Facts About Herbal Remedies
- Introduction
- What are Herbs and Herbal Remedies?
- How are herbal supplements regulated?
- Why do we take Herbal Remedies?
- Are herbal supplements safe?
- Health problems that increase the risks of taking herbal supplements
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The practice of using herbal supplements dates back thousands of years. Records of native American, Roman, Egyptian, Persian and Hebrew medical practice reveal that herbs were used to cure practically every known illness.
Over past decade, the use of herbs to treat medical conditions and improve health is growing in popularity. Today herbal products are used for nutritional supplements, cosmetics, food, beverages and are also known as "Dietary Supplements”. Approximately 25% of all over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications used today originated from plants and herbs. Millions of Americans greet the morning with their favorite herbal stimulant - coffee.
What are Herbs and Herbal Remedies?
Herbal supplements are products made from plants (roots, berries, seeds, stems, leaves, buds or flowers) for use in the treatment and management of disease and certain medical conditions. Herbal supplements are available as teas, tablets, capsules, liquid extracts (also called tinctures), powders and in other forms, such as roots and leaves. Herbal supplements are taken for various reasons such as: self healing, treating disease, strengthening the body’s immune system, curing common ailments, promoting general health. Herbal remedies are sold in grocery stores, pharmacies and health food stores and they do not require prescriptions from a doctor.
Many prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications also are made from plant derivatives, but these products contain only purified ingredients and are regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Herbal supplements may contain entire plants or plant parts; the FDA considers them as foods, not drugs, and therefore herbal supplements are not subject to the same regulations as traditional medications.
Herb (also known as botanical) is a plant or plant part used for its scent, flavor, or therapeutic properties. Herbs are one of humanity's oldest health care tools, and the basis of many modern medicines. Primitive and ancient civilizations relied on herbs for healing, as do contemporary cultures throughout the world. The World Health Organization has estimated that 80% of the world's population continues to use traditional therapies, a major part of which are derived from plants.
For most herbs, the specific ingredient that causes a therapeutic effect is not known. Whole herbs contain many ingredients, and it is likely that they work together to produce the desired healing effect. The effectiveness of the herb is affected by many factors, such as: the type of environment (climate, bugs, soil quality) in which a plant grew, how and when it was harvested and processed.
Herbal medicine (or phytotherapy) is one of the most popular kinds of complementary and alternative medicine. Herbal medicine is an approach to healing which uses herbal remedies to treat, prevent, or cure various health conditions and ailments. Using herbs as medicine provides significant advantages for treating many conditions. Some of the most popular herbal products and supplements include chondroitin sulfate, echinacea, ephedra (also called ma huang), garlic, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, glucosamine, grape seeed, kava-kava, melatonin, phytoestrogens, saw palmetto and St. John’s wort.
How are herbal supplements regulated?
In the United States, the FDA regulates herbal and other dietary supplements as foods, not as drugs. This means that they don't have to meet the same high standards as drugs for proof of safety, quality and effectiveness.
In the absence of federal certification of the safety of herbal medicines, a few private sector groups have made an effort to regulate these products. These groups include the U.S. Pharmacopoeia, ConsumerLab.com, Good Housekeeping and NSF International. Although each group takes a slightly different approach, the goal of each is to certify that herbal medicines available to the public meet these standards:
- Does the product meet recognized standards of quality?
- Does the label accurately reflect what's in the product?
- Is the product reasonably free of contaminants such as heavy metals or pesticides?
- Was the product produced and packaged under clean and safe conditions?
Of these groups, only the Good Housekeeping program requires a product to prove that it's safe and effective. To obtain this certification, a manufacturer must submit research based evidence that the product does what it claims to do and that it does so without harming the consumer.
Herbal supplements must have an information panel that includes:
- Product name
- Net quantity of contents
- Ingredients and amounts
- 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."
- 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.
- Name and address of manufacturer, packer or distributor.
Why do we take Herbal Remedies?
Many people use natural health supplements to treat various health conditions, prevent possible health problems as well as to promote general well-being. People try herbal remedies because they hear from others that it has worked, because they feel it's natural and believe it's likely to have fewer side effects, or because they prefer its holistic approach. Some people turn to herbal supplements because it may be more safe and affordable than traditional pharmaceutical drugs. They also like the idea of having more control over their own treatment. Others turn to herbal remedies because conventional medicine has let them down, or because they want to relieve the side effects caused by the prescription medication they need to take.
The most common conditions treated with herbal remedies include:
- immune system problems
- gynecological conditions (such as premenstrual syndrome, menopausal problems)
- digestive disorders (such as peptic ulcers, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome and indigestion)
- arthritis
- sleeping problems (insomnia)
- allergic responses like hayfever and asthma
- skin problems (such as psoriasis, acne and eczema)
- respiratory health problems (such as tonsillitis, influenza)
- high blood pressure
- cardiovascular health problems (such as angina, varicose veins, varicose ulcers)
- stress
Like traditional over-the-counter and prescription medications, herbal remedies can cause a number of changes in the body. If chosen and used rightly, herbal remedies can treat multitude of conditions with few or no negative side effects. If used inappropriately, some herbs can be very powerful and cause health problems. Serious side effects of herbal remedies can include stroke, heart attacks, heart rate irregularities, seizure and even death.
Recommendations for safe use of herbal remedies:
- Read labels. Read labels for dosage information, form of herb, expiration date, quality assurances, warnings, and contact info. Read the ingredient list since some of us may be allergic to either the substance source or a filler.
- Follow directions. More is not better, less is not necessarily safer. How to take each supplement is important since some need to be taken with food, others with liquids, some on an empty stomach or under the tongue, etc. Some supplements need time to have a desired effect (glucosamine for example may take up to 6 weeks to become effective). Start with the minimum dosage recommended. Never exceed the recommended dosage, and seek out information about contraindications.
- Watch for side effects. A herb, like any other chemical compound, may have side effects. Being 'natural' doesn't make something automatically safe. Know what side effects to look for before taking the herb. If adverse effects occur, reduce the dosage or stop taking the supplement. Though, most of the herbs that may have side effects in high doses aren’t readily available to buy over the counter.
- Watch for contraindications for herbal supplement.
- Watch for possible interactions. Pharmaceutical medicines sometimes
interact badly with each other, as well as with herbs and foods. Always
be particularly careful when taking more than one drug or herb, or a combination
of a drug and an herb. If you suspect a bad interaction, consult your
physician or pharmacist.
- Be alert for allergic reactions. People can be allergic to anything. Even if you have no known allergies, you might be allergic to a new herb, food or drug. If you develop any unusual symptoms, stop taking supplement and consult a physician. If severe allergic reaction (such as difficulty breathing) occurs, call the emergency number in your area for help.
- Talk with your health care provider before using any herbal product,
especially if you are:
- taking any over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medicine
- pregnant or breast-feeding
- plannig to have surgery
- Never use herbs for babies or small children without talking with
your health care prosessional.
- Buy products from a reputable herbal company. Research the company whose herbs you are taking. All herbal supplements are not created equal, and it is best to choose a reputable manufacturer's brand. Is the manufacturer involved in researching its own herbal products or simply relying on the research efforts of others? Does the product label give information about the standardized formula, side effects, ingredients, directions, and precautions? Is there a toll-free telephone number, an address, or a web address listed so consumers can find out more information about the product?
- Talk with a licensed pharmacist or other health care professional if you have questions about an herbal supplement.
Health problems that increase the risks of taking herbal supplements
Herbal products and supplements may not be safe if you have certain health problems. You also may be at increased risk of problems from these products if you are elderly. Talk to your doctor before taking herbal products if you have any of the following health problems:
- Blood clotting problems
- Diabetes
- Enlarged prostate gland
- History of stroke
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Immune system problems
- Psychiatric problems
- Parkinson’s disease
- Liver problems
- Thyroid problems