Many people's first reaction to profuse sweating during activity or night sweats is thinking they have "deficiency" and rushing to take Yupingfeng San. While Yupingfeng San (containing astragalus, siler, etc.) is indeed a classic TCM formula for strengthening the exterior and stopping sweating, it primarily addresses sweating caused by simple qi deficiency with unconsolidation. Using it without proper differentiation can sometimes make you feel drier and more uncomfortable.

Why? Because many cases of excessive sweating aren't just due to qi deficiency. There may also be dampness accumulation, and excessive sweating can injure yin fluids (the body's vital liquids). Yupingfeng San has warm and drying properties - if used on someone with dampness or yin deficiency with heat, it can "add fuel to the fire," potentially worsening dry mouth and throat symptoms.

In such cases, sour schisandra (wu wei zi) is often a better choice. TCM considers schisandra sour and astringent, properties that act like a "restraining valve" for the body, helping to retain leaking fluids and qi to reduce abnormal sweating. The key is proper combination - used correctly, it's both highly effective and affordable.

Here are several practical and affordable Schisandra chinensis (wu wei zi) pairings:

Schisandra + Astragalus (Huang Qi): Replenishing and retaining the "leaky" body's energy

Ideal for: People who often feel weak, easily fatigued, sweat profusely with minimal activity (especially on forehead and back), speak with a low voice, and may catch colds frequently.

How to use: Astragalus replenishes qi and enhances the body's "surface consolidation" capability, similar to reinforcing a city wall. However, prolonged single use may cause slight dryness or heat. Pairing it with Schisandra is clever: Schisandra's sour nature has an astringent effect, helping to "retain" the qi supplemented by Astragalus and prevent leakage. The combination of replenishment and retention also creates the "sour-sweet transforming into yin" effect (sour and sweet flavors working together to generate fluids), simultaneously stopping sweating while preventing dryness from harming the body. Use 10g Astragalus and 6g Schisandra, steep in water or decoct for drinking.

Schisandra + Longan Pulp: Stopping Sweating and Calming the Mind in One Go

Suitable for: Those who not only sweat excessively (especially night sweats—sweating during sleep that stops upon waking) but also struggle with poor sleep, restlessness, poor memory, and a pale, bloodless complexion.

How to use: Longan pulp is excellent for nourishing the heart and spleen while enriching the blood and calming the mind. Schisandra not only astringes to stop sweating but also soothes the heart and calms the spirit. Together, one replenishes the blood of the heart and spleen, while the other stabilizes the spirit and secures bodily fluids, making them effective for sweating and insomnia caused by heart-blood deficiency and restless spirit. Take 5-6 longan pulp pieces and 6g of schisandra, then boil in water or use in soup.

Schisandra + White Atractylodes + Poria: Expelling Dampness for Non-Sticky Sweat

Suitable for: People experiencing particularly sticky and uncomfortable sweating, especially severe in summer. Often feeling physically heavy, listless, foggy-headed, with loose or sticky stools and poor appetite. The tongue coating is usually white and greasy.

How to use: This situation is often caused by spleen deficiency with dampness retention. The spleen is responsible for transporting and transforming water-dampness. When the spleen is deficient, dampness cannot be properly eliminated and becomes trapped in the body, making perspiration sticky. Atractylodes (Bai Zhu) and Poria (Fu Ling) are the "golden pair" for strengthening the spleen and removing dampness—Atractylodes primarily fortifies the spleen and dries dampness, while Poria mainly promotes diuresis and drains dampness. Adding Schisandra (Wu Wei Zi) not only helps consolidate the kidneys to stop sweating (reducing perspiration caused by kidney qi leakage), but its astringent property also assists the spleen’s transport function, aiding in better transformation of water-dampness. Once dampness is cleared, sweat naturally becomes light, and one feels more energetic. Take 10g of Atractylodes, 10g of Poria, and 6g of Schisandra, boil in water, and drink as tea.

Real-life case: A 38-year-old female teacher named Ms. Li came to the outpatient clinic. She reported excessive sweating over the past year, especially during meals or after brief teaching sessions, with sticky sweat that felt difficult to wipe off completely. Her back often became noticeably wet in summer. Additionally, she constantly felt fatigued, particularly sluggish in the afternoons, with loose stools that stuck to the toilet bowl. She had previously tried Yupingfeng San (Jade Screen Powder) on recommendation but experienced some heat symptoms and dry mouth. Upon examination, she presented with a white greasy tongue coating and a soft, soggy pulse. The diagnosis clearly pointed to spleen deficiency with predominant dampness, accompanied by mild qi deficiency. Following this assessment, she was advised to discontinue Yupingfeng San and switch to a treatment focused on strengthening the spleen, resolving dampness, and astringing sweat. She was instructed to boil atractylodes (Bai Zhu), poria (Fu Ling), and schisandra (Wu Wei Zi) in water (the third combination mentioned) while maintaining a light diet and avoiding raw, cold, or overly sweet and greasy foods. After two weeks of adherence, she reported significant improvement—sweating was reduced, sweat felt less sticky, stools became more formed, and her overall energy levels improved.

Lastly, I would like to remind everyone that Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasizes syndrome differentiation and treatment - different symptoms require different prescriptions to effectively cure diseases. If any of you experience similar conditions but are uncertain, you can type "1" in the comments or post your tongue image in the comment section. I'll provide syndrome differentiation advice free of charge.