Health Issues with Herbs

Herbal medicine has long been an alternative for those seeking health-related remedies without using powerful pharmaceuticals. While these herbs tend to have a lesser degree of side effects, they can still cause adverse reactions if used improperly. Individuals who mix pharmaceutical medication with herbal treatments may experience some health problems.

Drug Interactions
Herbal products can cause unfavorable reactions when mixed with over-the-counter or prescription medicines. Herbs can reduce the effectiveness of these medicines and cause health problems and side effects as a result. Drugs that don't mix well with herbs include cancer drugs, heart medications, blood thinning agents, anxiety and mental health medications and blood pressure pills.

Dosage
Because there is no real way to tell the exact components of herbal medications, particularly those not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it is important to take the dosage recommended by the manufacturer. Some individuals make the mistake of believing that just because the medication is herbal, the dosage is not as important. However, taking too much of any kind of medicine has the potential to adversely affect your health.

Additives
Herbal medicines, like other forms of medications, can sometimes contain other additives to help preserve the pill or enhance the effect of the herb. It is important to be aware of what is in your herbal medicines, particularly if you are allergic to certain additives. This information is sometimes readily available on the bottle; at other times, you may have to do some research before beginning to ingest a new herb.