Gentle overnight relief from occasional constipation, so you wake up ready to go.
Gentle overnight relief from occasional constipation — it works while you sleep, usually within 8 to 12 hours.
Supports regularity — for the days your body needs a little help getting back on track.
Supports healthy, comfortable bowel movements — soft and easy, not harsh.
Properly aged bark — cascara bark is never used fresh. Fresh bark is harsh, and aging is what makes it gentle. Ours is made from properly aged bark.
Sourced from Farmalabor in Italy — Life Giving Store is an authorized seller of Farmalabor, a supplier of herbal raw materials. A cascara sagrada extract (Rhamnus purshiana), in powder form.
Two ingredients — cascara sagrada extract, plus a little maltodextrin so it doesn’t clump.
A little goes a long way — even the 50 g bag holds 500 servings. A measuring scoop comes in every bag.
Use only what you need — most cascara comes in fixed 270–450 mg capsules. A level scoop of ours is 100 mg, and half a scoop is a fine place to start.
Why it fits bioenergetic living. When things move along on time, there is less sitting in the gut for your body to deal with, and more energy left for your day. A small amount of gentle, aged cascara on the occasional slow day keeps it simple.
Cascara sagrada is the bark of a tree native to the Pacific Northwest. The name is Spanish for “sacred bark,” and people have relied on it for well over a century.
Herbalists have used it for over a century. Short-term use is the tradition, too — a week at most.
Customers tell us, “It’s gentle, yet gets the job done.” Another says, “Would HIGHLY recommend this to anyone struggling to keep their bowels regular.”
For occasional, short-term use by adults.
See the Certificate of Analysis (PDF) in Quality & Sourcing.
Available: 50 g · 250 g · 500 g · 1000 g. 60-day no hassle returns.
How to start: Start low — half a level scoop (about 50 mg) in the evening, with food. Use the tiny 0.15 cc scoop that comes in the bag. It is very small on purpose.
Raising slowly: Give it until the next morning. If you need a bit more, raise the amount a little the next evening. Work up toward one level scoop (100 mg), the standard serving. Use the smallest amount that gives you an easy, comfortable movement. More is not better.
If it feels like too much: Cramping, loose or watery stools, or rushing to the bathroom mean you took more than you need. Take less next time, or stop until things settle. Drink plenty of water. Talk with your healthcare provider if it doesn’t settle.
Practical notes:
It usually works within 8 to 12 hours, so the evening is the natural time to take it.
For occasional, short-term use only. Don’t use it for more than one week unless your healthcare provider says so.
Cascara is naturally bitter. Taking it with food helps.
One level scoop is 100 mg. The 50 g bag holds about 500 servings.
As a dietary supplement, for adults only. Talk with your healthcare provider before use — especially if you take medication or have a medical condition. Not for use during pregnancy or while nursing. See the Warnings tab.
Cascara Sagrada extract (from dried, aged bark of Rhamnus purshiana)
Other Ingredients: Maltodextrin (to prevent clumping)
Standardized to 10.0–12.0% total hydroxyanthracene glycosides (as cascaroside A); current lot 11.0%
Composition: bark extract with maltodextrin (30% or less) so it doesn't clump
Heavy metals: total 20 ppm or less · lead 3 ppm or less · cadmium 1 ppm or less · mercury 0.1 ppm or less
Aflatoxin B1 under 5 ppb, total aflatoxins under 10 ppb · pesticides and residual solvents meet Ph. Eur.
Microbiology: total aerobic count 50,000 CFU/g or less (current lot under 1,000) · yeasts and moulds 500 CFU/g or less (current lot under 100) · Salmonella absent in 25 g · E. coli absent in 1 g
Raw material origin: America (wild-grown plant)
Free from food allergens · gluten free · GMO free · BSE/TSE free · not irradiated (per the certificate)
Store tightly closed, away from light, heat and moisture
Current lot S2603697, retest February 2029
Comes with a precision .15cc scoop
What is cascara sagrada? The dried, aged bark of Rhamnus purshiana, a tree native to the Pacific Northwest. The name is Spanish for “sacred bark.” Ours is a cascara sagrada extract powder made from properly aged bark, sourced from Farmalabor in Italy.
What does it do? It supports regularity and gives gentle overnight relief from occasional constipation.
How fast does it work? Usually within 8 to 12 hours. That’s why it’s taken in the evening.
Why does aged bark matter? Fresh cascara bark is harsh and can cause strong cramping and nausea. Drying and aging change those compounds into gentler forms. Ours is made from properly aged bark.
How do I start? Half a level scoop (about 50 mg) in the evening, with food. Raise slowly toward one level scoop (100 mg). Full steps are on the Suggested Use tab.
How do I know I took too much? Cramping, loose or watery stools, or rushing to the bathroom. Take less next time, or stop until things settle.
How long can I use it? It’s for occasional, short-term use — no more than one week unless your healthcare provider says so. If you need help with regularity more often than that, talk with your provider.
Is a scoop included? Yes. A tiny 0.15 cc scoop comes in every bag. One level scoop is about 100 mg.
What’s in it? Cascara sagrada extract and a little maltodextrin so it doesn’t clump. That’s all.
What does it taste like? Cascara is naturally bitter. Taking it with food helps.
Who shouldn’t use it? Children, and anyone pregnant or nursing. Talk with your healthcare provider first if you take medication or have a medical condition. See the Warnings tab.
How long does a bag last? At one level scoop, the 50 g bag holds about 500 servings. Most people use it only now and then, so it lasts a long time.
Cascara sagrada is the dried, aged bark of Rhamnus purshiana, a tree native to the Pacific coast of North America. Its natural compounds, called cascarosides, are what give it its effect on regularity.
Gentle overnight relief from occasional constipation
Europe’s herbal reviewEuropean Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (2020). European Union herbal monograph on Rhamnus purshiana DC., cortex. EMA/HMPC/726270/2016 Rev. 1. Europe’s herbal experts reviewed the evidence and list cascara bark for short-term use in occasional constipation. It is taken once a day at night, and a movement follows in about 8 to 12 hours. The right amount is the smallest one that gives a comfortable, soft movement, for no more than one week.
In customers’ words “the next morning I am good to go.”
Supports regularity and healthy, comfortable bowel movements
How it worksEMA/HMPC/726270/2016 Rev. 1 (2020), section 5. Cascarosides pass through the stomach and small intestine mostly unchanged. In the large intestine, your own gut bacteria turn them into their active form. That gently speeds things along and keeps more water in the stool, so it’s softer and easier to pass. This is also why it takes several hours.
Where these compounds actde Witte P. (1993). Metabolism and pharmacokinetics of anthranoids. Pharmacology, 47(Suppl 1), 86–97. PMID 8234447 · doi:10.1159/000139847. A review of this family of plant compounds, best studied in senna, a close cousin: the active form is released in the lower gut, and very little of it is absorbed into the body.
In customers’ words “It’s gentle, yet gets the job done.”
Properly aged bark, for a gentler effect
Why aging mattersEuropean Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (2020). Assessment report on Rhamnus purshiana DC., cortex. EMA/HMPC/909434/2019. Fresh bark contains compounds that cause unwanted effects like nausea and vomiting. As the bark dries and ages, they change into forms without those effects. The name “cascara sagrada” has long meant the dried, aged bark.
In customers’ words “No cramping with it.”
What’s in the bag
Cascara sagrada extract made from properly aged bark, sourced from Farmalabor in Italy, plus a little maltodextrin so it doesn’t clump. A tiny measuring scoop is included.
About emodin
Emodin is a natural compound found in cascara bark. In lab studies, it helped cells take up and use glucose for fuel, switched on AMPK (the cell’s own energy sensor), and protected cell membranes from oxidation better than vitamin E did in the same test. Researchers note it works best in small amounts, the way it shows up naturally in cascara. These are cell and animal studies, not human trials.
Why moving along matters
Roager HM, et al. (2016). Colonic transit time is related to bacterial metabolism and mucosal turnover in the gut. Nat Microbiol 1:16093. PMID 27562254. In people, slower transit went along with gut bacteria breaking down more protein instead of fermenting carbohydrates, leaving more unwanted byproducts.
Bioenergetic & low-toxin perspective
Ray Peat wrote a full article on cascara and the gut.
“An effective laxative (besides preventing inflammation) causes not only coordinated contraction of the smooth muscles of the intestine, but also adjusts secretions and absorption, so that an appropriate amount of fluid stays in the intestine, and the cells of the intestine don't become water-logged.” — Ray Peat, “Cascara, energy, cancer and the FDA's laxative abuse” (https://raypeat.com/articles/articles/cascara-energy-cancer-fda-laxative-abuse.shtml)
“In the presence of bacterial endotoxin, respiratory energy production fails in the cells lining the intestine.” — same article
Studies Peat cited in that article:
Uray KS, et al. (2006). Intestinal edema decreases intestinal contractile activity via decreased myosin light chain phosphorylation. Crit Care Med 34(10):2630-7. PMID 16915113. A swollen gut wall moves less well.
Wu TF, et al. (2005). Lymphatic vessel contractile activity and intestinal inflammation. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 100 Suppl 1:107-10. PMID 15962107.
Huang SS, et al. (1995). Effect of anthraquinone derivatives on lipid peroxidation in rat heart mitochondria: structure-activity relationship. J Nat Prod 58(9):1365-71. PMID 7494143. Anthraquinones, the natural compounds in cascara, showed antioxidant activity in this lab study.
Note: The sources above describe cascara bark and its natural compounds in general, and how gut transit affects gut bacteria. The customer quotes are from people who use ours. This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk with your healthcare provider.
Not for use during pregnancy or lactation. Do not use if you have intestinal obstruction, abdominal pain, inflammatory bowel conditions (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, appendicitis), or any other serious intestinal condition without first consulting a healthcare professional. Not recommended for children. For occasional use only. Do not use for more than one week without consulting a healthcare provider.
Keep out of reach of children. Do not use if the bag is damaged or the seal is broken.
Store in a cool, dark, dry place. Keep tightly closed. Protect from heat.
*Statements made on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Gentle overnight relief from occasional constipation, and support for regularity on the days you need it: that's why people choose our cascara.
Healthy, comfortable bowel movements — not harsh. Our family tested many cascara powders before choosing this one.
Made from properly aged cascara bark, which is what makes it gentle. Life Giving Store is an authorized seller of Farmalabor cascara sagrada, sourced from Italy. Two ingredients: cascara sagrada extract and a little maltodextrin so it doesn't clump. A measuring scoop in every bag, and clear start-low directions. We've carried this cascara since 2018. As one customer puts it, "the next morning I am good to go." 60-day no hassle returns.
I have mercury poisoning and have been constipated all my life. With this cascara I take a tiny spoon (the one that comes with it) and have a BM like normal. No cramping with it. I even gave a very tiny bit to my dog for a while and now she is regular without it. It's a lifesaver for me.
Although I know this product is very good, I’m still trying to get the right amount to be most effective! It’s taken many years to get this bad with my bowels, it will take a while to work like I would like it to!
Mon Feb 16 2026 13:40:51 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
It has helped me so much with chronic constipation issues and is not too harsh. I had to work my way up on the amount but I take it nightly and it’s worked miracles. Thank you!
Thu Feb 13 2025 02:10:04 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
After trying a sub-standard Cascara product, we found this one and found it to be far superior in its effects. It's a beautiful dark color as it should be.
Sat Apr 27 2024 19:26:25 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
I avoided using charcoal because it tended to bind me up. I wanted to try Cascara to see if that would help, and it did. Will be buying and recommending to family and friends.
I have redundant colon, pancreatic insufficiency, and gastroparesis, and this cascara helps my gut tremendously. It's a game changer. Plus it's the only one on the market that is properly well aged.
Mon Oct 16 2023 01:40:47 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Cascara Sagrada
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