Horse Chestnut has been in health news for some time but you may be asking yourself, what exactly is Horse Chestnut, and what does it do?

Also known as Aesculus hippocastanum, the horse chestnut is found all over Europe and North America but was once native to Greece and Asia. The fruits of the tree - spiny capsules with one to three seeds are known as horse chestnuts. Traditionally, the leaves, bark and even the flowers were used for medicinal purposes. The seeds are peeled and pulped for their extract. The seeds are rich in bioactive ingredients such as aescin (or escin) and rutin.

Horse chestnuts have been used for centuries to support vein health. It is still widely used in Europe for its medicinal properties. In fact, the FDA counterpart in Germany called Commission E, has endorsed Horse Chestnut extract for venal health support. In the United States, Medline Plus has rated the use of Horse Chestnuts for venal health an "A" because it is supported by strong scientific evidence.

Uses of Horse Chestnut Horse chestnut is used in a variety of different ways, but the most popular and effective is to promote vascular health. Veins carry oxygen depleted blood back to the heart. There are special valves in the veins that prevent blood from flowing backward. But, when these valves become weak or stop working, blood begins to pool in the veins, stretching them and making them swollen. The European horse chestnut is said to contain many active compounds which help to promote normal blood flow and support venal health.

Rutin, an active ingredient in horse chestnut seeds, is believed to support vascular health by strengthening fragile capillaries. Aescin is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties and to promote proper circulation of blood. In addition to supplementing your diet with horse chestnuts, you can also support vascular health by.

• Exercise - Exercise helps to maintain body weight, improve blood circulation as well as tone and build muscle – all necessary to improve vascular health
• Compression stockings – Supplement your daily intake of horse chestnut along with traditional recommendations such as wearing support hose or compression stockings. Both work towards keeping the blood flowing to your heart and lessening the incidences of weak veins.
• Butcher’s Broom and Buckwheat – Horse chestnut along with buckwheat and Butcher’s broom all contain Rutin that can help protect capillaries.

Before taking horse chestnut supplements, please ask your doctor to make sure that it does not conflict with any medical conditions you may have or any medication you are taking.

If you are concerned about your veins, visit your doctor for a checkup. Good vein health can be supported by losing extra weight, exercising, including enough fiber in your diet and by supplementation. Vein Matrix is a targeted blend of vitamin C, horse chestnut, Butcher’s broom, diosmin and antioxidants that nutritionally support vein health.