• Take tonics regularly for at least 3 months, on up to 9 months (a usual course for moderate deficiencies) or even for years with chronic or severe deficiencies (AIDS).
• Tonics are not suitable for people with excess conditions, such as robust individuals who have a stimulating diet with atherosclerosis.
• Tonics are warming, so excess amounts must be avoided during the acute phases of pathological heat-type infections--or use sparingly with cool, heat-clearing herbs, such as oregon grape root.
• Tonics are often sticky and moistening (rehmannia), so they should be used cautiously with damp, stagnant spleen conditions (add aromatic, pungent herbs like atractylodes or ginger to counteract this tendency) and with overweight people.

Shu di huang   rehmannia rt           ht, liv, ki    fatigue, poor sleep, chronic fatigue,     
               (prepared)                            infertility, impotence                    
He shou wu     Polygonum              liv, ki        weak heart, palpitations, involuntary     
               multiflorum rt                        seminal emission                          
Dang gui       Angelica sinensis rt   ht, liv, sp    menstual imbalances, infertility,         
                                                     constipation during menstruation,         
                                                     menstrual pain                            
Bai shao*      Peonia alba rt         liv            pain, excessive menstual bleeding
**P.    
                                                     californica avail. Santa Lucia mts.,      
                                                     south; P. alba is a common ornamental     
Gou qi zi      Lycium fr              liv, ki        increases production of sperm and         
                                                     blood, supports vision                    
Nettles lf*                           liv, ki        prostatitis, fatigue, poor sperm          
                                                     production, scanty menstrual flow         
Yellow                                   liv, li        constipation, poor fat digestion, low     
dock
root*                                           hematocrit during pregnancy               
Spirulina*                            liv, ki, ht    low hematocrit, protein deficiency in     
                                                     vegetarians, low sperm count              
Sea                                   ki, ht, liv    slow metabolism, overweight,              
vegetation*                                          neurasthenia, weakness due to anemia