Does “Natural” Means Safe?

If you see the word “natural” in herbal supplements, it does not always means safe eventhough it comes from natural sources. For example, consider mushrooms that grow in the wild–some are safe to eat, while others are poisonous.

The FDA issues warnings about supplements that pose risks to consumers, including those used for CAM therapies. A sample list is in the box below. The FDA found these products of concern because they:

* Could damage health–in some cases severely.

* Were contaminated–with other unlabeled herbs, pesticides, heavy metals, or prescription drugs.

* Interacted dangerously with prescription drugs.

Examples of Supplements
That Have Carried FDA Cautions About Safety

# Ephedra
#GHB (gamma hydroxybutyric acid), GBL (gamma butyrolactone), and BD (1,4-butanediol)
# Kava
# Some “dieter’s teas”
# L-tryptophan
#Certain products, marketed for sexual enhancement and claimed to be “natural” versions of the drug Viagra,® which were found to contain an unlabeled drug (sildenafil or tadalafil).
# PC SPES and SPES
# Aristolochic acid
# Comfrey
# St. John’s wort

Tweet This Post