 Herbal supplements are widely used nowadays, because of their popularity, but one should pay attention to safety. The reaction of the herbs on the body depends on the herb, your current health and your medical history. Herbal supplements contain active ingredients that can influence your body functions. It is recommended to study carefully the contents of herbal supplements or other dietary supplements before their use, because they can be dangerous for health. You may also consult your doctor about any desired supplements.
The popularity of herbs and herbal supplements is great nowadays, because people want to feel better and improve their health. Besides, they lessen symptoms of illnesses, treat the whole person rather than individual symptoms and stimulate the body's natural healing powers. Medicinal herbs are available in the form of tinctures,capsules and pills. They are also found in teas, in food, and be applied as topical creams or pastes.
The safety of herbal and dietary supplements are under the control of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the federal agency responsible for overseeing the safety of U.S. Herbal and dietary supplements should include the information abour their contents and be free of contaminants. Unsafe supplements are abolished with the FDA. By June, 2010, all supplement manufacturers should meet these requirements.
Before buying an herbal supplement one should look at the information that is given on the labels to get to know about the contents of the supplement. In such a way you will get to know about the name of the herbal supplement, such as St. John's wort, the net quantity of contents, for example, 60 capsules, serving size, amount and active ingredients. In some cases you can see the precaution that the supplement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not recommended to be intended to be diagnosed, treated, cured or to be taken to prevent any illness. Such ingredients as herbs and amino acids are also included. The name and address of manufacturer, packer or distributor are also included. Usually there is information at the label concerning common name and the part of the plant used to make the herbal supplement, such as root, stem or leaf. If you have any questions concerning the contents and the use of an herbal supplement, you should ask your doctor or pharmacist any questions you are interested in.
Before buying any products, you should make sure that it is written on the label "USP Dietary Supplement Verified". It means that herbal supplement is standardized and it was tested for uniformity, cleanliness and freedom from environmental contaminants, such as lead, mercury or drugs. Besides, it is recommended to purchase only single-herb products and products with clear dosage of the herb. Some products are mixtures of some herbs that have unknown proportions of each. If you suspect that a herbal supplement is not safe, it is better not to take it inside. Think well before buying herbal supplements manufactured outside the United States, because toxic ingredients and prescription drugs can be available in some herbal supplements. Many European herbs are highly regulated and standardized.
One should not apply herbal supplements if:
0) You're taking prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications, because some herbs can lead to serious side effects when they are not prescribed and they are used together with OTC drugs such as aspirin, blood thinners or blood pressure medications. It is avised to ask your doctor if such combination is possible.
0) It is advived to use only a proven medical treatment, because it is safe and has already proved its effectiveness and has no side effects.
0) If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, you should not take any medications — prescription, OTC or herbal without the doctor’s prescribtion, because such medications can make harm to your fetus or your breast-feeding infant.
0) If you are having surgery, you should remember that the most of herbal supplements can influence the effectiveness of surgery. They may either lessen the effectiveness of anesthetics or lead to dangerous complications, such as bleeding or high blood pressure. Inform your doctor about the herbs taken by you now or those you are going to take in the future.
0) If your age is less than 18 or more than 65, you should take medications safely. It is recommended to consult your doctor before taking herbal supplements. He will tell you whether:
0) they are dangerous for you or have potentially dangerous side effects
0) they are recommended for your health
0) any herbal medicines can be used together with medications you have already used.
0) It is useful to know that herbal supplements have the same effect on youe health as the change of your lifestyle, your diet or exercise program. It is recommended to consult your doctor if you should take herbal supplements.
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