Herbal Products, are they really safe?

People usually prefer to use herbals assuming that they are nature-made and thus have to be safe, but is that true?

Well, It's true nature is the source of good, but it's also true that many poisons have originated from natural sources. Also, many drugs that have been taken from natural sources have some harmful side effects!

So, does that mean we have to keep away from any thing said to be "Natural"?
Definitely not, but you just need to know what to use, and from where to obtain it.

But what could go wrong with herbals?

• Adulteration: meaning that some other ingredients are mixed with the herb which may be harmful.

• Of unknown composition: herbals are usually promoted as" for the kidneys", " for the acne" , but with no mention of their composition.

• Of uncertain potency: herbals in their natural form are difficult to  be accurately measured in terms of active ingredients. 

• Can cause harm by withholding the use of prescription drugs if you deicide to self-treat your condition.

• Can interact with drugs: As drugs, herbs can interact with other medications you might be taking, especially if your doctor is unaware you are using those herbs.

Garlic is known to have a blood-thinning effect, so, if you are on prescription medicines to prevent blood clots (anticoagulants) and consume a lot of garlic, you might be at increased risk of bleeding!

So, if you decide to use herbal medicine:

• Make sure your doctor knows and approves it.

• Ask your pharmacist for their interactions with your medicines

• Buy them only from reliable sources that have health authority approval, and are subject to inspection.

•  Make sure you understand how much to take and for how long, overdoses from herbals can hurt you.

Nowadays, more and more herbals are subjected to scientific research to verify their claimed usefulness, and more data is becoming available everyday on what works and what doesn't. So, always ask a professional to stay on the safe side.

If you have a question please ask us.

For questions in Arabic, send mail to Arabic Questions.

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Last modified: 15-11-2008 03:22
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