Herbal Supplements

In general, many people feel that herbs are safer than prescription drugs because they are “natural”. But what can potentially help you can also potentially harm you.

Herbal supplements are actually crude drugs. Many prescription drugs originate from plants.

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Examples of prescription drugs that originate from plants include digoxin, a heart medication that comes from the plant, digitalis. Two more examples are quinine, a malaria medicine and quinidine, a heart medication, both of which are derived from the bark of a rainforest tree.

Unlike prescription and over-the-counter drugs, herbal supplements are classified as dietary supplements and are therefore not regulated for safety and effectiveness by the FDA. So the actual herbal content of a product may be more or less than that stated on the label. As a result, side effects may increase when the content is higher than listed.

Here are some tips for selecting herbal supplements:

1. Select supplements that are manufactured in the United States. There have been reports of supplements manufactured overseas that contain heavy metals (including arsenic, lead, and mercury) and prescription drugs (such as Phenobarbital, ephedrine, steroids, testosterone).
2. Check the label for herb content in mg or grams.
3. Check for an expiration date.
4. Check for a lot number.
5. Look for a listed toll-free number so that you can ask questions.
6. You can ask the manufacturer, or use ConsumerLab.com, an independent laboratory, for a purity and potency report.

Finally, it is important for patients on prescription drugs to pay special attention when starting herbal supplements. If you are taking prescription drugs, the risk of drug interactions and possible prescription side-effects may increase. Such risks and side-effects can outweigh the unproven potential benefits herbal supplements may have. As we age our health may generally decline and lead to us taking an increased number of prescriptions drugs. So you should be very cautious when combining herbal supplements with prescription drugs. • About Dr. Sih

Related posts:

1. Herbal Supplements ~ Health and Wellness Tip
2. Vitamin Supplements ~ Wellness Tip
3. Preventing Medication Errors
4. Brand Name or Generic Drugs?