Explore stinging nettle: Benefits, uses, and side effects

What is stinging nettle?

It will probably surprise anyone who’s been stung by one to hear that stinging nettle benefits your health! Most people consider it to be an annoying weed they should steer well clear of. However, there’s a lot more to this unpopular plant than meets the eye.

The reason you get a painful rash from touching stinging nettles is because of the tiny hairs covering their leaves. If you brush against them, they essentially act like needles, injecting a concoction of chemicals into your skin. These include histamine, acetylcholine, serotonin, and formic acid. This causes symptoms such as redness, raised bumps on your skin, and a stinging sensation that fades into itchiness. Though rare, some people are allergic to stinging nettles, and they will experience much more severe – and even life-threatening – symptoms.

So far, so unpleasant! But how about the ways that stinging nettle benefits us? Well, interestingly, humans have been collecting and cultivating the plant for hundreds of years. Evidence indicates that as long ago as the Bronze Age, people used a subspecies of the plant to make clothes.(1)

Nettles even feature in folktales, such as the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale The Wild Swans. In this story, a princess must silently (and painfully) knit shirts from stinging nettles to save her brothers, who their evil stepmother has turned into swans. Other stories tell of more ceremonial nettle leaf benefits, like Native Americans stinging themselves deliberately to stay awake during all-night rituals.(2)

There are also more everyday stinging nettle benefits too. Despite the irritation it causes when you touch it, consuming this plant can have positive effects on your wellbeing. In fact, people have been using it medicinally for centuries. Let’s find out more.

Stinging nettle benefits: nutritional profile

Several stinging nettle benefits are thanks to the plant’s impressive nutritional profile.(3) For example, it’s rich in vitamin A, which supports eye health and protects against night blindness. It also supports the immune system by stimulating the production and activity of white blood cells, which fight off infections.

Nettles are additionally high in vitamin C, which promotes collagen production and wound healing, and energy-boosting B vitamins. On top of this, they’re bursting with vitamin K, a nutrient that’s crucial for blood clotting and building strong bones. What's more, consuming stinging nettle benefits you by topping up your levels of various important minerals. These include magnesium, manganese, iron and calcium. The plant even contains all the essential amino acids.

Many of the nutrients in nettles also possess antioxidant properties.(4) That means they protect our cells from harm caused by free radicals. Studies have linked such oxidative stress to several damaging health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. It even contributes to ageing, which means adding nettle to your diet could help to keep you more youthful!

It's possible that nettle leaf benefits us further thanks to its high polyphenol, fatty acid, and carotenoid content. These are potent plant compounds which enhance wellness in numerous ways. For example, stinging nettles contain lutein, which supports the health of your eyes. Some studies have even found that certain polyphenols in the plant have anti-cancer effects.(5) However, further investigation is necessary to confirm this.

The specific nutritional content of nettle varies depending on factors like where the plants grow. The leaves and roots may also have differing nutritional profiles to one another.

What are the benefits of stinging nettle?

Experts have found that stinging nettle benefits us in more ways than simply topping up our intake of certain nutrients. For starters, the plant has anti-inflammatory properties, which means it could help to relieve some types of inflammatory conditions. As an example, research indicates that nettle extract is able to reduce the pain caused by arthritis.(6) Likewise, it might work to alleviate the symptoms of hay fever. Studies have revealed that nettle can block histamine receptors and prevent immune cells from releasing chemicals that trigger such symptoms.(7) However, further investigation is necessary to clarify these findings.

Evidence also suggests that consuming stinging nettle benefits blood sugar management by lowering levels of glucose in the blood.(8) One reason for this is that certain compounds it contains might mimic the effects of insulin in the body. Excessively high blood sugar can cause severe symptoms if left unchecked, including damaging the eyes, heart, nerves, and kidneys. As such, maintaining healthy blood glucose levels is important for overall wellbeing.

That’s not the only possible way that stinging nettle benefits our cardiovascular health. The plant may also be able to reduce blood pressure, which lessens the risk of heart attack and stroke.(9) It does so via a few different methods. First, it can stimulate the production of nitric oxide, which improves blood flow by relaxing and widening your blood vessels. Second, it could reduce the force of the heart’s contractions via compounds that act as calcium channel blockers. Hypertension may damage the eyes, brain, and kidneys too, making this another key way that stinging nettle root benefits health.

Stinging nettle benefits for male and female wellbeing

In addition to the more general advantages discussed above, there are specific stinging nettle benefits for male and female health. This is why we've included the plant in our M40+ and W40+ herbal blends for men and women. We’ll talk more about those below.

Starting with men’s wellbeing, studies suggest that nettle root benefits prostate health. Research shows it can help to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition which causes discomfort during urination. Nettle might stop the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, thereby reducing prostate size. The plant may also be able to treat long-term and short-term urination problems in people with BPH.(10)  

Turning to women’s wellbeing, evidence indicates that nettle leaf benefits menstrual health.(3) First, it could help to alleviate bloating and cramping during menstruation, and prevent excessive bleeding. In a similar vein, the plant could work to stop excessive bleeding in other circumstances, such as surgical procedures.

Second, it could ease the symptoms of menopause by helping to balance hormones. However, further study is necessary to confirm this. Nettle leaf also contains phytoestrogens, which are plant compounds that function like oestrogen in our bodies. They may work to relieve menopausal symptoms like hot flushes, which result from decreasing levels of oestrogen in the body.

So, as you can see, there’s a broad range of ways that stinging nettle benefits our health!