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GUT HEALTH

Yellow Dock

Rumex crispus

also known as curly dock

Moderate (traditional + iron support)

A common roadside weed with deeply curled leaves and a long taproot, used by Indigenous peoples and 19th-century herbalists across North America and Europe. Yellow dock has a particular place as a gentle iron tonic — the plant accumulates iron from soil, and traditional iron preparations like 'yellow dock and molasses' have been used for mild anemia for generations.

Traditional use as a gentle iron tonic for mild anemia, especially the syrup made with molasses
Mild laxative action — useful for occasional constipation, gentler than stimulant laxatives
Bitter digestive support — stimulates bile flow and digestive secretions
Long traditional use as a 'blood cleanser' or alterative herb
Topical use traditionally associated with skin conditions, particularly itchy or weeping rashes
Generally well tolerated in small to moderate amounts as tea or tincture

Contains oxalates — skip with kidney stones (calcium oxalate type) and use caution with kidney disease

High oxalate content means yellow dock should not be eaten as a green vegetable in large quantities

Long-term laxative use can lead to dependence and electrolyte imbalance

Skip during pregnancy and nursing

Use caution with diuretics and other laxatives — additive effects

Use caution with digoxin — high doses of yellow dock may affect potassium levels

Skip with diarrhea or inflammatory bowel conditions

Memorial Sloan Kettering About Herbs · EMA Herbal Medicinal Product Monographs · American Botanical Council HerbMedPro · Memorial Sloan Kettering About Herbs · EMA Herbal Medicinal Product Monographs · American Botanical Council HerbMedPro

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