The Six-Flavor Rehmannia Pill makes men weaker the more they take it?!
Recently, a well-known cultural figure published an article on their blog titled "The Six-Flavor Rehmannia Pill Makes Men Weaker the More They Take It." After reading this article, anyone with even a basic understanding of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) would immediately spot issues with the title.
Firstly, the author of the NetEase blog did not clarify what kind of men would become "weaker the more they take" the Six-Flavor Rehmannia Pill. This title itself is an extremely irresponsible expression. The term "men" refers to a very broad group, and the physical conditions of men vary greatly. How can clinical medication be generalized in such a way? When discussing the clinical use of the Six-Flavor Rehmannia Pill, one should express it according to TCM theory. Clearly, the author has not done so, which easily raises strong doubts: does the author understand TCM? A true TCM practitioner would certainly first determine whether a man belongs to the category of patients suitable for a certain herb before prescribing it. They would never define the target population of an herb as simply "men," because among men, some are patients and some are not. Among male patients, some meet the criteria for the Six-Flavor Rehmannia Pill's indications, while others do not. For those men who do not meet the criteria, the Six-Flavor Rehmannia Pill should not be used, and therefore there would be no issue of "becoming weaker the more they take."
Secondly, even for men who meet the criteria for the Six-Flavor Rehmannia Pill and take it accordingly (i.e., taking the right medicine for the right condition), there would be no consequence of "becoming weaker the more they take." This is because administering the Six-Flavor Rehmannia Pill to someone who meets its criteria falls under the TCM treatment principle of "supplementing when deficient." Giving a deficiency syndrome patient a supplement can only promote yin-yang balance, making them stronger with supplementation, and it is impossible to become weaker with supplementation! In TCM theory, "deficiency" and "excess" are specific terms and should not be used arbitrarily, otherwise it will cause confusion and mislead others.