You must all know that the list of herbal remedies is endless. From echinacea to ginkgo, and flaxseed, everything is good for improving one or the other’s health and is widely available in the market for the betterment of the life of the people. Herbal supplements are the best dietary supplements that one can have to use as a medicinal purpose.
On the contrary, they have never been the subject of any scientific study, as usual, the medicines have to pass to come into the market for selling. The manufacturers indeed follow the best practices to prepare, but they don’t go through a test for approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before they are up in the market for selling.
Even if they are not tested, they have a strong positive effect on treating people from several diseases. If you want to know more about the benefits and side effects of these herbal supplements, then without any further ado, dig right into the article below.
How to know about what’s in the herbal supplement you are having?
According to the FDA, some of the necessary information must be upon the label of the health supplements. This essential information includes:
- The name of the product
- The name and address of the manufacturer
- List of all the ingredients
- Serving tips
You can compare all the ingredients of the herbal supplements in the US to your country with the Dietary Supplement Label Database’s help on the National Institue of Health. You can also gather all the information about the product like the name, uses, ingredients, and manufacturer before buying the supplements.
How to know that you can rely on the herbal supplement or not?
Medicine manufacturers indeed ensure that all the claims they make regarding the product are genuine and not misleading. However, they don’t provide the necessary evidence to the FDA. Thus, be smart and don’t just rely on any herbal supplement’s company before proper research. Here are a few ways through which you can get supporting evidence for the herbal supplements:
- Consult a reliable doctor or pharmacist.
- Check out the scientific research of the particular herbal supplement or manufacturing company.
- You can also contact the manufacturer directly to solve all queries about the herbal supplement or any other medication.
Who are all recommended to start using herbal supplements?
If you are dealing with a health problem, you must first consult a doctor before getting into taking herbal supplements. In some severe case situations, doctors are most likely to recommend avoiding the intake of herbal supplements. The following are the situations in which you must talk to your doctor before consuming herbal supplements:
- Herbal supplements, if mixed with medicines for blood thinning or blood pressure, or if you are taking aspirin regularly, then you must talk to your doctor first.
- Another case is if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, then there is a chance that those herbal supplements might cause harmful side effects on the infant or the fetus. Thus, don’t take any medicine at all before consulting your doctor.
- Some of the herbal supplements are for people younger than 18 or older than 65, based on the metabolism. Thus, consult your doctor before using the wrong medication.
Tips for using herbal supplements
If you have gathered all the information now and are planning to start taking herbal supplements, make sure to remember these tips to enjoy the supplement’s good effects:
- Follow the instructions of the supplement bottle.
- Keep a record of the intake of the supplements.
- Choose the brand of herbal supplements wisely.
- Check the FDA website regularly for health advisories.
