“May cause drowsiness, stomach ulcers, night sweats, night terrors, increased appetite, decreased appetite, decreased sex drive, discharge, diarrhea, migraines, heart attack, stroke, even death.” I don’t know about you but the pharmaceutical industry makes me a little nervous as more and more drugs hit the television and almost ¼ of the commercial is about how their product can negatively affect me or even kill me. With all the news these days about class action lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies because of such side effects, it is no surprise that an increasing number of health-conscious consumers are seeking alternative and natural ways to stay healthy and cure ailments. But are these naturopathic and herbal remedies safe?

I wish it were black and white, but the answer is that some are and some “may not be”. If you think that I sound a lot like the pharmaceutical ads when giving such and ambiguous response, you are right on the money.

The reason neither any pharmaceutical companies, herbal medicines companies, nor any vitamin companies can definitively tell you that it’s neither safe or dangerous is that everyone’s bodies work differently under the effects of certain herbs and/or pharmaceuticals. Of course trial studies are done on animals and eventually humans (if the drugs get that far) but even then the results are done as “percentages that may experience” rather than firm “yes’s” and “no’s”. These companies are not trying to mislead the public by claiming that “you may experience decreased sleep” as opposed to “product causes insomnia”.

So what does this mean for herbal remedies? The challenge with herbal supplements is that there is no governing body (like the FDA for food and drugs) that must pass the product before releasing it to the market and no real governance of the claims that companies make about their products effectiveness.

What can we do? Collect as much information as you can on the herb or herbal blend from multiple independent sources. There are a number of very valuable books out there that list side effects of herbal supplements along with the true effects that it has on the body. Consult a physician if you don’t trust your own research. If you bought the product, take ½ the recommended dosage to measure your reactions.

There are a lot of great herbs out there and there a many that are either useless or harmful to your bodies. Be careful and think for yourself rather than listen to the marketing claims.