Herbal supplements come in many different forms. Before you take them, there are some things you need to know.
For generations, herbal supplements have been used for their healing properties. In fact, more than half of the people in this country take a daily herbal supplement. They come in many different forms, such as in tea bags, capsules, tablets, liquids, and powders. Examples of common herbal health products and supplements include black cohosh, echinacea, garlic, ginkgo, saw palmetto, and St. John’s Wort.
However, before you take them, make sure you know what’s in them, whether or not they are safe, and how they may interact with other supplements and medications that you may be taking. Manufacturers of these supplements are not required to prove that their products are either safe or effective before they are put on the market. They are not regulated by the FDA. This is because the FDA considers herbal supplements to be food, not drugs.
Herbal supplements can be helpful for many conditions, but not everyone should be taking them. Dangerous interactions can lead to harmful, even life-threatening results. Some herbal supplements can cause serious side effects when mixed with medications like aspirin, blood thinners and blood pressure medications. Some herbal supplements can affect surgery as they may decrease the effectiveness of anesthesia or cause complications such as bleeding.
Even though the FDA doesn’t regulate the supplement, the FDA does require the following information to be on the labels and avoid taking or using any herbal health product or supplement that does not list this information:
- Name of the product or supplement
- Name and the address of the manufacturer or distributor
- Complete list of ingredients.
- Amount of product or supplement in the container or package
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