
photo credit: Simon Welsh
In the past few years, more and more people are turning to “organics” and “naturals” otherwise known as herbals. The rising popularity of herbal supplements has brought about a new health lifestyle in growing numbers.
But before you join the bandwagon, here are some things you need to know about herbal supplements. To begin with,. what is the difference between a drug and a dietary supplement?
According to the definition set forth by food and drug administrations in many countries, drugs are chemicals that can prevent, prolong the life, treat other effects of a health condition, improve the quality of life, and sometimes cure ailments and diseases.
Drugs such as these have approved therapeutic claims. For example, paracetamol is a drug given to bring down body temperature in fever, iron supplements are often given to treat mild cases of anemia, and ascorbic acid is used for the treatment of scurvy.
Herbal supplements are not classified as drugs, but are called dietary supplements. The main difference is that they do not have approved therapeutic claims unlike in the case of drugs. Moreover, dietary supplements could either contain vitamins, minerals, herbals, or amino acids, which are all aimed to add to or supplement the diet of an individual. They are not intended to be taken alone as a substitute for any food or medicine.
Most of the manufactured medicines we now have available to us once came from animals and plants. Through the years, chemists have isolated the life-saving or life-curing components and separated them from the harmful ones.
This lead to the further drug research and drug development that lead to the production of a different variety of drugs for many ailments and conditions from synthetic sources. Yet we have semi-synthetic drugs, as well as drugs that more or less approximate more natural composition.
Since herbal supplements are made from a mixture of crude herbs reduced into powder or gel form, and packaged as tablets and capsules, there is the possibility that life-threatening or at least body chemistry-altering components are still present. This is somewhat the basis for the expression of concern from the medical community.
Is there a growing concern with the use of herbal supplements?
Yes. With the rising popularity of using and consuming anything herbal or organic is the proliferation of fake herbal supplements that threaten to endanger lives. If that’s the case, then why are herbal supplements given drug administration approvals? One way of ensuring the safety of the people is to have all candidate drugs, food, drinks, and dietary supplements registered with the proper authority.
Otherwise, they would pose more risk with these things being sold in the black market for a hefty sum. We could ensure the quality and safety of herbal supplements if they get proper classification with the food and drug administration.
By having somewhat of a clearing house for herbal supplements, people then would be able to file the proper complaints in the event a worsening of health condition if it is proven to be linked to the use of a particular herbal supplement.
Is using herbal supplements worth the risk?
Yes. Many who have used herbal supplements experienced an improvement in their health. You might ask whether this is due to the herbals themselves or due to a placebo effect, but as long as your condition did not worsen, then using them is worth the risk. But of course, certain things must be considered before taking those herbal supplements:
First of all, if you have any questions about taking an herbal supplement, it may be wise for you to clear your condition with your doctor. Ask your doctor if taking a particular herbal supplement is safe given your health condition.
If you are one with heart, liver, or kidney trouble or malfunction, you usually are not advised to take these, or at the minimum, you might take these herbals in minimum amounts. All substances pass through the liver and kidney to be processed and filtered respectively. This is a matter where contacting your doctor would be recommended before taking supplements.
As an example, Kava, which is used to relieve people from stress, and it has been pulled from the German, Singaporean, and Canadian markets because it contains substances that cause liver damage. Certain herbals such as Ephedra used for losing weight, contains chemicals with heart-inducing effects that have been known to increase heart rate, which in turn can exhaust the heart and cause heart attacks in several documented cases by the American Medical Association.
Follow the directions for use.
Never take more herbal supplements than what is directed by the doctor or as instructed on the bottle. Each individual reacts differently to the components of herbal supplements. While it is perfectly safe for one individual to take in a supplement of primrose oil capsules, might not be good for a person who may be allergic to it. It has no approved curative effect.
No matter how the product pamphlet or the label of the bottle sounds about how it has been found to be helpful in certain health conditions, do your homework and some research to get information from other sources before relying just on the labels of the products.
The quality of the product can vary quite a bit. I was in a health food store once shopping for a bottle of CoQ10. One of the employees walked up to me and asked if he could help in any way. I told him that it was confusing to see such a wide range of pricing for what appeared to be the same quantity of tablets or gels.
The employee told me that he was taking CoQ10 gels and was willing to pay a lot more for the most expensive brand because he felt that he was getting the quality along with the quantity. The same is to be said for “green” food. The pricing varies, but the quality is not the same either.
As always we encourage our viewers to consult with their physician or health practitioner when it comes to making changes in how you take care of your health. Our purpose is to inform you of our research for your considerations and with the hope that you take charge of your health by being better informed.
To Your Optimum Health,
Henry Hubby

