From teas and milk thistle to a more popular herbal supplement known as St. John’s Wort, millions of people are taking these various supplements everyday. Now more than ever individuals are buying these in hopes to improve their health. The thought of using natural antidotes to keep in shape rather than prescription drugs seems more useful to the average person. However, before you go and take any herbal supplement that sounds good to your health, you should learn about what it contains, what exactly it will do for you, and whether or not it is the right supplement to take.
First off, lets make sure you know exactly what an herbal supplement is. As simple as it sounds, an herbal supplement is made from natural herbs. For centuries people have discovered the benefits that different ingredients in plants have. Dating way back, individuals started to use these ingredients to help with one’s health. Since there are many different types of herbs, there are numerous different supplements available to help an individual’s well being on a day to day basis. Some herbs contain more powerful ingredients than others. If not used correctly, they may do no good for one’s body. If taken to the extreme, some of these ingredients can even have harmful effects to your health. This is why it is essential to know about the different herbal supplements available and what they contain before you go ahead and take them.
Some individuals have the misunderstanding that herbal supplements are drugs. This is false. Since they are not considered drugs, the Food and Drug Agency do not have to approve of which supplements can be available in any store. Also, they have no control over what is written on the bottle. Since there is little restriction on herbal supplements, the manufacturers of the products may mislead you with what it can actually do for you. Most likely they will not be able to guarantee you the safety or effectiveness from taking their supplements. Also, the label on the bottle may not be completely accurate with what the supplement actually contains. One should consider this before they go and buy any random herbal supplement they see in the local store.
It is a good idea to tell your doctor about any herbal supplement you may take, or want to take in the future. Your physician should be able to tell you what side effects different herbs may have on your body. Some may actually be of good use to you and others may make no difference. You shouldn’t take any supplement that your body does not necessarily need. Also, before taking anything you should know if it will actually have a positive impact on your overall health. One supplement may help you lose weight, but is it going to increase your chances of having a seizure or stroke? Will another supplement make you less depressed but have an ingredient that may cause cancer? These are questions to keep in mind because the risks are never worth taking. Last, some herbs may contain ingredients which can interfere with other medications you are on. This is something else you should definitely consult your doctor about. Since it is better to be safe than sorry, it is not a bad idea to find out these simple facts beforehand so that there are no problems with your health that could have been prevented.
There are all different types of herbal supplements that also come in different forms. Most likely you will be able to find the supplement you want in either a powder, pill, or liquid form. Most commonly used are teas, oils, wines, and capsules. These herbal supplements have been known to have healthy effects on individual’s organs, tissues, muscles, and even their mental well being. There are many medicines out there, such as St. John’s Wort, which are said to help with depression. Many people have the idea that herbal supplements are just for one’s physical health, when there are many out there that can help one’s mental health as well. Also, people take different forms to use as medicine in order to prevent disease. In some cases, herbal supplements are said to even treat or cure whatever disease it may be. However, like any other drug, if it is taken incorrectly, or even too much or abused, it can have very harmful effects on your total health.
Although the use of prescription drugs have become more common than herbal remedies in the past one hundred years, scientists and physicians have recently been doing more studies on different plants. There are people everyday doing experiments and testing herbs to find out what exact benefits they each contain. It is important to know every compound that is in a supplement before it is taken and that is what they are working on right now. Many herbal supplements contain numerous complex compounds with ingredients that are not known by its distributors. Although these medicines may benefit your own physical or mental health, you should always be cautious when you decide to take any herbal supplements. Remember, it never hurts your health to do some research on what supplement you may want to take or to even ask your doctor a few questions.
