Yang Deficiency

The causes of Yang deficiency are often rooted in congenital insufficiency or a weak constitution. Other factors include immoderate sexual activity leading to the depletion of kidney qi, and excessive labor which consumes vital qi and injures the body’s form and energy. Extreme emotional states can damage the internal organs, with recovery being slow. An improper diet can harm the spleen and stomach, impairing their ability to transform and transport food essences, which leads to a deficiency of qi and blood. This internal disharmony affects the five zang-organs and the six fu-organs, gradually leading to a state of deficiency in both the interior and exterior of the body. An irregular daily routine and an imbalance between work and rest can damage the spirit and body, consuming qi and injuring the blood. Lingering external pathogenic factors that are not properly treated can penetrate the interior and damage the zang-fu organs, leading to a prolonged consumption of vital qi from which it is difficult to recover. A lack of proper recuperation after a major illness can also be a cause. In summary, the causes are not more than congenital and acquired factors. Common types of Yang deficiency include stomach Yang deficiency, spleen Yang deficiency, and kidney Yang deficiency. The main symptoms of Yang deficiency are aversion to cold and cold limbs, a pale complexion, loose stools, and clear, profuse urine.

Common clinical manifestations of Yang deficiency include:

• Aversion to cold and cold limbs: This is the most prominent symptom of Yang deficiency.Yang qi is like the sun in the natural world; when it is insufficient, the body’s internal environment enters a “cold” state.[6]

• Lienteric stool (undigested food in the stool): This refers to the presence of undigested food in the feces. The ancients had a vivid analogy for this phenomenon: the digestion of food is like cooking raw rice. The stomach is the pot, and Yang qi is the fire. Without “fire,” the rice cannot be cooked. Therefore, when Yang qi is insufficient, the food that enters the stomach cannot be properly “ripened” (digested) and is directly discharged from the intestines.

• Listlessness: With insufficient Yang qi, the vitality of the body’s cells declines, leading to symptoms of lassitude and a reluctance to move.