Recommended by holistic veterinarians, Herbsmith Rx Codonopsis Support Energy is a Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) herbal formula that tonifies Spleen Qi and supports vitality in horses experiencing fatigue, exhaustion, or the demands of heavy training, travel, showing, or racing. By maintaining Spleen Qi, this formula supports the body's natural ability to derive maximum energy from every meal, resulting in a gradual, sustained progression toward liveliness and overall health. Available in traditional powder (500g, 900g, 1200g) and Flax Plus (30-day and 60-day supply); the Flax Plus format includes a six-tablespoon scoop. Dosing varies by body weight and health condition; your authorizing veterinarian will provide specific guidance. Not for use longer than six months; not a substitute for appropriate rest.
VETERINARY AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED: Submit Your Authorization Request or Request a TCVM Telemedicine Consultation
What It Supports
- Vitality and energy maintenance: Tonifies Spleen Qi to support the body's natural ability to maximize nutrition from feed, resulting in sustained vitality and excitement about life rather than a sudden stimulant effect.
- Fatigue and exhaustion management: Helps horses manage and recover from exhaustion associated with heavy training loads, long-distance trailering, showing, and competition.
- Proactive performance support: Can be used proactively before demanding events or periods of intense work to help prevent excessive fatigue before it sets in.
- Spleen Qi maintenance: Directly addresses Spleen Qi deficiency resulting from overwork, poor nutrition, or chronic stress, supporting all downstream Spleen functions that contribute to overall Qi throughout the body.
TCVM Principles
- Primary action: Tonify Spleen Qi, support the production and maintenance of overall body Qi, and address fatigue rooted in Spleen Qi deficiency.
- Approach: In TCVM, Qi is the vital energy of life; fatigue is the result of Qi depletion. The Spleen produces Qi from food. When overworked, poorly fed, or heavily stressed, Spleen Qi becomes deficient and overall vitality declines. This warming, tonifying formula supports Spleen Qi and its transforming and transporting functions to restore and sustain whole-body energy. This formula is intended for short-to-medium-term use (up to six months); it is not a substitute for appropriate rest.
Available Forms
- 500g Traditional Powder: Mix into grain twice daily for the first 20 days, then once daily. If the horse is reluctant to eat herbs, begin with small amounts mixed into grain to acquaint the horse with the taste, or consider the Flax Plus version.
- 900g Traditional Powder: Larger supply of the traditional powder format for ongoing use or multi-horse households.
- 1200g Traditional Powder: Bulk size for extended, consistent administration.
- Flax Plus - 30-Day Supply: Herbal formula blended with ground flaxseed for easy administration; includes a six-tablespoon scoop. Administer one scoop twice daily for the first 20 days, then one scoop daily.
- Flax Plus - 60-Day Supply: Extended Flax Plus supply for continued daily use after the initial loading period.
Ingredients
Active ingredients: Dang Shen (Codonopsis pilosula) - Codonopsis root; Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala) - Atractylodes rhizome; Fu Ling (Poria cocos) - Poria; Gan Cao (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) - Licorice root.
Inactive ingredients (Flax Plus only): Ground Flax Seed. Traditional Powder contains no inactive ingredients.
VETERINARY AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED: Submit Your Authorization Request or Request a TCVM Telemedicine Consultation
Active Ingredient TCVM Actions
Codonopsis Support Energy is a four-herb classical formula structured around the Si Jun Zi Tang (Four Gentlemen) framework, targeting Spleen Qi deficiency with a precise, well-balanced combination:
- Dang Shen (Codonopsis pilosula) - Codonopsis root: The chief herb; tonifies the Spleen and Stomach Qi, replenishes vital energy, and supports the body's ability to transform nutrition from food into usable Qi. A gentler, equine-appropriate alternative to Ren Shen (Ginseng) for sustained Qi tonification without overstimulation.
- Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala) - Atractylodes rhizome: Tonifies the Spleen, dries Dampness, and strengthens the Spleen's transforming and transporting functions; supports healthy digestion and the efficient conversion of feed into Qi and Blood.
- Fu Ling (Poria cocos) - Poria: Strengthens the Spleen, calms the Shen, and resolves Dampness that can obstruct Qi production; supports a calm, steady energy without agitation.
- Gan Cao (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) - Licorice root: Harmonizes the formula, moderates the actions of the other herbs, tonifies the Spleen and Stomach, and supports Qi production; the classical harmonizing herb in this four-herb combination.
Potential Drug Interactions
Herbsmith Rx Codonopsis Support Energy contains Qi-tonifying herbs (Dang Shen, Bai Zhu) and a harmonizing herb (Gan Cao/Licorice root) that may interact with certain medications. This formula is a warming and tonifying blend; horses on prescription medications should use it under veterinary supervision, as herb-drug interaction research in horses remains limited. Do not use in easily excitable or irritable horses, or in horses with fever of any origin.
Medication categories warranting extra caution include corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs (Gan Cao may potentiate or interact with steroid metabolism), diuretics or medications affecting potassium levels (licorice root may affect fluid and electrolyte balance with long-term use), and horses managing multiple concurrent prescriptions. Not for use longer than six months. If the horse becomes irritable following administration, discontinue use. Your veterinarian can determine appropriateness based on your horse's condition, current medications, and laboratory results.
VETERINARY AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED: Submit Your Authorization Request or Request a TCVM Telemedicine Consultation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Codonopsis Support Energy used for in TCVM?
Codonopsis Support Energy is most commonly recommended for horses with TCVM patterns of Spleen Qi deficiency presenting as fatigue, low vitality, poor performance, or difficulty recovering from the demands of training, travel, showing, or racing. It can also be used proactively before demanding periods to support the horse's natural energy production before Qi deficiency sets in. It is a warming and tonifying formula, so it is not appropriate for horses that are easily excitable, irritable, or running a fever.
How is Codonopsis Support Energy administered, and what are the recommended doses for a 1,000 lb horse?
For the traditional powder, administer two tablespoons twice daily for the first 20 days, then two tablespoons once daily. For the Flax Plus format, administer one scoop (six-tablespoon scoop included) twice daily for the first 20 days, then one scoop daily. Mix into grain for easy administration. If the horse is reluctant to eat the herbs, begin with small amounts and gradually increase, or choose the Flax Plus version, which most horses accept readily. Confirm dosing for horses of other weights with your authorizing veterinarian.
How long does it take to see results, and how long can the formula be used?
Because this formula supports the body's natural Qi production through nutrition rather than acting as a direct stimulant, the response is a gradual progression toward improved vitality and liveliness. Most horse owners begin to notice meaningful changes within 2 to 4 weeks of consistent use. This formula is intended for short-to-medium-term use only; do not administer for longer than six months, and it is not a substitute for appropriate rest and recovery. After completing a course of Codonopsis Support Energy, you may consider Herbsmith Rehmannia Tonify Yin to help prevent fatigue and sustain the energy gains achieved.
Can Codonopsis Support Energy be combined with other Herbsmith formulas?
Yes, and Herbsmith specifically recommends transitioning to Herbsmith Rehmannia Tonify Yin after a course of Codonopsis Support Energy to prolong and sustain energy. The Flax Plus format also combines the herbal formula with ground flaxseed, providing additional Omega-3 support for joints, coat, and cardiovascular health in a single daily feeding. When combining with other supplements or prescription medications, always consult your authorizing veterinarian to ensure compatibility with your horse's full health protocol.