CANCER

Pueraria mirifica: The Real Life Fountain Of Youth

Herbal Remedy From Thailand

Pueraria mirifica (also known as Kwao Krua or Butea Superba) is a plant found only in Thailand and parts of Burma; 99% is grown in Thailand. Menopausal women, have been using Pueraria Mirifica for 700 years.

The region where this plant is grown is remarkable for its low rate of breast cancer and impressive longevity, which alerted scientists to something good going on. The lucky women get to use this local plant and the benefits are enormous and the science is building all the time.

Men should use it too, especially as they age, since men are increasingly exposed to old-age estrogens (“male estrogen”).

The active ingredients seem to be miroestrol and deoxymiroestrol. These have been shown to be 3,000 more potent as estrogens than soy isoflavones and, according to Dr. Garry Gordon MD, Pueraria mirifica “Makes Black Cohosh and Red Clover look like placebos.”

Mirifica means “miracle” and it seems as if we have a miracle herb on our hands.

There are in fact 13 species of Pueraria growing in Thailand and much confusion results over what is an effective preparation and what isn’t. Given its growing international reputation, the Thai government vigorously protects its authentic provenance. Buyers should seek out only sources with an official license.

All else is suspect and some products are clearly fraudulent.

For the avoidance of confusion: Butea (a completely different species) is Red Kwao Krua and Pueraria is called White Kwao Krua. Black Kwao Krua is a totally different species and has little to no valid research. Unlike White Kwao Krua, Black and Red Kwao Krua grow throughout most of South East Asia.

I have heard it said that identifying the correct PM species is very difficult and gatherers have to tour the jungle in spring, marking the plants with the correct flowers, ready for identification when harvesting comes around.

The Problem

What Problem? Well, it is an estrogen mimic and ought to make estrogen dominance worse. But the fact it is doesn’t. This blessed little herb is truly a gift to women tormented by their hormones (the majority). It works by attaching to estrogen receptors, so that real estrogen is rendered ineffective, but it does so without stimulating the receptors in a dangerous way.

This is sometimes called estrogen inhibition.

It actually works as well as the drug Tamoxifen, to reduce risk of breast cancer cells proliferating. There is much more to research on this incredible story, which it appears should be in the diet of every women from adolescence on, so that we bring breast cancer rates down to those in Northern Thailand, which is proven to be the lowest in the world.

Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs)

Pueraria in one of a group of emergent compounds, which includes the drug Tamoxifen, called selective estrogen receptor modulators or SERMs.

SERMs are called “selective” because they bind to particular estrogen receptors. SERMs do not prevent the production of estrogen, but they help to slow or stop the growth of estrogen-sensitive cancer cells by starving them of a full dose of natural estrogen.

There are other beneficial side effects, such as lowering cholesterol and protecting bone health for post-menopausal women, keeping the skeleton and joints strong and preventing breaks and fractures.

As an adaptogen, PM does not exhibit a rise in blood or urine estrogen levels.
The latest remarkable discovery is that SERMs can protect your telomeres and that is a number one result for anti-aging (more of that in a moment).

Breast Enlargement

It’s a side effect of PM but it’s one that many women seek. Pueraria mirifica is now being promoted commercially for breast enhancement. You can buy it on eBay. Someone is even producing a chewing gum called B2Up (Bust-up Gum). Predictably, I suppose, it was a big hit in Japan, where girls long for (supposed) Western-style melons on their chest. Surprisingly, all this is borne out by science.

The first acknowledged human study on breast enhancement was done in 1999 by Professors Kuramoshi (Japanese) and Yuthana (Thai). They tested pure-certified PM species on 50 Japanese women, between 20 and 49 years old. Overall, more than 70% in each group demonstrated breast enlargement or firming.

Further tests carried out in England found that the plant had a beneficial effect on the skin and hair, as well as the breasts.

Just remember, if that’s your reason for taking it, it’s not 100% certain.

Beware: there are fakes with synthetic breast-enlargement additives. One cream, sold in Malaysia, has evidence of containing synthetic hormonal precursors.