What are herbal supplements?
Herbs have been used for thousands of years as a source of medicines, salves and teas. Many are still in use today as botanicals -- part of the plant is valued for medicinal qualities. Today, 20 percent of Americans use either an herbal or non-herbal supplement.
Products manufactured from botanicals that are reportedly used to maintain or enhance health are called “herbal products, botanical products, phytomedicines, herbal supplements or natural supplements.” Typically, these natural medicines are either taken by mouth or placed on the skin and come in a variety of forms such as ointments, oils, tablets, capsules and teas.
Are they safe?
But does “all natural” necessarily mean “safe?” Most experts will tell you that many herbal supplements have side effects and drug interactions with over-the-counter (OTC) medications and prescription drugs. “Some people think herbal supplements really work but [that] they are harmless,” but if it acts like a drug in the body, then it can have a negative effect, says Dr. Adriane Fugh-Berman, an expert on medicinal herbs and a professor at Georgetown University’s School of Medicine.
Who regulates supplements?
Surprisingly, in the U.S., there is no close oversight of the phytomedicine industry. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t regulate herbal products as it does physician-prescribed medications. Traditional meds are required to meet FDA-mandated guidelines attesting to safety and efficacy of that drug before it hits the marketplace. Botanicals are not required to meet these regulations because manufacturers are exempt from these rules. But the FDA does provide for some regulation of supplements.