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Category: Health News

Scottsdale, Arizona - Echinacea to prevent colds. Ginkgo to improve memory. Flaxseed to lower cholesterol. The list of herbal remedies goes on and on.

Herbal supplements, sometimes called botanicals, are one type of dietary supplement available for purchase. Herbal supplements aren't new — plants have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years.

But herbal supplements generally haven't been subjected to the same scientific scrutiny and aren't as strictly regulated as medications. For example, although makers of herbal supplements must follow good manufacturing practices — to ensure that supplements are processed consistently and meet quality standards — they don't have to get approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before putting their products on the market.

Yet all herbs — including herbal supplement products labeled as "natural" — can have medication-like effects. Anything strong enough to produce a positive effect, such as lowered cholesterol or improved mood, is also strong enough to carry risk.

So it's important to investigate potential benefits and side effects of herbal supplements before you buy. And be sure to talk with your doctor, especially if you take medications, have chronic health problems, or are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Are herbal supplements safe?

Herbal supplements are regulated by the FDA, but not as drugs or as foods. They fall under a category called dietary supplements. The rules for dietary supplements are as follows:

These regulations provide assurance that:

However, the rules don't guarantee that herbal supplements are safe for anyone to use.

These products can pose unexpected risks because many supplements contain active ingredients that have strong effects in the body. For example, taking a combination of herbal supplements or using supplements together with prescribed medications could lead to harmful, even life-threatening results.

It's important to talk with your doctor before using herbal supplements.

How do you know what's in herbal supplements?

The FDA requires that the labels of all herbal supplements include this information:

If you don't understand something on a supplement's label, ask your doctor or pharmacist for an explanation.

An easy way to compare ingredients in products is to use the Dietary Supplement Label Database, which is available on the National Institute of Health's website. The database has information on the ingredients for thousands of dietary supplements sold in the United States. You can look up products by brand name, uses, active ingredient or manufacturer.

How do you know if herbal supplements' claims are true?

Manufacturers of herbal supplements are responsible for ensuring that the claims they make about their products aren't false or misleading and that they're backed up by adequate evidence. But they aren't required to submit this evidence to the FDA.

So be a smart consumer. Don't just rely on a product's marketing. Look for objective, research-based information to evaluate a product's claims.

To get reliable information about a particular supplement:

Who shouldn't use herbal supplements?

If you have health issues, it's essential that you talk with your doctor before trying herbal supplements. In fact, in some high-risk situations, your doctor will likely recommend that you avoid herbal supplements altogether.

It's especially important that you talk to your doctor before using herbal supplements if:

Safety tips for using herbal supplements

If you've done your homework and plan to try an herbal supplement, play it safe with these tips: