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| Safety and Regulation of Herbal Supplements | Some people think that herbal products are 'natural' and quite safe. It is not true, because their influence on the body can vary from mild to powerful (potent). A herb that has mild action may have subtle effects and demand from weeks to months before their full effects are available. Safety depends on the dose and form of herbs. A cup of tea, some teaspoons of tincture or an even smaller quantity of an extract have the same dosage of herbs. The concentration of chemicals is various in herbs.
The safety of herbal products depends on the availability of active chemicals available in their contents; their interactions with other herbs and drugs, contaminants, or adulterants; or their inherent toxicity. One should remember that children may be very susceptible to herbs; their dosage should vary from the dosage of adults.
In the United States, FDA controls all the products available under the label "a dietary supplement." In 1994, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) was passed by Congress. According to the DSHEA, manufacturers are obliged to prove the safety or efficacy of a product before sending them to the market. Those, who do not follow these directions, FDA will punish. Usually, manufacturers do not have to register their products with FDA and obtain its approval before producing or selling dietary supplements. Manufacturers must have truthful product label information. Nowadays, there are no FDA regulations specially created for dietary supplements and have a minimum standard required for the production of dietary supplements. FDA has regulations concerning the identity, purity, quality, strength and composition of dietary supplements. Some countries of Europe classify herbs as drugs.
FDA demands that definite information should be available on dietary supplement labels. Such information on a dietary supplement label as the word “supplement”, the name and place of the manufacturer’s enterprise, packer or distributor; the contents of ingredients and the net contents of the product. Each dietary supplement should be available on the label. Dietary ingredients of the product should be found on the label.
Often people think that an herbal supplement is quite "natural", it is completely safe and have no harmful effects. It does not correspond completely to reality. Being applied in a wrong way and a wrong dosage, they can lead to various health problems. Those, who do not follow the instructions on a supplement label, may encounter various health problems too. Herbs such as kava and comfrey can lead to serious liver damage. One should be very careful, if you are pregnant or nursing, because herbal supplements are like drugs. Consult your health care provider before applying an herbal supplement, especially when you take other medications, because they can interact in a wrong way. It is recommended to consult at the specialists properly trained in herbal medicine, especially if you deal with herbs used in the alternative medical systems of China, Japan or India. The active ingredient(s) available in many herbs and herbal supplements are not known. Their quantity can differ. The scientists of National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine work to identify the active ingredients in herbs and the influence of herbs on the body. If you see the word "standardized" on a product label, you may have concerns that it is a product of high quality. Some herbal supplements include metals, unlabeled prescription drugs, microorganisms or other constituences. The Federal Government fights against Web sites advertising ansd selling herbal supplements on the Internet, because they can give deceptive or misleading information.
Herbs are applied to maintain good health or to relieve symptoms. They cannot substitude medical treatment.
To avoid health risks you should:
• Read the label – There are various standards established by various testing organization.You can see labels marked with USP (United States Pharmacopeia) that means approved apply. The label “NF (National Formulary)” means that the product follows the same standards for purity and quality in manufacturing as USP but does not have approved applies established by USP. Ginkgo biloba combined with a diuretic medicine can enhance blood pressure.
• Get to know about drug interactions – some herbal supplements can have negative interactions with drugs. Regularly taken garlic may increase the strength of aspirin and the drug Warfarin used to avoid blood clotting. St. John's wort used together with antidepressants can increase the medication's effect.
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