What fo-ti is
Fo-ti is the common name in the West for Polygonum multiflorum, also classified as Reynoutria multiflora, a twining perennial vine with heart-shaped leaves and clusters of tiny white flowers. The part used in herbal products is the thick, tuberous root, which is dug up, dried and sliced or powdered.
In China it goes by the name he shou wu, which is often translated as something like "black-haired Mr. He," a nod to the folk tale attached to it.
Where it comes from
The plant is native to central and southern China and is also found in Taiwan and parts of Japan. It climbs fences, hedges and rocky slopes, and the roots grow large over several seasons. Roots are harvested, cleaned and dried before being processed in various ways. Traditional preparation sometimes involves steaming or soaking the raw root in other liquids, which is why material labeled simply as fo-ti can vary from one product to another.
Traditional background
Chinese herbal literature has mentioned he shou wu for well over a thousand years. The legend says a man named He took the root and was rewarded with vigor and dark hair into old age, which is how the plant earned its name and its reputation as a root associated with vitality.
Those stories belong to tradition rather than to anything the label states, and they are worth reading as cultural history. For general ingredient reference, see the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheets.
The role it is associated with
In modern supplement language, fo-ti is a plant ingredient that formulators include in blends positioned for antioxidant support. Within Nervecept® the brand groups it with horsetail and spirulina as a plant-based trio, set beside the vitamins and magnesium that carry the more specific nerve-related roles in the formula.
Its neighbors in the blend are Horsetail and Spirulina.
Where it sits in Nervecept®
Fo-ti is listed within the botanical blend in each once-daily vegetable capsule. As with its partners, the individual amount is not published, so the label offers no figure for fo-ti by itself. The capsule is stimulant-free and designed for adults 18 and over.
The Nervecept® ingredients overview lays out the whole formula, and the post on horsetail, fo-ti and spirulina: the botanical blend explained goes deeper on how the three plants fit together. The brand also states that the product is made and packaged in the USA under GMP standards in an FDA-registered facility.
Reading it on your bottle
On the Supplement Facts panel, Fo-Ti appears as one name inside the botanical blend line, listed with Horsetail and Spirulina. The label gives no separate figure for it, so what you read is the name and its place in the blend. Our walk-through, how to read a supplement facts label, shows each step.
Follow the serving directions on the bottle label: one capsule daily with a full 8 oz glass of water, ideally 20 to 30 minutes before a meal. Ready when you are: See the Nervecept® kits. Every kit comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee counted from the purchase date; confirm details at checkout.