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Herbal supplements have active ingredients that can affect how your body
functions, just as over-the-counter and prescription drugs do. Herbal
supplements may be particularly risky for certain individuals, and herbal
supplement labels are often vague, confusing and of little help when it comes to
making a selection. If you're considering herbal supplements or other dietary
supplements, educate yourself about any products you intend to use before
purchasing them and talk to your doctor about any supplements you're considering
taking.
Are herbal supplements safe?
Until recently, government oversight and consumer protection were very
limited for dietary supplements. But new regulations contained within the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act give the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), the federal agency responsible for overseeing the safety of U.S. food and
drug products, the authority to oversee the manufacture of domestic- and
foreign-made dietary supplements, including herbal supplements.
Dietary supplements don't need to go through the rigorous review process that
new drugs must undergo before being "approved" by the FDA. But the new
regulations aim to improve safety by requiring supplement manufacturers to
follow certain manufacturing practices and to ensure that supplements contain
what their labels claim and are free of contaminants. The FDA is responsible for
monitoring the safety of supplements after they're on the market and enforcing
action against unsafe supplements. These new regulations will be phased in over
a three-year period so that by June, 2010, all supplement manufacturers should
meet these requirements.
How do you know what's in an herbal supplement?
You can expect certain information to be included on the labels of all herbal
supplements, which should help you understand what's inside the packaging. This
information includes:
- The name of the herbal supplement, such as St. John's
wort
- The net quantity of contents, for example, 60 capsules
- In certain cases, a disclaimer: "This statement
has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is
not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease."
- A Supplement Facts panel, which includes serving size,
amount and active ingredient
- Other ingredients, such as herbs and amino acids, for
which no daily values have been established
- The name and address of manufacturer, packer or
distributor
Manufacturers typically refer to herbal products by their common name and the
part of the plant used to make the herbal supplement, such as root, stem or
leaf. If you don't understand anything on an herbal supplement's label, ask your
doctor or pharmacist for clarification.
How do you choose an herbal supplement?
Although new regulations are being implemented, choosing an herbal supplement
of the highest quality remains difficult. To choose the best herbal supplement
brands:
- Look for standardized herbal supplements.
The U.S. Pharmacopeia's "USP Dietary Supplement Verified" seal on
a supplement indicates the supplement has met certain manufacturing
standards. These standards include testing the product for uniformity,
cleanliness and freedom from environmental contaminants, such as lead,
mercury or drugs. Other groups that certify herbal supplements include
ConsumerLab.com, Good Housekeeping and NSF International. Although each
group takes a slightly different approach, the goal of each is to certify
that herbal supplements meet a certain standard. Don't assume that all
herbal products on the market are safe. Even the groups that test herbal
supplements aren't obligated to report products that fail to live up to
their standards.
- Buy only single-herb products. And
choose products that clearly show how much of the herb each dose contains.
Some products are mixtures of several herbs with unknown proportions of
each.
- Beware of claims that sound too good to be
true. If a claim sounds outrageous to you, trust your instinct. No
one herbal supplement can possibly address a wide spectrum of health
concerns.
- Be extremely cautious about herbal supplements
manufactured outside the United States. Many European herbs are
highly regulated and standardized. But toxic ingredients and prescription
drugs have been found in some herbal supplements manufactured in other
countries.
Who shouldn't use herbal supplements?
Avoid using herbal supplements if:
- You're taking prescription or over-the-counter
(OTC) medications. Some herbs can cause serious side effects when
mixed with prescription and OTC drugs such as aspirin, blood thinners or
blood pressure medications. Talk to your doctor about possible interactions.
- A proven medical treatment is available for
your medical condition. A traditional medication with an
established record for safety and effectiveness will generally be less
likely to result in adverse side effects.
- You're pregnant or breast-feeding. As
a general rule, don't take any medications — prescription, OTC or herbal
— when you're pregnant or breast-feeding unless your doctor approves.
Medications that may be safe for you as an adult may be harmful to your
fetus or your breast-feeding infant.
- You're having surgery. Many herbal
supplements can affect the success of surgery. Some may decrease the
effectiveness of anesthetics or cause dangerous complications, such as
bleeding or high blood pressure. Tell your doctor about any herbs you're
taking or considering taking as soon as you know you need surgery.
- You're younger than 18 or older than 65.
Older adults may metabolize medications differently. And few herbal
supplements have been tested on children or have established safe doses for
children
Reference: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/herbal-supplements/SA00044
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