What medication should be taken for deficiency of both yin and yang?

For deficiency of both yin and yang, medications that simultaneously nourish yin and tonify yang should be selected. Commonly used formulas include Jin Kui Shen Qi Wan, Liu Wei Di Huang Wan combined with You Gui Wan, Gui Lu Er Xian Gao, Zuo Gui Wan combined with Fu Zi Li Zhong Wan, and Shen Bao Pian. Detailed analysis is as follows:

1. **Jin Kui Shen Qi Wan**: Primarily warms and tonifies kidney yang while also nourishing yin and moistening dryness. It addresses deficiencies in kidney yang while nourishing kidney yin, improving symptoms of yin-yang deficiency such as soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, cold limbs, dizziness, and tinnitus. With its mild nature, it is suitable for mild cases of yin-yang deficiency.

2. **Liu Wei Di Huang Wan combined with You Gui Wan**: Used together, Liu Wei Di Huang Wan nourishes yin and tonifies the kidneys, while You Gui Wan warms and strengthens kidney yang. Their synergistic effect achieves balanced tonification of both yin and yang, alleviating symptoms of moderate yin-yang imbalance such as fatigue, insomnia with frequent dreams, and increased nocturnal urination.

3. **Gui Lu Er Xian Gao**: Its key ingredients are turtle shell (gui ban) and deer horn (lu jiao). Turtle shell nourishes yin, while deer horn tonifies yang. This formula directly replenishes the root of both yin and yang, improving symptoms such as weight loss, weak lower back and knees, and blurred vision caused by severe yin-yang deficiency due to chronic strain or overwork. It is especially suitable for long-term depletion leading to deficiency of both yin and yang.

4. **Zuo Gui Wan combined with Fu Zi Li Zhong Wan**: Zuo Gui Wan nourishes kidney yin, while Fu Zi Li Zhong Wan warms the middle burner, strengthens the spleen, and tonifies yang to dispel cold. When used together, they support both kidney yin and yang while regulating spleen and stomach function, relieving symptoms such as cold limbs, loose stools, dry mouth, and sore throat associated with yin-yang deficiency.

5. **Shen Bao Pian**: Possesses dual effects of warming kidney yang and nourishing kidney yin. It helps harmonize yin and yang, strengthen the body’s resistance, and improve symptoms such as aversion to cold, low energy, and soreness in the lower back and knees due to yin-yang imbalance. It is suitable for daily management of mild to moderate yin-yang deficiency.

Diagnosis and treatment of yin-yang deficiency are complex and require clear identification of the dominant pattern before selecting appropriate medication; using only yin-nourishing or yang-tonifying agents alone may worsen the imbalance. It is recommended to choose medications under the guidance of a licensed TCM practitioner, with proper control of dosage and treatment duration. If symptoms do not improve after treatment, timely reevaluation and adjustment of the therapeutic plan are necessary.