Supplements for varicose veins target venous tone, capillary permeability, and inflammation. They're most useful for early-stage symptoms; advanced varicosities typically require sclerotherapy or surgical intervention.
- Horse chestnut extract (300β600 mg/day standardized to 50β100 mg aescin): Well-evidenced. Cochrane review confirms symptom relief for chronic venous insufficiency comparable to compression stockings.
- Diosmin + hesperidin (1000 mg diosmin, 100 mg hesperidin/day): European phlebotonic gold standard. Meaningful symptom reduction in RCTs.
- Grape seed extract (100β300 mg/day): Capillary-strengthening OPCs.
- Butcher's broom (100β300 mg/day): Venotonic herb with modest RCT support.
- Gotu kola (60β180 mg/day): Improves microcirculation and connective tissue quality.
- Horse chestnut without aescin standardization (potency varies dramatically)
- Unstandardized herbal blends with unclear doses
- Products claiming to "dissolve" varicose veins β not physiologically possible
- Products replacing compression stocking use for severe venous insufficiency
Extract standardization (especially aescin content in horse chestnut), dose fidelity to European phlebology guidelines, third-party testing, and accurate labeling. Products that overpromise cosmetic improvement of established varicosities score lower.