Q. I’m a geezer, and I believe in herbal products
because they’re natural, and I think you should tell your readers how wonderful
they are.
A. I get a kick out of people who are big
on “natural” and “organic.”
Poison ivy is natural and organic. So is cobra venom.
You have to be very careful when you use herbal health
products and dietary supplements, especially if you are a senior. Always
consult a doctor before taking any of these products, which I like to label “alternatives.”
These products may not be safe if you have cancer, an
enlarged prostate gland, high blood pressure, diabetes, glaucoma, heart
disease, epilepsy, Parkinson disease, psychiatric issues or problems with
clotting blood; your immune system; liver or thyroid.
You should be especially cautious about these products
if you are taking drugs that treat any of these health problems.
Alternatives can interfere with the way your body should
process medicine. For example, you may not absorb enough of the medicine you
need.
These products can cause difficulties during surgery,
including bleeding and problems with anesthesia. You should stop using herbal
products at least two weeks before surgery.
In the United States, alternatives are regulated by the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration as foods. Therefore, they are not held to the
same standards as medicines whose manufacturers must prove they are safe and
effective.
These products can also contain ingredients that aren’t
on the label.
That bottle of natural elixir on the shelf could contain
plant pollen, steroids, arsenic, lead and pesticides.
The active ingredients in many of these products are
unknown. In fact, because alternatives are not held to tough standards, you may
even consume more or less of the supplement than what the label tells you you’re
taking.
Well, you ask, these products must be standardized in
some way, right?
The fact is that, in the United States, there is no
legal definition of “standardized” for supplements.
There are hundreds of alternatives on the shelves that
claim to help you feel better in a variety of ways. However, the advertising
claims usually aren’t backed by reliable information.
Some of the most popular alternatives include
chondroitin, echinacea, ephedra, garlic, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, glucosamine,
kava, melatonin, black cohosh, saw palmetto and St. John’s wort.
These alternatives may have additional effects the
manufacturers don’t always tell you about. Here are some side effects you
should knowm about:
• If you are sensitive to
aspirin, don’t take black cohosh because it contains salicylates. Black cohosh
is used for menopausal symptoms.
Aspirin or acetylsalicylic acid is a drug in the family
of salicylates.
• If you have a shellfish
allergy, you may also be allergic to glucosamine. Glucosamine is taken for arthritis.
• Don’t drink alcohol if you
take kava products. Kava can increase the effects of alcohol. Kava is used to
calm your nerves.
If you have a question, please write to
fred@healthygeezer.com