Many people believe that herbal products are safe since they are labeled as natural and are legally sold. However, some herbal supplements can cause health issues. Also, herbal products are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) like over-the-counter and prescription drugs. Products labeled as natural does not always mean safe when it comes to herbal supplements.
Herbal Supplement Use
According to the National Institute of Health, more than half of all Americans take dietary supplements on a daily basis or on occasion (NIH, 2013). Currently, there are over 1,000 companies producing over 29,000 different herbal supplements (Newmaster et al., 2013). These herbal supplements are marketed and taken for a variety of reasons. For example, Echinacea is taken for colds, flu, and other infections; ephedra is taken for colds, fever, flu, headaches, asthma, wheezing, nasal congestion, weight loss, and increased energy; garlic is taken for increased cholesterol, heart disease, high blood pressure, and prevention of certain types of cancer; kava is taken for insomnia, to fight fatigue, asthma, urinary tract infections, anxiety, menopausal symptoms and is used topically as a numbing agent; and St. John’s wort is taken for depression (USDA’s National Agriculture Library, 2013). The question remains if these supplements are safe (not to mention effective).
Over-the-counter and prescription drugs are highly regulated in the United States. Many people are under the assumption that herbal supplements are regulated in the same manner. Herbal supplements are regulated by the FDA. However, they fall under a category other than drugs or foods. They are regulated as dietary supplements.
The regulations for dietary supplements do not require the FDA to give approval to manufacturers before placing these supplements on the market. Additionally, the companies can claim their products address nutrient deficiency, support health, or are linked to body functions, as long as they have supporting evidence and include a disclaimer stating the FDA has not evaluated the claim. Manufacturers are required to follow good manufacturing practices with the intent of ensuring the supplements do not contain the wrong ingredients and contaminants and make sure the correct ingredients are included at the appropriate amounts. The FDA is responsible for the safety of herbal supplements once they are on the market. Even with these rules, there are no guarantees that herbal supplements are safe (Mayo Clinic, 2011).
Research Reflecting Safety
Lakhan and Vieira (2010) performed a literature review on twenty-four studies which investigated the use of herbal and dietary supplements.
History of St. John's Wort St. John’s Wort has been in use for about 2400 years and has been utilized for many different purposes throughout history. Some of these less modern uses have been nerve tonic, painkiller, including effectiveness for relieving arthritis pain and menstrual cramping, and relief for gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, nausea, and more serious problems like ulcers. Now it is becoming more common as a remedy for depression and anxiety but is simultaneously being tested as a possible type of assistance for AIDS patients because it appears to help the immune system combat viruses.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or USFDA) is a federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety, tobacco products, dietary supplements, prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceutical drugs (medications), vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, blood transfusions, medical devices, electromagnetic radiation emitting devices (ERED), cosmetics, animal foods & feed and veterinary products.
To begin, the Federal Food and Drug Administration does not have the power to regulate supplements like it does with drugs. Once a product is out on the market, the FDA has to prove that it is dangerous or has illegal additives before it can be removed. The FDA has targeted around seventy tainted weight loss products after learning that they had been mixed with undeclared stimulants, diuretics, and antidepressants (Trebilcock 2). The Federal Food, and Drug, Administration is responsible for ensuring that the manufacturers of foods provide safe ingredients and the correct amount of dosages for their products.
does not mean it is perfectly safe. Some medicine may have side effects, but the FDA considers
... satisfaction guaranteed because of the FDA. It must be inspected and approved by them. And also, on everything that we buy as consumers, we can read what is in the product because of the label; the FDA requires every ingredient to be listed.
One of the reasons that there is so much confusion is the lack of involvement by Federal Food and Drug Administrations in herbal remedies. The Dietary Supplement Health Education Act of 1994 put herbal remedies into the category of dietary supplements. This means that these herbal remedies are not subjected to the same sort of testing that over-the-counter or prescription medications are (USFDA). Michael Mc Guffin, the president of the American Herbal Producers Association has said that testing of these products is unnecessary because, “ these products are tested by years and years of use”.
strict or they can take too long to approve a drug. But I think for the most part, the FDA is really
Many supplements, such as this one are not strictly regulated, so it is very easy for companies to make exaggerated health claims.
The major use for herbal medicines is for the promotion of health and for therapy for chronic conditions, instead of being used for life-threatening conditions; except in the event of say advanced cancer or new infectious diseases when conventional medicine practices no longer are working an individual may use traditional remedies. While traditional medicines are often mistaken that because they are natural that they are safe, non-toxic, which is not always the case. In cases when an individual is taking herbs with prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, or other herbs that may cause some adverse side affects. As a flourishing commercial enterprise, it doesn’t matter why an individual uses traditional medicines, it provides important health care services for individuals that have access physically or finantually to allopathic
Dietary supplements are used to add additional nutritional value to the diet. Some common forms of supplements include: vitamins, amino acids, minerals, herbs, and enzymes, and can be found in a multitude of forms such as capsules, liquids, gel caps, powders, and tablets. Dietary supplements are becoming increasingly popular among Americans today. According to the Centers for Disease and Control, “Over half of the adults in the U.S. use at least one type of dietary supplement, the most common being multivitamins.”1 Many use these vitamins because they are believed to present a number of benefits, such as helping or treating diseases, etc. While dietary supplements can be beneficial to your health; Americans should also be cognizant of the health
For many centuries, humanity has been on an eternal quest for cures and treatments for many chronic conditions. At the present time, conventional medicine is mostly performed by doctors and other health care professionals, with the extensive use of pharmaceutical drugs, surgery or radiation treatments for disease treatment. Conversely, even though not as popular, complementary and alternative medicine and treatment options are slowly gaining popularity and becoming an addition to traditional medicine.
“About 150 million people in the US use dietary supplements; about 79% use it on a daily bases, and 10% taking 5 or more per day” (Ranjani 478). Dietary supplements range from sports performance products, weight loss products, to a variety of herbal remedies. These supplements are used widely to help maintain or improve the health of the human body. While buying these products many assume that they are regulated and are safe for human consumption, however it may not be the case. “Supplements face no FDA requirements for premarket testing. Supplements can be placed on the market at the will of the makers and then remain legal for sale” (Quinones 32). Dietary supplements should be regulated like prescription drugs because it’s a safety hazard, can become addictive, and may lead to dangerous health problems.
... through the same regulations as a medicine does. Acai has not had definitive scientific research based on human studies to support the claims for health related purposes. Alternative medicines have been used when people seek other methods of treatment due to the traditional doesn’t work, they want to be more homeopathic or they just don’t want to take any more medications. When trying alternatives to traditional medicines there is research that should be done. We have to be responsible and do the research, use other resources like a doctor or medical web sites. Money is a motivator to make false or unfounded claims about how a product works. Acai may turn out to be a product that does all the things they say it does, but more research and human trials are needed before we start taking this alternative medicine and think that it is the cure all to everything.
Herbal remedies’ qualities are widespread availability, lower cost, effective for chronic conditions. Herbal remedies are the use of plants or plant extract to treat a person’ overall health. Herbal treatments are prominent for developing countries for instance, “in Africa up to 90% and in India 70% of the population depend on traditional medicine to help meet their health care needs” (Wachtel-Galor & Benzie, 2011), due to their low cost and availability. Herbal remedies have gained attention in the past decades, and expanding their uses due to the increased interest of natural therapies (Wachtel-Galor & Benzie, 2011). Herbs used on the remedies grow in the wild throughout the world, therefore making it easy to
... of the herbal medicines are safe natural, there are other herbal medicines that could supply healing treatment but with danger of overdose.