12 weeks on an omija extract mixed with soybean.

In a separate 12-week placebo-controlled trial of 28 women with obesity, schisandra fruit raised gut Bacteroides and Bacteroidetes, and waist size, fat mass, fasting glucose and triglycerides tended to fall more than with placebo, though those measures didn't differ significantly.15 Diet, exercise and lifestyle do the heavy lifting for blood sugar, and supplements are support inside that plan. Our guide to normal blood sugar shows the numbers to aim for. If you take diabetes medicine, read the interaction check in the safety section first.

Markers worth tracking with schisandra

These markers track the same systems the schisandra trials measured and give you a baseline to retest against. None of them measures schisandra itself. Review your numbers with your practitioner.

ALT and AST: Liver enzymes that rise when liver cells are stressed. They fell in the liver trials on this page.1 5
Fasting glucose: Your morning blood sugar before food. It fell on an omija-soybean mixture in a placebo-controlled trial of 80 adults.9
Cortisol rhythm: Cortisol read across the day, not as one number, when stress and fatigue persist.

See the cellular bloodwork panel

Have results? Analyze them free →

How to take schisandra: tea, powder, extract and dosage

Quick answer

Take 500 to 1,000 mg of extract once or twice daily, or 1.5 to 6 grams of dried berries a day as tea, with food.2 1 Trials used 1,000 mg of extract a day for 12 weeks and about 1.5 grams of fruit a day for liver enzymes.7 8 1

Form	Amount	Notes
Extract (capsules)	500 to 1,000 mg, once or twice daily2	1,000 mg a day for 12 weeks in the strength trials7 8
Dried berries as tea	1.5 to 6 g a day2 1	My tea method is 1 to 3 grams steeped in hot water for 40 to 60 minutes18
Tincture	2 to 4 mL, twice daily2	Take with food
Powder	1 teaspoon in smoothies2	Blend with coconut milk or goat milk

Take schisandra with a meal.18 The strength and blood sugar trials ran 12 weeks, and liver-enzyme gains faded 6 to 12 weeks after people stopped.7 9 1 No cycling rule has been tested, so judge your response at 12 weeks with repeat labs where they apply.

Schisandra tea

Schisandra tea is tart. Steep 1 to 3 grams of dried berries in hot water for 40 to 60 minutes, then strain.18 If the sourness needs softening, stir in a teaspoon of raw local honey. Our guide to herbal teas covers other daily brews, and schisandra sits up there with goji berries as one of the top anti-aging berries in Chinese medicine.19

Brew the long-steep tea. Steep 1 to 3 grams of dried berries in hot water for 40 to 60 minutes.18

Take the extract with meals. My guide gives 500 to 1,000 mg once or twice daily, and the 12-week strength trial used a fixed 1,000 mg a day.2 7

Blend the powder. Stir 1 teaspoon into a smoothie with coconut milk or goat milk.2

Sweeten lightly. A teaspoon of raw local honey softens the sour edge.

Pair it with other adaptogens. Schisandra is listed with ashwagandha, reishi and cordyceps in my stress prescriptions.18

Keep the foundations first. Sleep, protein, walking and steady blood sugar support energy and strength.

How to choose a schisandra supplement

The species on the label: Schisandra chinensis fruit is the northern schisandra used in the modern trials.1
Milligrams of extract per capsule, so you can match 500 to 1,000 mg once or twice daily.2
Dried whole berries for tea, at 1.5 to 6 grams a day.1
Third-party testing for purity, with results the maker will share.

Want help fitting schisandra into your routine?

Ask Dr. Axe AI. Answers are grounded in this library, with sources shown.

Schisandra side effects, interactions and who should skip it

Quick answer

Schisandra is well tolerated at trial amounts: no one in either group of a 54-adult placebo-controlled trial had an adverse event over 12 weeks (1,000 mg a day or placebo), and the WHO lists heartburn, acid indigestion, stomach pain, reduced appetite, skin rashes and hives as reported reactions.7 1 Read the interaction check above if you take medicine.

Side effects in trials were few. In a placebo-controlled trial of 52 postmenopausal women, abdominal pain led two people in the placebo group to stop, and in the 80-person blood sugar trial, two mild events were judged unrelated.8 9 An overdose can cause restlessness, insomnia or shortness of breath.1

Skip schisandra during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.1 2 The WHO does not recommend it in pregnancy for lack of safety data on the developing baby, and it does not recommend it while nursing for lack of safety data.1 Separately, an uncontrolled report found the tincture brought on labor.1

Good to know before you take schisandra

Acid reflux: avoid schisandra with acid reflux; heartburn and acid indigestion are reported reactions.2 1 See heartburn for the full plan.
Children: schisandra hasn't been studied in children.
Liver warning signs: see a doctor promptly for yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine or pale stools alongside raised liver enzymes.
Allergic reactions: stop at hives, swelling or trouble breathing and get care right away.1

The bottom line

Is schisandra worth taking?

For most adults who want liver, stamina and stress support, yes. Schisandra returned liver enzymes to normal in 68% of people with hepatitis B in a controlled trial, eased menopause symptoms against placebo, and added leg strength in two 12-week trials, in one of which adults also walked regularly. Its record as the five-flavor berry of Chinese medicine and an official medicine in Russia carries weight with me, because it reflects generations of people noticing what helped them. The liver results are the best established, and the strength, menopause and blood sugar findings are promising.

Take 500 to 1,000 mg of extract once or twice daily with food, or steep the dried berries as tea, and read the interaction check if you take any prescription medicine. Used that way, schisandra gives a body designed to heal steady, daily support.

Get the free Anti-Inflammatory Reset

A 30-day plan in four phases, the anti-inflammatory herbs and nutrients that work, ranked, seven days of meals and the inflammation tests worth running. Free with your Dr. Axe account (email or Google). You'll also get the protocol's short email series and the Dr. Axe newsletter; unsubscribe anytime. Have recent bloodwork? Analyze it free.

Open the free protocol →

Schisandra: frequently asked questions

What is schisandra good for?

Schisandra is best studied for liver enzymes: in a controlled trial of 189 adults with chronic hepatitis B, 68% had normal ALT at 4 weeks on fruit extract; 44% in the comparison group reached normal ALT, with an average recovery time of 8 weeks.1 It also eased menopause symptoms in a placebo-controlled trial of 36 women, added leg strength in placebo-controlled trials of 54 and 52 adults, with regular walking in the 54-adult trial, and lowered fasting glucose as part of an omija-soybean mixture in 80 adults.6 7 8 9

Is schisandra good for your liver?

Yes: in a controlled trial of 189 adults with chronic hepatitis B, 68% had normal ALT at 4 weeks on schisandra fruit extract; 44% taking liver extracts and vitamins reached normal ALT, with an average recovery time of 8 weeks.1 A placebo-controlled trial of schisandra with sesamin also lowered ALT and AST in 40 adults with mildly raised enzymes.5

Is schisandra good for women?

Yes, for menopause symptoms: in a placebo-controlled trial, 36 women who finished took schisandra or a placebo (18 each) for 6 weeks, and overall symptom scores were lower than placebo through week 12; the researchers named hot flushes, sweating and palpitations as the symptoms it helped most.6

Is schisandra good for men?

Yes: in a placebo-controlled trial of 54 adults over 50 who walked regularly, right knee strength rose 10.2 Nm and left knee strength 6.7 Nm more than placebo in 12 weeks.7 The liver and stamina research on this page applies to men as well.

Is schisandra good for adrenal fatigue?

Yes: schisandra is an adrenal supplement I favor when stress runs high and the adrenals feel fatigued, as support for the cortisol rhythm alongside sleep, steady blood sugar and daily down-regulation.4 Suspected low cortisol needs testing.

How much schisandra should I take a day?

Take 500 to 1,000 mg of extract once or twice daily, or 1.5 to 6 grams of dried berries a day as tea, with food.2 1 Trials used 1,000 mg of extract a day for 12 weeks.7 8

How do you make schisandra tea?

Steep 1 to 3 grams of dried berries in hot water for 40 to 60 minutes, then strain.18 The tea is sour, so a teaspoon of raw local honey softens it if you like.

What does schisandra taste like?

Schisandra tastes sour, sweet, salty, bitter and pungent all at once, which is why Chinese medicine calls it the five-flavor berry.2 The pulp is sour and the seed is pungent and slightly bitter.1

Can you take schisandra with rhodiola or ashwagandha?

Yes: schisandra, rhodiola and eleuthero were taken together in a placebo-controlled trial of 40 stressed women, where one dose of the blend improved attention, speed and accuracy.14 I list schisandra with ashwagandha, holy basil and the medicinal mushrooms in my stress prescriptions.18 Take each herb at its own dose.

Is schisandra good for your skin?

In Chinese medicine, schisandra is one of the top anti-aging berries, up there with goji.19 No human trial has tested the berry taken by mouth for skin, so use it for its studied liver, stamina and stress roles.

What are the side effects of schisandra?

Side effects are uncommon at trial amounts: no one in either group of a 54-adult placebo-controlled trial had an adverse event over 12 weeks (1,000 mg a day or placebo), and the WHO lists heartburn, acid indigestion, stomach pain, reduced appetite, skin rashes and hives.7 1 Schisandra interacts with transplant drugs and other medicines the liver clears, as the safety section explains.

Is schisandra safe during pregnancy?

Skip schisandra during pregnancy and while breastfeeding: the WHO does not recommend it in pregnancy for lack of safety data on the developing baby, and it does not recommend it while nursing for lack of safety data.1 My guide gives the same guidance.2

Does schisandra interact with medications?

Yes: a southern-schisandra extract raised tacrolimus exposure by 164% in healthy men and roughly doubled sirolimus exposure, and S. chinensis raised exposure to (blood levels of) the beta-blocker talinolol by 47%.21 24 26 Read the interaction check in the safety section before combining schisandra with any prescription medicine.

Freshness & update log

October 21, 2026 — Rewrote the page in full. The previous version carried no Dr. Axe Score, no numbered references and no FAQ; presented a tacrolimus blood-level rise after liver transplant as a benefit; reported a 28-person trial as lowering waist size, fat mass, glucose and triglycerides against placebo; assured readers schisandra could be taken long term without negative side effects; and listed cancer, atherosclerosis, sexual function, bone density, psychiatric conditions, hepatitis C and skin protection among its uses. This version moves the transplant-drug effect into a High interaction check, corrects that trial to no significant difference from placebo, drops the unsupported safety assurance and those uses, adds a Dr. Axe Score (7.1), reports the human trials for liver enzymes, menopause symptoms, leg strength, focus under stress and blood sugar with their designs and numbers, adds Dr. Axe's doses and tea method, three charts and a step diagram, and gathers safety, pregnancy and medication guidance in one section, with 30 references.

February 20, 2023 — Previous version published.

References

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS

Doctor of Natural Medicine · Founder, DrAxe.com

Dr. Axe is a certified doctor of natural medicine, clinical nutritionist, and multiple New York Times bestselling author. He has spent 20+ years in clinical practice helping people heal at the root cause and founded one of the most-visited natural-health platforms in the world.

Read the full bio →

This article is for educational purposes. See our medical disclaimer.

On this page

What is it?
What is it good for?
Benefits
Liver
Menopause
Strength
Stress & energy
Blood sugar
How to take it
Side effects
The bottom line
Is schisandra worth taking?
FAQ

Quick facts

What it isThe five-flavor berry of Chinese and Russian medicine, an adaptogen
Best studied forLiver enzymes, menopause symptoms, leg strength with exercise
How to take itExtract 500 to 1,000 mg once or twice daily; dried berries 1.5 to 6 g a day as tea
TasteSour, sweet, salty, bitter and pungent all at once; the pulp is sour
Skip itDuring pregnancy and while breastfeeding
Interaction checkHigh (transplant drugs and other medicines the liver clears through CYP3A4)

Ask Dr. Axe AI

Ask a question→

Dr. Axe Protocol

Anti-Inflammatory Reset

30-day protocol

Free with your Dr. Axe account

View the protocol →