Vein-related disorders have become one of the most frequent chronic diseases amongst Americans – 50% of them are experiencing at least a minor case of chronic venous insufficiency – a condition of damaged vein valves and poor blood circulation that typically results in varicose veins. Various factors affect the development of varicose veins: genetics, hormonal changes, increasing age, pregnancies, etc. and our current lifestyles of frequent sitting is not helping either.

When people first notice the symptoms of varicose veins, such as heavy and tired legs, swollen ankles, night cramps and discoloration, the tendency is to try out various over-the-counter medications or natural remedies rather than seek medical attention. The market is now flooded with a plethora of natural creams, teas and tablets and it is becoming increasing hard to decide what is worth trying. That’s why we are going to look into one specific natural remedy recommended for vein-related issues – marigold.

Marigold, also known as Calendula Officinalis, is a plant from the Asteraceae family, native to Southern Europe. The characteristic yellow or orange color and specific aroma make it a perfect choice for your garden, but marigold has a lot more potential than that – pot marigold florets are edible and thus often used as a garnish or in salads. Probably because of its high content of beta-Carotene, marigold flowers have been used in ancient Greek, Roman and Indian cultures as medicinal herbs. One agent is even more important for vein-related disorders – flavonoids. Flavonoids, sometimes called bioflavonoids, were formerly referred to as Vitamin P, and they have a lot of health benefits: they are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antibacterial, antiviral, etc. What’s more, recent studies have shown that flavonoids have a positive effect when treating cardiovascular diseases: they help blood circulation, reduce arterial blood pressure and hypertension, prevent blood clot formation and reduce atherosclerosis.

These are all very powerful attributes when fighting vein-related disorders. Unfortunately, there have not been any official research or conclusions published about the positive effect of marigold on varicose veins. That should not stop you from giving marigold extracts and products a chance. Keep in mind though, that if you are experiencing symptoms of varicose and spider veins, it is still advisable to discuss it with your physician and have your legs thoroughly examined by a medical professional. After all, varicose veins could be caused by a severe underlying condition that herbal products and natural remedies simply do not have the power to overcome.