Herbal Supplements And Its Effects On Health Conditions

An increasing number of people are using products to enhance their diets. A recent estimate indicates, “Americans are spending some $6 billion annually on nutritional supplements, and the market is growing by 20% every year” (Zahn, 1997). Of these supplements, the increase in herbal remedy use is most dramatic. Zahn holds that the increase can be attributed to the widely held belief that herbal substances are healthy and harmless because of their natural origins (1997). Unfortunately, research on these supplements, herbal or otherwise, has not transmitted to the public as quickly as the diet enhancers themselves. The phenomenon leaves many consumers misguided by skewed advertising and

Because many of the treatments of alternative medicine do not adhere to the principles of conventional medicine, whether or not to allow practice of these techniques in the United States is a major concern of the medical community today. The Food and Drug Administration is the decision making body of issues such as this and more often than not, does not approve many of these practices. Due to the fact that holistic medicine sometimes contradicts the fundamentals of biomedicine, health care regulation boards such as the FDA find it difficult to accept many of these treatments. Because the Western world is so unfamiliar with these techniques it is only natural for medical community to often disprove these methods. However, as more and more doctors discover the limitations of

It is estimated that 20% of the U. S. population use herbal medicine. “The prevalence of herbal medicine use by some ethnic and cultural groups in the US may be even higher; one meta-analysis found that 4% to 40% (mean 30%) of Latinos living in the United States regularly used herbal medicine” (Kiefer, Tellez-Giron, & Bradbury, 2014, p. 64). The growing number of Latinos in the US and their reliance on herbal remedies is something that healthcare providers are going to have to address to be able to provide culturally competent care to this population.

Throughout the years we have been prescribed with regular medications for whatever illness we have and also in using supplements for our weight loss program. We at times neglect or willfully forget the side effects and risks we are faced off with regular medications. This is the reason why a lot of herbal supplement companies are increasing in popularity because of the supplements they are recommending in exchange of the regular medications. There are more and more people being aware of these supplements performance. They prevent the onset of a possible health problem and also increase performance with considering very little complications or side effects.

According to the 2002 Harris poll, seven out of ten adults in the United States take vitamins, minerals, herbs, or other supplements (Schardt 2). Due to media advertising, dietary supplements are becoming more popular. Companies compete to have the best supplements. It is said that forty percent of American adults take vitamin supplements and over the counter products, which total in several billion dollars (Farley 2). Although many of the supplements claim to be healthy and help lose weight, the dangers are endless. Dietary supplements can be illegally spiked and are not safe. Therefore, putting regulations on dietary supplements and their safety hazards is necessary.

Look around your community and look; most people are living unhealthy tonic lives. Common diseases like diabetes, obesity and cancer are more prevalent than they were in the past by an astoundingly large amount. Any thinking person must ask themselves are they getting the most of life? Although people may attain riches, fame, and honor all of it is like garbage if you’re unhealthy. You cannot buy health and happiness. Even if someone is very successful it doesn’t mean that this person is happy and healthy! Consumers thus should be concerned what they put in their bodies. The Food and Drug Administration is regulating food, but people are sicker now than they ever have been. Not only them, but the big pharmaceutical companies also play a role in this giving drugs to people to help their problems but end up with a host of other problems from their fix. With this project I hope to show how incompetent the Food and Drug Administration is by unveiling what synthetic vitamins really are, the chemicals used, and the comparison of how other countries handle the same food tampering.

In an ordinary household, it is common to find medication, medical devices, and or food supplements associated to a specific health-related condition or illness. An assessment of my household reveals the following products:

The fact must be faced; obesity is increasing in numbers. However, it is interesting to note that as the number of overweight individuals increases, so too does the various methods of reducing caloric and fat intake. In today’s busy society Americans are willing to try almost any weight loss product on the market in order to reach their goal of "thinness. Americans are turning to herbal supplements in record numbers as a means of attaining their dietary needs and goals. One of the best selling herbal supplements on the market is Metabolife 356â (http://www.metabolife.com/news/100199.htm).

Testimony by the Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians, HANP Testimony to Homeopathic Product Regulation: Evaluating FDA’s Regulatory Framework After a Quarter-Century Hearing, April 20-21, 2015 Docket No. FDA-2015-N-0540 Cong. (2015) (testimony of Lisa Amerine, ND, DHANP). Print.

Recently, another weight loss supplement has stepped into the ever-increasing market. This drug, called Stimulife 750, is a supposedly all-natural herbal supplement that promotes weight loss without any effort from the client. Both the parent company – Stimulife International – and various distributors of Stimulife 750 make bold blanket statements such as “Stimulife 750 has everything good and nothing bad,” which set the success of the pill far higher than is possible. Furthermore, these individuals attempting to sell the product use a variety of marketing techniques to encourage purchasing the supplement; however, they provide no scientific evidence to support the claims they

You brought up a great point about the culture playing a key role in polypharmacy. I used to drink herbal teas like ginseng but I stopped it because of my pregnancy, no caffeine for me for now ;). My parents were the one who introduced the herbal teas. I have seen many patients taking herbal medications as well, but my hospital prohibits any medications that are not FDA approved. I definitely agree with you, obtaining information about the patients' background and culture should never be left out when assessing our patients. Thanks

Working at a health food and supplement grocery store is a noteworthy experience that allows me to draw comparisons between conventional and alternative medicine. As the marketing director, I am responsible for informing health conscious consumers about the products we carry and educating them about their nutritional value. On occasion, I meet people who refuse to see a doctor or take prescription medications for their ailments. As an aspiring physician, I think it is imperative to recognize that these views on medicine exist. Working here has opened my eyes to these perspectives and will allow me to better serve patients by respecting their views and emphasizing health and nutrition.

Herbal supplements cause destruction to many parts of the body. Aristolochic acid, a herbal supplement, is associated with morbidity but is not the only one. Yohimbine, which is a sexual stimulant, has been known to cause diseases of the heart and lungs. Androstenedione, which is a muscle inducing steroid, not only creates a higher risk for cancer but also decreases high density lipoprotein cholesterol. Also Kava, which is used to prevent short term insomnia, apprehension, and stress causes liver damage.

The scientific community is much quicker to label this second type as quacks, whereas the scientific community has failed to gain a consensus on the legitimacy of the first type. Unfortunately, both are encompassed by the term alternative medicine. This paper will focus on the more controversial alternative medicines described in the first group.

Modern medicine and healthcare system have categorized herbal medicine as a natural remedy used when people can’t afford to purchase conventional drugs. They are perceived inferior because they cost less but the health benefits are endless. However, there have been various situations and instances that prove that herbal medicine is good for health.