Sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)

Also called Nelumbo nucifera, lotus leaf extract, lotus seed, lotus plumule, Nelumbinis semen, Nelumbinis folium.

Best grade C across 5 graded outcomes Botanical Last checked Oct 21, 2026

The short answer

From 7 sources

Sacred lotus leaves, seeds and seed embryos (plumule) are eaten and used in East Asian herbal medicine. One 12-week trial of leaf extract in overweight adults reported less body fat, and one small two-week trial of a seed water extract reported better depression and stress scores. Lotus plumule contains higenamine, which can trigger a positive sports drug test.

Every graded outcome on this page

5 rows · line = participants

Grade CBody fat in overweight adultsBody fatn 60
Grade DDepression and stress scores (BDI, SRI)Mood and stressn 45
Grade DUrinary higenamine above the anti-doping reporting limitDrug testingn 14
Grade DBlood sugar response after a meal (glycemic index)Blood sugarn 10
Grade DUrinary higenamine above the anti-doping reporting limitDrug testingn 6
2 more graded outcomes, in the evidence chapter

Key facts

Leaf extract trial: 60 overweight adults, 12 weeks: whole-body fat fell vs a non-intervention control; men also lost visceral fat and waist¹
Seed extract trial: 45 adults with depressive disorders, 2.4 or 4.8 g/day seed water extract or placebo for 2 weeks; the 2.4 g arm improved depression and stress scores²
Drug-testing risk: Lotus plumule (the green seed embryo) contains higenamine; all 6 volunteers in one study, and most sample groups in a 14-person study, exceeded the anti-doping reporting limit^3,4
Funding: One leaf-extract author lists an affiliation with Meiji Co., Ltd., a food company; the seed-extract authors declared no competing interests^1,2
Agency safety reviews: No ODS, NCCIH, LactMed, LiverTox, Health Canada or EMA monograph covers sacred lotus⁶

What it is

Sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is an aquatic plant whose leaves, seeds and seed embryos are used as food and herbal medicine.

How it works

Proposed

Lotus contains alkaloids (mainly aporphines, 1-benzylisoquinolines and bisbenzylisoquinolines), phenolic acids, flavonoids and terpenoids. Lab and animal data link these alkaloids to effects on obesity and blood sugar, but their bioavailability is relatively low and their clinical efficacy and safety remain unclear. The leaf extract tested in people was rich in quercetin-3-glucuronide.^7,1

Forms, side by side

3 forms named in our sources. The rest show what our data holds, and say plainly where it holds nothing yet.

Sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) forms compared

3 forms

Sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) forms compared: 3 forms by 3 attributes. Empty cells are labelled No data yet, or Not graded in the evidence row.
3 forms	Lotus leaf extract (Nelumbinis folium)	Lotus seed water extract (Nelumbinis semen)	Lotus plumule (green seed embryo)
Absorption in people	No head-to-head human data¹	No head-to-head human data²	Higenamine from plumule appears in urine within days of oral use^3,4
GI tolerance	The trial abstract does not report adverse events.¹	The authors describe preliminary evidence of safety over two weeks.²	Tolerability was not the focus of the studies; the concern is a positive anti-doping test.^3,4
Studied for	Body fat in overweight adults	Depression and stress scores	Higenamine excretion (drug-testing risk)

Lotus leaf extract (Nelumbinis folium)
Absorption in people
No head-to-head human data¹
GI tolerance
The trial abstract does not report adverse events.¹
Studied for
Body fat in overweight adults
Lotus seed water extract (Nelumbinis semen)
Absorption in people
No head-to-head human data²
GI tolerance
The authors describe preliminary evidence of safety over two weeks.²
Studied for
Depression and stress scores
Lotus plumule (green seed embryo)
Absorption in people
Higenamine from plumule appears in urine within days of oral use^3,4
GI tolerance
Tolerability was not the focus of the studies; the concern is a positive anti-doping test.^3,4
Studied for
Higenamine excretion (drug-testing risk)

What the human research says

Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form line shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.

Trial map

5 graded outcomes, largest study first

5 graded outcomes: 3 improved, 2 worsened. The largest, a 2022 randomized trial of 60 people on body fat in overweight adults, found an improvement. 2 outcomes found a worsening: urinary higenamine above the anti-doping reporting limit (14 people) and urinary higenamine above the anti-doping reporting limit (6).

By sizeTable

1Body fat in overweight adults

Improved · Grade C · RCT, 60 people, 2022

Adults with overweight (BMI 24-28), China

Dose, result and source

Every graded outcome on this page, largest study first
Outcome	Found	People	Study	Who was studied
Body fat in overweight adults	Improved	60	Grade C · RCT, 2022	Adults with overweight (BMI 24-28), China
Depression and stress scores (BDI, SRI)	Improved	45	Grade D · RCT, 2022	Adults diagnosed with major depression or other depressive disorders (Korea)
Urinary higenamine above the anti-doping reporting limit	Worsened	14	Grade D · PK study, 2019	Volunteers
Blood sugar response after a meal (glycemic index)	Improved	10	Grade D · Crossover RCT, 2019	Healthy adults (China)
Urinary higenamine above the anti-doping reporting limit	Worsened	6	Grade D · PK study, 2020	Volunteers (Taiwan)

Every graded row

5 rows

Form tested

Showing 5 of 5 outcomes. Human trials only.

Grade CBody fat in overweight adultsBody fatLess body fatRCT
n 60 · 2022

Improved Whole-body fat fell in men and women compared with a non-intervention control group; men also had less visceral fat and a smaller waist.

Design: RCT, n = 60, 2022
Population: Adults with overweight (BMI 24-28), China
Form: Extract of sun-dried lotus leaves (main component quercetin-3-glucuronide)
Dose: Not stated in the abstract
Duration: 12 weeks
Source: Reference 1 · PubMed 34852695 (opens PubMed)

Grade DDepression and stress scores (BDI, SRI)Mood and stressLower BDI and SRI (2.4 g)RCT
n 45 · 2022

Improved Double-blind vs placebo across three arms. The 2.4 g/day group improved on the Beck Depression Inventory and Stress Response Inventory vs placebo. The 4.8 g/day group showed increased alpha/beta EEG activity.

Design: RCT, n = 45, 2022
Population: Adults diagnosed with major depression or other depressive disorders (Korea)
Form: Water extract of lotus seed (Nelumbinis semen)
Dose: 2.4 g/day or 4.8 g/day
Duration: 2 weeks
Source: Reference 2 · PubMed 35805620 (opens PubMed)

Grade DUrinary higenamine above the anti-doping reporting limitDrug testingOver the limitPK study
n 14 · 2019

Worsened Urinary higenamine exceeded the WADA reporting limit (10 ng/mL) during dosing in most sample groups, peaking at 500 ng/mL. The authors judged the risk of a positive test high.

Design: PK study, n = 14, 2019
Population: Volunteers
Form: Lotus plumule (plumula nelumbinis) capsules
Dose: 6 x 0.34 g capsules/day
Duration: 7 days
Source: Reference 4 · PubMed 31680485 (opens PubMed)

Grade DBlood sugar response after a meal (glycemic index)Blood sugarLow glycemic indexCrossover RCT
n 10 · 2019

Improved Cooked lotus seed and adzuki bean meals had a low glycemic index (range 21-51 across the two foods), while the other starchy foods did not differ significantly from rice.

Design: Crossover RCT, n = 10, 2019
Population: Healthy adults (China)
Form: Cooked dried lotus seed (food)
Dose: Single test meal
Duration: Single meals
Source: Reference 5 · PubMed 30875961 (opens PubMed)

Grade DUrinary higenamine above the anti-doping reporting limitDrug testing6 of 6 over the limitPK study
n 6 · 2020

Worsened All six participants had urinary higenamine above the WADA reporting cut-off of 10.0 ng/mL. The authors advise athletes to avoid lotus plumule products in and out of competition.

Design: PK study, n = 6, 2020
Population: Volunteers (Taiwan)
Form: Lotus plumule (green seed embryo) powder
Dose: 0.8 g three times daily (about 680 mcg higenamine per dose)
Duration: 3 days
Source: Reference 3 · PubMed 31973198 (opens PubMed)

What the numbers add up to

Each point is worked out from the data and the sources numbered on this page, with the arithmetic shown under it. It adds no new data and is not medical advice.

Which part of the lotus matters

Leaf extract, seed extract and the green seed embryo are different products. The body-fat data are for leaf extract, the mood data for seed extract, and the doping concern for the embryo (plumule).^1,2,3,4

Studied doses

Doses used in research, shown against the official limits. They describe the studies, not a recommendation for you.

Studied doses in research, not advice. These are amounts used in research, not personal advice. Your clinician or pharmacist can say what fits you.

Doses studied in human trials

Doses studied in human trials ranged from 2.4 to 4.8 g/day of lotus seed water extract for 2 weeks. The 12-week lotus leaf extract trial does not state its dose in the abstract. These are research doses, not recommendations.^2,1

Interactions and safety

Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.

Interactions

0 agents

None found in our sources.

Check with what you take

Kept on this device only

Add what you take. We list every interaction our evidence profiles cite between Sacred lotus and your picks, and between your picks.

Add a supplement or medicine

Most cited:

Add a supplement or medicine you take to check it against Sacred lotus.

Starting from one medicine? The interaction checker rates how serious each pair is, on a curated list of 19 entries for 11 medicines. This cabinet has no severity rating: it lists every interaction row our supplement pages cite.

Who should be careful

4 groups

Tested athletes: Lotus plumule contains higenamine, which is on the WADA prohibited list; in volunteer studies, plumule products pushed urine levels past the reporting limit. This is a drug-testing issue, not a health finding.^3,4
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: No ODS, NCCIH, LactMed, LiverTox, Health Canada or EMA source covers sacred lotus. NCCIH notes that many dietary supplements have not been tested in pregnant or nursing women.⁶
People on medicines: No drug-interaction data were found in ODS, NCCIH, LactMed, LiverTox, Health Canada or EMA sources. NCCIH advises telling your health care providers about any supplement, since supplements can interact with medicines.⁶
Depression: The seed-extract trial was two weeks long in about 15 people per arm; it cannot substitute for treatment of depression.²

Frequently asked questions

Short answers to common questions; the numbers link to the sources below.

Common questions

6 answers

Does lotus leaf extract help with weight loss?

One 12-week trial in 60 overweight adults reported less whole-body fat than a non-intervention control group. The dose is not given in the abstract, and no second trial has confirmed it.¹

Does lotus seed help with stress or low mood?

One two-week trial in 45 adults with depressive disorders found better depression and stress scores with 2.4 g/day of seed water extract; the abstract reports the questionnaire benefit only for that dose. It is preliminary.²

Is sacred lotus safe?

Lotus seeds and leaves are traditional foods, but no health agency has reviewed lotus supplements, and safety in pregnancy, breastfeeding or with medicines is unknown.^1,5,6

Can lotus cause a failed drug test?

Lotus plumule, the green embryo inside the seed, contains higenamine, a WADA-prohibited substance. In two volunteer studies, plumule products pushed urine higenamine above the reporting limit.^3,4

Does sacred lotus interact with medicines?

No drug-interaction data were found in agency references or human studies, so the data are limited rather than reassuring. NCCIH notes that supplements may interact with medicines and advises telling your health care providers about any you use.⁶

Are lotus seeds a low-glycemic food?

In a 10-person crossover study, cooked dried lotus seeds had a low glycemic index alongside adzuki beans.⁵

Sources

7 sources: trial abstracts, NIH fact sheets and reference databases. Numbers in the text link here.

Sources cited on this page

7 sources

1Fat reducing effects of Nelumbo nucifera leaf extract in overweight patients.RCT Nat Prod Res, 2022 · PMID 34852695
2A Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study on Anti-Stress Effects of Nelumbinis Semen.RCT Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022 · PMID 35805620
3Potential Risk of Higenamine Misuse in Sports: Evaluation of Lotus Plumule Extract Products and a Human Study.PK study Nutrients, 2020 · PMID 31973198
4The risk of higenamine adverse analytical findings following oral administration of plumula nelumbinis capsules.PK study Drug Test Anal, 2019 · PMID 31680485
5Acute Effects of Three Cooked Non-Cereal Starchy Foods on Postprandial Glycemic Responses and in Vitro Carbohydrate Digestion in Comparison with Whole Grains: A Randomized Trial.Crossover RCT Nutrients, 2019 · PMID 30875961
6Using Dietary Supplements WiselyFact sheet National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), 2019 · nccih.nih.gov
7Alkaloids from lotus (Nelumbo nucifera): recent advances in biosynthesis, pharmacokinetics, bioactivity, safety, and industrial applications.Review Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2023 · PMID 34845950

What changed

Every dated change to this page: what changed, who made it and why.

Change log

3 entries

Dated changes to this page
Date	Change	Who and why
Oct 21, 2026FAQ	Added an FAQ that interaction data are limited. Re-checked: PubMed search for 2022–2026 trials and meta-analyses of lotus leaf, seed, plumule or nuciferine found no new qualifying row (a 2023 uncontrolled pilot of a protopine and nuciferine combination does not test a lotus product); no ODS, NCCIH, LactMed, LiverTox, Health Canada or EMA source lists an interaction, so the interaction list stays empty.	Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: A–Z page audit
Oct 14, 2026evidence	Leaf-extract trial industry affiliation (Meiji Co., Ltd.) disclosed; unverified grant claim removed	Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: adversarial review
Oct 14, 2026all	Initial editorial evidence review	Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: new page

Supplement & Nutrient Encyclopedia. Educational information only; it is not medical advice and does not replace a clinician. Dietary supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Statements about supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA.