When choosing an herbal supplement, remember that "natural" doesn't always mean "safe to use."

Spend a few minutes in the supplement section of most supermarkets or pharmacies and you're likely to find an herbal or botanical remedy that promises to relieve virtually any malady you can think of. While St. John's wort, ginseng, ginkgo, and a host of other remedies have become popular and widely available, there are many factors to consider before you buy or use any herbal product.

Natural does not mean harmless

Don't assume that just because a product is marketed as being «natural» it is safe or without side effects. Remember that poison ivy and poisonous mushrooms are «natural,» too, but no one would knowingly use an ointment made of the former or consume soup made with the latter.

Some natural products may also pose frank health hazards. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration recently asked companies marketing products containing the herb comfrey to remove them from the market because comfrey contains substances known as pyrrolizidine alkaloids that might cause liver damage when ingested. (Consumers are also warned against using salves containing comfrey on broken skin to avoid absorption into the body.)

Is the product right for you?

Use of an herbal product should also be considered in light of your own medical needs. You may, for example, have a condition that would be better treated with a prescription medication rather than a supplement you choose on your own.

Herbal remedies can interact with other medications. Allergic reactions, too, are a potential problem.

To reduce the likelihood of these problems, consider discussing your plans to use a particular herbal supplement with your doctor before you begin taking it. Also keep your doctor informed of any herbal products you eventually decide to take. Supplement use is an important part of your overall medical record.

Finding reliable information

Seeking out unbiased information regarding particular herbs or botanicals is a good idea. Herbal «encyclopedias» and other references available in local libraries can be good sources of reliable information, but it is not a good idea to rely on package labels. In the United States, makers of herbal and botanical products (as well as other supplements) do not have to prove that their product is either safe or effective before they sell it. While a manufacturer is generally barred from making specific claims such as «this product will cure cancer» broader statements like «this product helps maintain a healthy immune system» can be made on the basis of very little evidence.

Store sales staff and vendors selling products on the Internet may not be reputable sources of information. They stand to profit from your purchase and there is no way of knowing what - if any - credentials they have.

Common sense can help you evaluate products - keep in mind the maxim that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

What's in the bottle?

If you've decided to try a given herb or botanical, there is still no guarantee of quality or purity in individual products, at least in the United States. Nor is there any guarantee that the amount of the active ingredient that is stated on the label is actually contained in the product.

There is movement toward better control of herbal and botanical products in the United States. Until standards are in place, however, consumers can look for the letters NF (National Formulary) or USP (United States Pharmacopoeia) on product labels. These designations show that the product has met a defined set of quality standards set by the USP, a respected professional organization.

Another option is to check the website ConsumerLab.com. Here you can find results of laboratory analyses conducted on various brands of supplements. ConsumerLab analyzes a number of brands of specific products to determine whether or not they contain the amount of active ingredient(s) stated on the package label.

Lastly, remember that no supplement can take the place of healthful habits or counteract the effects of poor choices.

Source

Dietary Supplements. FDA Consumer Food Safety and Applied Nutrition website. http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/supplmnt.html . Accessed August 23, 2001.

Links

• Consumerlab.com
• Ginseng Supplements : What's in the Bottle
• Herbal Medicines Can Interfere with Surgery
• Seniors Urged to Use Alternative Medicines With Care
• The Latest News on St Johns Wort
• To quickly access additional accurate information on this and other nutrition-related topics, visit Tufts University's Nutrition Navigator