The recent burst in herbal supplements such as Echinacea sparked a wealth of opinionated information across the Nation. Many health-conscious Americans jumped on the herbal bandwagon after reading about, or hearing about, the multifarious and practically guaranteed, results of certain herbal supplements. While a cup of chamomile tea has always been used as an adult version of a child’s glass of warm milk at bedtime, and a cup of peppermint tea has frequently been used to calm an upset stomach, herbal supplements are a whole new ballgame.
In this new ballgame, the stakes are high, as consumers raid the shelves everywhere from pharmacies to Wal-Mart for bottles of Echinacea, Niacin, Vitamin E, Gingko Biloba, St. John’s Wort, and Valerian Root. While these herbal supplements may not produce alarming immediate effects, the brazenness of consumers should be cause for alarm in and of itself. Herbal supplements are not tested or regulated by the FDA. In a nation where consumers sue if their cereal claims to have 10 grams of sugar less than it has, wouldn’t it seem natural that consumers would balk at ingesting daily, or thrice daily, a product wholly untested by the Food and Drug Administration.
While some herbal supplements may produce a beneficial effect, many have a limit concerning the number of consecutive weeks that one should take that supplement. Furthermore, some herbal supplements are contraindicated with certain medications, so be sure to tell your doctor just which supplements you’re on, and listen to him if he deems them ill-advised. Herbal supplements can be helpful when used appropriately; since the FDA is not informing us about appropriate dosing and duration, encourage your doctor to help you decide.
