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Herbal Remedies and Complementary Medicine

Up to 90 percent of people turn to complementary medicine, including many potential “cures” using herbal compounds, to cure their ills as they get older. Usually they are seeking nontraditional remedies for low back pain, headaches, arthritis and other joint pain, insomnia, depression, and, of course, aging. It’s big business, bringing in over $15 billion a year in the United States alone. Treatment modalities include diet, herbs, massage, breathing, and detoxi?cation. Numerous herbal medicines are effective in the treatment of disease (shown in Table 1.4, on the next page) but have not necessarily become mainstream by any means.

“Natural” Doesn’t Necessarily Mean “Healthy”

Although herbal and other natural products may be bene? cial in some circumstances, they can have signi?cant and sometimes unpredictable side effects. The sale of herbs for medicinal use is largely unregulated. The ingredients of some herbal preparations are not listed on the packaging, and even when they are, the lists may not be accurate or complete. Companies selling herbs are not even required to demonstrate the safety or ef?cacy of their products.

For example, certain forms of ginseng may raise blood pres­sure, and mugwort (Mother wort) causes dermatitis (skin in?am­mation). Other people have been poisoned, in some cases fatally, by taking herbal preparations containing Heliotropium when they were also taking a prescribed barbiturate. To avoid possible drug interactions, be sure your physician is aware of any herbal prepara­tions you use.

Action Steps for Better Health Tip

A select few herbal supplements have been shown to work to improve health problems. However, the sale of herbal preparations is largely unregulated, and in many cases their safety and ef?cacy is unproven. If you use any herbs, to be on the safe side, let your physician know.