Finding the Value in Herbal Medications

They may be a good alternative – if you’re a smart consumer

What they look like

Green tea, 5-HTP, St. John’s Wort, fish oil and horse chestnut extract (in dropper) are among the more common herbal medications.

For mild or chronic conditions, herbal medications may offer an alternative to prescription drugs. They often cost less and sometimes can be more effective, with fewer side effects. That’s because herbals work to gently restore balance to the body rather than overriding or attacking problems.

“Pharmaceutical drugs are a good answer for a severe illness,” says family medicine physician William Kracht, D.O., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “Herbal medications, if used appropriately, may be better at preventing illness or treating it at a milder stage.”

Before you stock up, educate yourself. There are thousands of products—from green tea to riboflavin—and they come in several forms including teas, pills, tinctures and powders. Because the FDA doesn’t regulate herbals as strictly as prescription drugs, it’s hard to tell if they contain the stated ingredients and amounts. “Supplement companies can claim anything—and often do,” says Kracht’s colleague, clinical pharmacist Heidi Mayville, Pharm.D.

Don’t assume “natural” means safe. Herbals may come from nature, but many are also powerful drugs that can harm you or interfere with prescription drugs. Always buy supplements from a reputable source and use as directed.

A few—including the anti-ager DHEA and the memory-booster pregnenolone—probably shouldn’t be sold over-the-counter at all, Kracht says. Always tell your doctor about any supplement you’re taking and stay up to date on the latest findings.

Web sites such as the National Institutes of Health’s nccam.nih.gov, offer research findings, brand comparisons and information on potential interactions. Consider also consulting an herbalist or doctor educated in herbal medicine. Some medical associations offer free online listings of such professionals.

Herbal medicine remains controversial, but more research is under way, Mayville says. And more American physicians are following the lead of their counterparts in Europe, where herbal therapies are a standard part of care. Some, like Kracht, use well-researched herbal medicines alongside conventional treatments—for example, cinnamon along with prescription glucose-lowering drugs to control blood sugar in people with diabetes. “It’s not necessarily an either/or proposition,” Kracht says.

Want to Know More about the potential health benefits of specific herbal products or resources for information on herbal remedies? Click above.

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