Alternative medicine use in the United States, including herbal and other dietary supplements, has surged in recent years, with a reported 18.8 percent of Americans using dietary supplements in 2002, according to a report in the "Archives of Internal Medicine." Because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not analyze the contents of these products, consumers must not only analyze the purported benefits of supplements, but also educate themselves about risks and potential side effects. Negative side effects may range from headaches or tiredness to serious illness or even death. The best way to avoid bad side effects from herbs and supplements is to consult your doctor first.
Examples
A 1998 "New York Times" article entitled "Doctors' Warning Beware of Herbs' Side Effects" describes a 58-year-old heart patient who experienced post-surgery delirium and cardiac complications traced to withdrawal from the popular medicinal herb valerian. (See References 2) Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy of Duke University Medical Center, one of three physicians to document the case in the November 1998 "Journal of the American Medical Association," describes other side effects associated with popular herbs, such as hypertension caused by licorice and hives caused by chamomile. A "Consumer Reports Health" article in 2010 lists a dozen popular herbs used for health purposes that also may pose potentially serious side effects, including comfrey causing possible liver damage and bitter orange possibly inducing heart attack.
The FDA's Role
Currently, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration does not approve herbs or nutritional supplements, meaning the manufacturers of these products do not have to submit to the various study, application and disclosure requirements that pharmaceutical drug manufacturers do. As such, the FDA does not approve health claims made regarding herbs or nutritional supplements. By law, a supplement manufacturer can only make claims regarding a product's structure or function, but is forbidden from making claims about effects on disease. The FDA does, however, maintain a database of supplements with known potential side effects, searchable on its Nutritional Supplement Adverse Reaction website.
Factors Influencing Side Effects
An herb or vitamin supplement that produces side effects in one person may not necessarily produce them in another. Factors of gender, age, weight and health status could all be involved, as can dosage and distribution method. Adhering to the dosage instructions on a supplement's label is one key way to reduce your risk of experiencing side effects. If a person is taking other medications or consuming potentially harmful substances such as alcohol while using herbs or supplements, the possibility of side effects may be even greater. In particular, pregnant women, women who are breast-feeding and women considering pregnancy should avoid taking vitamin supplements and herbs unless with a doctor's approval and close supervision.
Avoiding Side Effects
According to Personal Health Zone, several factors will help you minimize the risk of negative side effects from taking any supplement, herbal or otherwise. One question to ask is whether the manufacturer conducted any research of its own on the product or simply cites third-party research on the active ingredient in its supplement as evidence of its safety. Other important considerations include whether the manufacturer has a proven reputation, whether its marketing materials make outlandish claims and whether the product label details its standardized formulations and lists its proper dosage and possible side effects. When purchasing these products, ask the pharmacist or herbalist if there are any known side effects associated with them.
References
- Science Daily; Changing Trends in Herbal Supplement Use; Feb. 22, 2005
- "New York Times"; Doctors' Warning: Beware of Herbs' Side Effects; Nancy Beth Jackson; November 17, 1998
- Personal Health Zone; Side Effects, Interactions and Warnings About Herbs; March 2010
- Athletic Advisor; Nutritional Supplements; David Edell; October 2009
- Mayo Clinic; Herbal Supplements: What To Know Before You Buy; November 2009
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