Truth About Dangerous Vitamins/Herbs

[Guest guest]

They are categorizing herbs as " likely hazardous " and " very likely

hazardous " , what exactly does " likely " mean in the face of the fact

that our current medical system is the third leading cause of DEATH

when taken correctly??

 

And it is interesting to note, this article written by a Naturopath,

from a very allopathic way of thinking school, is still making a

case for herbs to be regulated...

 

Buyer be warned- self vested interests are going to show their head

on both sides of this issue...

 

Other comments?

Misty L. Trepke

http://www..com

 

The Truth about " Dangerous " Vitamins and Herbs 6/24/04

- A Healthnotes Newswire Opinion

 

Ignoring the long history of successful traditional supplement use

and the numerous health problems consumers risk every day from over-

the-counter (OTC) drugs, Consumer Reports recently published an

article criticizing the lack of nutritional and herbal supplement

regulation (2004;69:12–7). Making several false or misleading

claims, the authors single out 12 " dangerous " supplements, referring

to them as the " dirty dozen, " and calling for the US Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) to ban them; however, their recommendations are

based on theoretical dangers or on reported reactions given without

contextual details that would clarify whether the supplement alone

was to blame. Weighing the relatively rare occurrences of toxicity

against potential benefits, banning these herbs is an inappropriate

conclusion. While it is important to educate and warn consumers

about possible hazards of supplement use, it is equally

important to recognize their unique medicinal qualities and their

relative safety in comparison with the medications that they might

replace.

 

The bigger picture

 

In order to put the authors' concerns into perspective, it is

important to note the widespread adverse reactions to OTC medicines.

Aspirin, one of the most widely used OTC medications in the world,

can cause serious damage to the stomach lining even when taken in

recommended amounts. Aspirin use is responsible for thousands of

serious gastrointestinal emergencies and hundreds of deaths each

year. Acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol® and some

other OTC medications) is another popular pain reliever. Its use is

linked to hundreds of reports of toxic effects on the liver and

kidneys each year. Drugs called H2 blockers, used to treat heartburn

and gastroesophageal reflux, have recently become available without

a prescription and are among the most widely used medications in the

United States. H2 blockers have well-known risks including kidney

and liver damage. The risk of toxic effects from these and many

other OTC medications is higher in people who have chronic diseases,

in people using certain other medications, and in the elderly and

children. With all of this in mind, the FDA deems these and many

other medicines with potential hazards to be generally safe for

people to obtain without supervision.

 

The Consumer Reports article also criticizes what they call " the

`natural' mystique " of supplements, in which consumers assume that a

substance derived from natural sources is always healthful and safe.

However, such mistaken assumptions would be better addressed by

educating the public rather than restricting their access to

potentially helpful herbs and supplements. As those familiar with

supplements are well aware, the active components in herbs and

nutritional supplements can have good or bad effects, depending on

the substance and the way it is used. Fortunately, many resources

are already available to help consumers get informed. Tools such as

Healthnotes Safetychecker (appearing in some products as " Using

Medicines with Vitamins consumers can check before they mix

medicines, supplements, and even foods.

 

It should also be remembered that most of the medicines used in

Western clinical practice have their origins in herbal medicine. For

nearly a century, components of medicinal herbs have been isolated

and concentrated, or used as models for chemicals made in labs to

make pharmacological agents that are more powerful and faster acting

than the whole herbs from which they came. These chemicals also have

higher toxicity than their herbs of origin. Nonetheless, some

medicinal herbs can be toxic, especially when taken in excess, or,

as with chemical medicines, in people with a disease, people taking

medications, and the very old or very young.

 

What about the benefits?

Aristolochic acid, one of the substances mentioned by Consumer

Reports, is a component of a family of herbs used in traditional

Chinese medicine. Each of these herbs has been used historically in

the treatment of specific conditions. Some of the more commonly used

herbs containing aristolochic acid have indications such as inflamed

joints, rashes, bladder infections, and respiratory ailments.

Problems with this compound came to light when weight-loss clinics

in Belgium, mistakenly employing extraordinarily high amounts of an

herb rich in aristolochic acid in conjunction with other potentially

hazardous medications, reported multiple cases of kidney failure

and death. Consumers should note that other reports of problems with

these herbs are extremely rare and have never come from the United

States. Despite this, as Consumer Reports states, the FDA issued a

warning about using herbs containing aristolochic acid in 2001.

 

The rest of the supplements in the " Twelve supplements you should

avoid " section of the Consumer Reports article, were categorized

as " very likely hazardous " or " likely hazardous " based on " adverse

event–reports or theoretical risks. " Sources and the extent of the

adverse events were not included in the article, so it is impossible

to weigh the potential benefits against the risks. The following

lists the benefits of using some of these supplements:

Comfrey (Symphytum officinalis), chaparral (Larrea tridentata), and

kava kava (Piper methysticum) are other examples of herbs that have

been reported to cause toxic effects in individuals who have either

liver or kidney disease, are taking other medications with potential

toxicity, or are taking excessive amounts. Comfrey is usually used

externally to promote wound healing and relieve skin irritations. It

is especially useful internally to treat gastric ulcers. Chaparral

is also used externally for wounds and inflammation. Its other

traditional uses include the treatment of parasites, arthritis,

bronchitis, and fever. Kava kava has a relaxing effect and

is used for anxiety, insomnia, and muscle cramps. Although Consumer

Reports classifies these herbs as " very likely hazardous, " the real

likelihood of danger from using these herbs properly is very small.

 

The vast majority of people using these herbs do not experience any

negative side effects, particularly those who are not suffering from

preexisting health conditions or mixing them with medications, as

described above.

 

The essential oils of bitter orange (Citrus aurantium) and

pennyroyal (Hedeoma pulegioides or Mentha pulegium) have more widely

toxic effects. Extracts from these whole plants are generally safe

in small amounts for short periods of time, although ideally they

should be taken with the guidance of a healthcare professional

trained in the use of medicinal herbs. A small amount of an extract

of bitter orange has a numbing effect and is sometimes added to

herbal sore-throat formulas. Pennyroyal has been used to treat

digestive problems and to bring on menstrual flow. These two

herbs should not be used by pregnant or nursing women, and their

pure oils should only be used topically.

 

Lobelia (Lobelia inflata) and yohimbine (Pausinystalia johimbe) are

herbs that have recognized efficacy and relatively good safety

records. Their possible side effects are also well known. A

component of lobelia is used in a medication used to help people

quit smoking, and yohimbine is the active ingredient in a number of

medications used to treat male impotence. Rare cases of liver

failure have been reported in people using scullcap (Scutellaria

laterifola), an herb often used in herbal formulas for insomnia. All

of these incidents have been linked to contamination of the

product with germander (Teucrium chamaedrys), an herb known to cause

liver damage. There is no evidence that scullcap is likely to be

dangerous, as is claimed by Consumer Reports.

 

What's needed is an attitude adjustment—and better information

As the Consumer Reports article shows, supplement manufacturers are

legally prevented from making claims—positive or negative—about

their products. Growing interest in natural medicine and increasing

recognition of alternative and integrative therapies has already

prompted the FDA to take a closer look at labeling laws. This will

doubtless address safety issues, and one can only hope it may also

allow manufacturers to more easily share information about the vast

amount of well-studied, scientifically demonstrated benefits of many

herbs and nutritional supplements with consumers.

 

Easy access and unsupervised use of virtually all OTC medicines—

herbal, nutritional, and chemical—has inherent dangers, but also

richly benefits society. Consumer Reports has both overstated the

issues and overreacted by concluding that the only response to

potential supplement dangers should be to make them unavailable for

responsible use. Rather than banning these herbs, it would be more

prudent to call for the formation of a regulatory body to ensure

that OTC herbal supplements come with instructions for safe

use and warnings regarding known and potential dangers.

 

—Maureen Williams, N.D.

 

Maureen Williams, N.D., received her bachelor's degree from the

University of Pennsylvania and her Doctorate of Naturopathic

Medicine from Bastyr University in Seattle, WA. She has a private

practice in Quechee, VT, and does extensive work with traditional

herbal medicine in Guatemala and Honduras. Dr. Williams is a regular

contributor to Healthnotes Newswire.

 

Lilian

 

" Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread

within it. Whatever we do to the web we do to ourselves. All things

are bound together. All things connect. "

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