Beware of hidden secrets in herbal supplements

Many parents give herbal supplements to their children in hopes of trying something natural. What's the harm? It's just an herb, right? It's not that I don't think herbal supplements work. I hesitate to recommend them because I don't really know what all of the ingredients are in a product or how much of each is in it. Sometimes they work too well, or worse, they interact with Western medicine in a negative way and cause severe complications. Lack of consistency and undiscovered active ingredients are my main concerns. Herbs can contain powerful chemicals and cause side effects, too. Furthermore, the FDA does not regulate herbal supplements the same way they do with prescription and nonprescription drugs. That's right, herbal supplements are not considered drugs. They are considered dietary supplements (along with vitamins and minerals) under the umbrella of "foods" and are covered under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA). Basically FDA does not expect the herbal supplements to go through the same rigorous process of being approved as drugs. Thus, many products claim to help with a lot of illnesses. Note that these claims have not been scientifically proven. However, you will never see that the herbal supplement "treats, cures, or mitigates a disease" on the label; that's illegal. An even bigger problem is when there are undisclosed ingredients in the herbal supplement that require a prescription for consumption in the United States. The FDA intervenes when a product poses an "unreasonable health risk" or "imminent hazard to public safety" by compiling a complaint against the producer of the herbal supplement, and then filing it. Many times, the products are recalled by the companies. A recent example is the weight loss product that contains sibutramine, an appetite suppressant that can increase blood pressure and pulse rates. If not, the FDA will issue an advisory to the public. Here is more about herbal supplements from the FDA's perspective and a good article from the Discovery Channel. The FDA also offers tips on how to use herbal supplements safely. Because a lot is still unknown about the safety of herbal supplements, be sure to let the doctors and pharmacist know which herbal supplements or teas your child is being given. Check to see if your teenagers are on weight loss products, too.