Also known as: Schisandra chinensis, Wu Wei Zi, Five-flavour berry, Schisandrins, Magnolia vine
BotanicalEmerging evidence
A red berry from a climbing vine, named in Chinese for containing all five tastes. Used as an adaptogen with a stimulating rather than calming character, and with a long history of use for physical and mental endurance.
Typical dose
500.0–2000.0 mg per day
Morning or early afternoon; avoid late in the day
What it is
Schisandra chinensis is a woody climbing vine native to northern China, Korea and eastern Russia. Its bright red berries are known as wu wei zi, meaning five-flavour berry, because they are said to carry sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent notes at once.
The compounds of interest are lignans, principally schisandrin and related molecules. Extracts are standardised to schisandrin or total lignan content, commonly 2 to 9 per cent.
It was studied fairly extensively in the Soviet Union alongside rhodiola and eleuthero, in the same research programme that produced the adaptogen concept. Much of that literature is difficult to access and would not meet current methodological standards, which is worth knowing when you see confident claims sourced to it.
How it works
Schisandra is classed as an adaptogen, proposed to improve resistance to stressors generally rather than acting on a single target. The most cited route is modulation of the stress hormone response.
Schisandrins have well-documented effects on the enzyme systems the body uses to process compounds, which is relevant both to its traditional use and to its interaction profile.
Antioxidant activity and effects on nitric oxide have also been described. Unlike reishi or ashwagandha, schisandra tends toward the alerting end of the spectrum, which shapes when it is best taken.
What the evidence shows
Human evidence is limited and much of it is older or from research traditions that are hard to evaluate at this distance. Small trials have reported improvements in measures of concentration and endurance under demanding conditions.
There is a modest body of work on physical performance, generally reporting small effects, and some research on liver enzyme markers with reasonably favourable findings.
The reasonable position is that schisandra is a long-used traditional preparation with a plausible adaptogen profile and thin modern human evidence. It sits behind rhodiola and ashwagandha in terms of what has actually been demonstrated.
Dosing
Common range is 500-2,000 mg daily of berry extract, split across servings. Standardised extracts are used at the lower end.
Take in the morning or early afternoon. Schisandra is alerting for many people and taken late it can interfere with sleep, in the same way rhodiola does.
Dose against declared lignan or schisandrin content where stated. As with most berry extracts, a product without a standardisation figure gives you nothing to compare against.
At a glance
Common forms
Standardised schisandrin extract, Whole berry powder, Capsules, Within adaptogen blends
Half-life / duration
Not well characterised in humans
Timing
Morning or early afternoon; avoid late in the day
Competition status
Permitted — not on the WADA Prohibited List
Category
Botanical
Safety and side effects
Generally well tolerated. Reported effects include heartburn, digestive upset, reduced appetite and occasional restlessness, most often at higher doses.
The point worth taking seriously is the interaction potential. Schisandra affects the enzyme systems the body uses to process compounds, which means it can alter how much of other things reaches the bloodstream. If you take any regular medication, check before use rather than assuming a berry extract is inert.
Long-term human safety data at concentrated extract doses is limited.
Who should avoid it
Speak to your doctor before use if you take any regular medication — schisandra affects how the body processes other compounds. Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Take care if prone to heartburn, and avoid taking late in the day if it disturbs your sleep.
This entry is provided for information only. Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before use if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or under medical supervision.
