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What Are Tinctures and How to Use Them

Alexander Ross • Sep 27, 2026 • 6 min read

What Are Tinctures and How to Use Them

When your allergies start acting up or you feel an inkling of a cold coming on, it's second nature to pop some Claritin or Tylenol. But there just might be a more effective way to heal yourself—and to keep your body balanced.

Enter tinctures. You may know them as the medicinal-looking bottles and droppers showing up in shelfies posted by in-the-know social media mavens, but they're a far cry from the teatoxes filling up your feed. Instead, tinctures are an all-natural way to manage everything from stress and sleeping problems to digestion and immunity.

What makes them so powerful? For one thing, they're super-concentrated. "A tincture is the most medicinal way of extracting the most important compounds [from natural sources] using alcohol," explains Lianna Sugarman, founder of LuliTonix and self-described "green smoothie mad scientist." Roots, herbs, or plants are covered with high-proof alcohol for about a month, and what's left is a potent liquid packed with the active ingredients. "This mode of extraction is the best and more concentrated way of getting the benefits of different kinds of roots," Sugarman says. (There is a very small dose of alcohol left over, so those avoiding alcohol can look for tinctures made with glycerin or apple cider vinegar.)

Putting a couple droppers under your tongue is the most effective way to get maximum benefits, but since the taste isn't exactly great, adding a dash to your morning smoothie or juice works too. (If that sounds like one step too many, good news: Sugarman believes in the medicinal concentrate's benefits so much that LuliTonix is launching its own tincture line this fall.) And while the elixir impresario says most are safe to take every day, there are certain ingredients that have a more immediate effect. And yes, she's sharing.

Originally posted July 6, 2016. Updated June 30, 2017.

Here are the eight health-boosting tinctures everyone should own.

1. For athletic performance, try cordyceps

If you're training for a marathon or going hard at HIIT class, Sugarman says there's nothing better than cordyceps, a type of mushroom that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine. "It's great for oxygen synthesis, stamina, and recovery," she says. Having a mushroom mixture every day can get you to the top of your game. Her picks for other power players: reishi, turkey tail, and chaga (all of which you might already be taking in powder form).

Tincture to check out: HawaiiPharm Cordyceps Extract Tincture

Author

Alexander Ross

Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.