Herbal supplements aren't right for everyone. Get the facts before you buy.
Herbal supplements may become even more popular as new safety regulations are implemented, but are they right for you? That depends on the herb, your current health and your medical history.
Herbal supplements have active ingredients that can affect how your body functions, just as over-the-counter and prescription drugs do. Herbal supplements may be particularly risky for certain individuals, and herbal supplement labels are often vague, confusing and of little help when it comes to making a selection. If you're considering herbal supplements or other dietary supplements, educate yourself about any products you intend to use before purchasing them and talk to your doctor about any supplements you're considering taking.
Are herbal supplements safe?
Until recently, government oversight and consumer protection were very limited for dietary supplements. But new regulations contained within the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the federal agency responsible for overseeing the safety of U.S. food and drug products, the authority to oversee the manufacture of domestic- and foreign-made dietary supplements, including herbal supplements.
Dietary supplements don't need to go through the rigorous review process that new drugs must undergo before being "approved" by the FDA. But the new regulations aim to improve safety by requiring supplement manufacturers to follow certain manufacturing practices and to ensure that supplements contain what their labels claim and are free of contaminants. The FDA is responsible for monitoring the safety of supplements after they're on the market and enforcing action against unsafe supplements. These new regulations will be phased in over a three-year period so that by June, 2010, all supplement manufacturers should meet these requirements.
How do you choose an herbal supplement?
Although new regulations are being implemented, choosing an herbal supplement of the highest quality remains difficult. To choose the best herbal supplement brands:
- Look for standardized herbal supplements. The U.S. Pharmacopeia's "USP Dietary Supplement Verified" seal on a supplement indicates the supplement has met certain manufacturing standards. These standards include testing the product for uniformity, cleanliness and freedom from environmental contaminants, such as lead, mercury or drugs. Other groups that certify herbal supplements include ConsumerLab.com, Good Housekeeping and NSF International. Although each group takes a slightly different approach, the goal of each is to certify that herbal supplements meet a certain standard. Don't assume that all herbal products on the market are safe. Even the groups that test herbal supplements aren't obligated to report products that fail to live up to their standards.
- Buy only single-herb products. And choose products that clearly show how much of the herb each dose contains. Some products are mixtures of several herbs with unknown proportions of each.
- Beware of claims that sound too good to be true. If a claim sounds outrageous to you, trust your instinct. No one herbal supplement can possibly address a wide spectrum of health concerns.
- Be extremely cautious about herbal supplements manufactured outside the United States. Many European herbs are highly regulated and standardized. But toxic ingredients and prescription drugs have been found in some herbal supplements manufactured in other countries.
Discuss herbal supplements with your doctor
Always talk to your doctor before taking herbal supplements. Your doctor can tell you whether:
- Any herbs you take or are interested in taking have potentially dangerous side effects
- Specific herbal medicines are appropriate for you given your overall health status
- Any herbal medicines can interact with other medications you currently use
- You could achieve the same results you desire from herbal supplements by changing your lifestyle — for example, your diet or exercise program
Your doctor may be cautious about endorsing or embracing most herbal supplements. This is often because relatively few controlled studies have been done on herbal supplements. However, a growing number of doctors are working to better understand herbal therapies so that they can help you make informed decisions about your health care. If your doctor isn't comfortable discussing herbal supplements with you, ask for a referral to a pharmacist or specialist who is knowledgeable in this area.
Last Updated: 11/16/2007
