Why Herbals Are So Popular

"Is there anything over the counter I can take for my menopause?"

"Where's your glucosamine at?"

"Can you recommend something natural?"

These are some very common phrases around most retail pharmacies these days. Many consumers are turning to herbal supplements to help them improve their health or to aid them in other ways. This boom in herbal remedies is due in large part to the amount of information available on the internet and the ease of access it provides now more than ever.

On a daily basis I have handfuls of patients that ask me question pertaining to a variety of health issues and remedies for them that they have researched on the internet. In many cases, these patients come to me asking what I think about specific products and "do they work" or "how well do they work". With the availability of information many of my patients can filter out their symptoms and essentially find their "diagnosis". I use that word loosely since only limited medical professionals can actually make a diagnosis.

To be fair to lay people, I put myself in their shoes...

I am sitting at home with knee pain and wondering what I should take? Should I take the Celebrex (celecoxib) the physician prescribed for me? I just saw a commercial of which half it was the risk of side effects including possible heart issues (by law 1/2 of all prescriptions advertising must be focused on things such as side effects, just look at the next printed medication ad you see in a magazine). Well that seems a little bit serious. I remember there was a commercial for Osteo-Bi-Flex when I was watching the price is right and it didn't list any side effects. No side effects must mean that it's safer, right? There was also a commercial for One-A-Day Energy which said it would give me that little kick I needed. I am going to go the the drug store...

After arriving at the drug store, I grab a generic pain reliever (that is similar to Celebrex but cheaper as my pharmacist said) and what appears to be a generic for Osteo-Bi-Flex. I look at the labels...

First the herbal supplement...

Just like I thought, there aren't very many warnings. Now let's look at the over the counter (OTC) pain reliever...

WHOA!! That's a lot of information on a bottle about the same size. I think I am going to try the herbal instead. Let's look at the energy vitamin. It looks like the rest except it has guarana with an asterisk by it. It's probably alright...

Now this is in now way an all encompassing example. Many of my patients will actually listen to what I recommend for them, especially if I tell them it's what I would take if I were them. However, there are also several patients a day that now matter what I say they believe that the natural is better. I do what I can to help all but sometimes, they will not simply listen.

With such strong FDA restrictions on prescription and some OTC medications while have little to no regulation over herbals it is no wonder why advertising and the billion dollar herbal industry has lead consumers to think they are much safer than FDA tested and regulated medications. Many patients, even when they look up herbals on the internet, are not aware of the side effects or drug interactions of many herbal medications or that many of the herbal products are not tested and in many cases are not regulated for quality.

Just to highlight a few common areas I see in a daily basis I will keep this herbal review short. VERY SHORT. Here are some herbal basics:

1. ALWAYS consult a pharmacist/physician before taking them. At the very least do some homework and look up possible indications and directions for use as well as potential side effects.

General Rule: Beware of the G's - Ginseng, Guarana, and Garlic. These have the most interactions and the first two can increase blood pressure signigicantly. Glucosamine is generally safe but may interact with Coumadin (warfarin)

2. If it makes some cure all or miraculous claim, it's garbage and will not live up to the hype

This includes: most weight loss remedies (Alli will work but with proper diet and exercise only minimally), male enhancement or erectile dysfunction (ED) herbals (some with yohimbe or horny goat weed may work but all of them I have seen have ingredients that will raise blood pressure which may worsen ED), and colon cleansing products to name a few.

3. A lot of the herbals have some basis as to why they work. However, many may only work mildly if at all. They are not replacements for prescription medications.

4. Look for the USP or ISO certification stamps. These mean these herbals where tested by an independent third party and actually have what they claim in them. Thus these are safer than most.

5. Do not ask advice at a store that strictly sells these products. Many of the employees have numbers they need to reach and will sell you a variety of things to meet THEIR NEEDS, not yours. Instead ask a health care provider, like a pharmacist. We must be able to legally back up what we recommend. Would you trust someone who must back up their recommendation in a court of law or someone who was hired last week and is still in high school?

With all of that being said herbals are not always a bad thing and can actually help many people live better lives. They are not cure alls but should be used with the same discretion as prescription medications. Everything has side effects even foods. If a person eats too much fat, they gain weight. BOOM! Side effect! Always ask advice of a professional. Yes, they may make a little bit off of selling you something but they are held accountable for what they tell you. That's why they are PROFESSIONALS!