Triphala Benefits, Side Effects and How to take

Triphala or triphala (powder) is a renowned Ayurvedic formulation which is made from three fruits namely amla (Emblica Officinalis), Bibhitaki or Baheda (Terminalia bellirica) and haritaki or harad (Terminalia chebula). In fact, the name Triphala literally translates to “three fruits” (tri = three and phala= fruit). In  Ayurveda, Triphala is sought mainly for its “rasayana” properties which means this formulation is very effective in maintaining the health and vitality of the body and preventing the occurrence of diseases.

Triphala powder is the combination of the following herbs.

• Amla (Emblica Officinalis):
  One of the most common fruits available all over the country, it is also commonly known as Indian gooseberry. The amla fruit is rich in fibre, antioxidants, minerals and its one of the richest source of Vitamin C in the world. It is generally used for maintaining good gut health, for avoiding constipation, for fighting infections and as an anti-ageing fruit.
• Baheda (Terminalia bellirica):
  This plant is found throughout the Indian subcontinent and has found its uses in the medicinal system and Ayurveda in the form of an antipyretic, antioxidant, hepatoprotective (good for liver), in the treatment of respiratory problems and as an anti-diabetic. According to Ayurveda, baheda fruit is rich in a lot of biological compounds like glucoside, tannins, gallic acid, ethyl gallate etc. Together, these compounds are responsible for most of the health benefits of baheda.
• Harad (Terminalia chebula):
  Harad is the most important herb known to Ayurveda. Its health benefits range from being an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing to being an excellent wound healing agent. Its benefits in restoring and maintaining the normal functioning of the liver, stomach, heart, and bladder are well known in Ayurveda. In fact, it is rightly called “King of medicine”.

Triphala is first of all a rejuvenating herb in Ayurveda but its used in the treatment of a number of diseases. In fact, in Ayurveda, it is believed that Triphala takes care of your body as much as your own mother would take care of you. What is so great about this formulation? One might ask. So, let’s explore some of the health benefits of Triphala:

• Weight loss: Consumption of Triphala assists in the process of weight loss as apparent by several clinical studies. As compared to controls, study subjects who were given Triphala lost more weight and even had a lesser waist and hip circumference.
• Eyes: Triphala is an important component of Ayurvedic formulations used for the management of cataract and glaucoma. Clinical studies also confirm the anti-cataract and eyesight-improving benefit of this herb.
• Hair: Triphala has protective benefits for your hair and is commonly used as a remedy to ward off early greying of hair. It also helps in reducing hair fall and provides your scalp with all the desired nutrition when applied topically.
• Abdominal issues: Flatulence, constipation, bloating and irregular bowels form a majority of the abdominal issues. Studies have found that the inclusion of Triphala in the diet helps manage these common digestive complaints and thus helps to get rid of excess toxins in the body.
• Periodontitis: The antimicrobial activities of Triphala warrants its use in the management of common oral problems like gum disorders and periodontitis. When used as a mouthwash along with chlorhexidine, it helped to reduce plaque build-up and improve oral health.  
• Antimicrobial: Triphala has been used as an antimicrobial agent for the treatment of several infections and even clinical studies have supported this use. Triphala is evidenced to have an effect against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio cholerae.
• Antioxidant: Triphala has been confirmed as an antioxidant food due to its rich vitamin C content. Thus, it will help to protect your body against harmful and damaging effects of free radicals.
• Diabetes: Triphala has been evidenced to have an anti-diabetic effect by having a function on the hormone insulin. It works by reducing the accumulation and release of glucose in the bloodstream.

Triphala is generally considered very safe for long-term consumption. Even if you are an otherwise healthy person you can take Triphala for its nutritive benefits. But it does have some side effects which should be taken into consideration before adding Triphala to your diet.

• Triphala is a natural laxative. While it's very beneficial when taken in moderation, an overdose of triphala can lead to diarrhoea and dysentery.
• If you are already on a prescribed medication, it's better to ask your Ayurveda doctor before adding Triphala to your diet as it can interfere with the actions of the medicines.
• There are no scientific proofs of the safety of Triphala for pregnant and nursing mothers so pregnant women are advised to not take triphala in any form or consult your doctor before using it.
• Triphala should not be given to children.
• Some people complain of sleep disruption after taking triphala but that would depend on the dosage of the powder.

Triphala is most commonly taken in the form of a powder or Triphala “churna” but it is also available commercially in the form of tablets, capsules and Triphala juice or ras. For topical use Triphala can also be used in the form of an oil.

The ratio of the amount of the three herbs for preparing Triphala powder varies with the individual body type but generally, the three herbs are added in the 1 (harad) 2 (baheda 4 (amla) ratio.  ½ tsp of the powder can then be taken with water (in the form of a tea) either early in the morning or at night after your meals.

Ayurvedic doctors suggest taking Triphala separately as three churnas in their 1:2:4 ratio. The baheda churna is suggested to be taken right before the meal, the amla churna is suggested to be taken right after the meal and the harad churna is suggested to be consumed at least  2-3 hours after the meal. According to Ayurveda, all of these powders should be taken with ghee and honey for best results.

Regular consumption of triphala is known to be very effective in improving the digestion and supplementing the essential minerals and nutrients for the body. However, if you really want to make this health-boosting ayurvedic formulation at home, It is highly recommended to refer to your Ayurveda doctor for the dosage and methods of making triphala churna.

Triphala Guggulu, which is often confused with triphala is a slightly different formulation which adds long pepper and guggulu (myrrh resin) to the triphala fruits and is used as an anti-inflammatory preparation in Ayurveda.

Triphala can be taken on an empty stomach or after meals as per the physician’s recommendation. A general dosage of ½ tsp of triphala powder can be taken in the form of tea once a day.Triphala powder can be taken twice a day with ghee or honey but the amount of powder in each dose, in this case, would be different from that taken with water. The dosage of Triphala varies according to the body type, age, gender and other factors but ayurvedic doctors suggest that the daily dose of triphala for adults should not exceed 2 tsp.

The dose of Triphala capsules, syrup and tablets would vary as per the potency of the triphala product and as per individual body type and physiology. So, if you want to enjoy the specific medical benefits of this ayurvedic churna, it’s better to refer to an ayurvedic doctor to know the proper dosage of triphala for you.