Herbal Supplements MGP2

Magazine article on Herbal Supplements

Herbal Supplements

            Herbal is a known supplement from around the world. But the question is could they have an effect on your body, or cost you tons of money? Did you know that Americans spend around $5 billion a year on herbal supplements that guarantee to fight off colds, help with hot flashes, and helping your memory? There has been a recent DNA tests done on herbal supplements and researchers have found that the supplements may be more than just powdered rice and weeds. Researchers used a test called DNA bar coding. Canadian researchers tested 44 bottles of popular herbal supplements sold by 12 different companies. Researchers found that many supplements were not what they claimed to be. Out of the 44 herbal supplements tested, an alarming one-third showed that there was no trace of the plant researchers had advertised on the bottle. A lot of them were replaced with ingredients not listed on the label. For example: rice, soybeans, and wheat. The wheat in these supplements is used as fillers. In some of the cases, the fillers were the only plants found in the bottle. The fillers could be a major health concern for people with allergies pertaining to gluten. Findings about the matter, published in a Medicine journal, include smaller studies conducted in years past that say a large percentage of herbal products are not what the product advertise to be. Because of the latest findings being backed by DNA testing, Researchers provide the most credible evidence of adulteration, contamination, and mislabeling in the industry. Other medicines seem to be growing rapidly, which includes an estimated 29,000 herbal products, sold throughout America. A senior nutritionist from the Center for Science in the Public Interest states, “This suggests that the problems are widespread and that the quality control for many companies, whether through ignorance, incompetence or dishonesty, is unacceptable. Given these results, it’s hard to recommend any herbal supplements to consumers.” Representatives of the supplements industry said that misleading supplements were a legitimate concern; representatives didn't believe supplements reached the level suggested by the new research. Stefan Gafner, a chief science officer at the American Botanical Council, said that the study was “flawed” because the bar coding technology used couldn't always identify herbs that had been purified and processed. Dr. Gafner stated “However, I would agree that quality control is an issue in the herbal industry, but I think that what’s represented here is overblown. I don’t think it’s bad as it look according to this study.” The FDA has used DNA bar coding to test herbal teas, which showed that it contained herbs and other ingredients that are not listed on the label.  The FDA requires that companies test their products to make sure the products are safe. Unfortunately the system essentially works on the honor code. Unlike prescription drugs, supplements are safe until proven otherwise. The market has little supervision so it is easier to get away with lack of supervision. Many companies just ignore the rules set by administrations like the FDA. Watch out for what you are putting in your body. You never know when people could be misleading you. People will go a long way to make a profit.

Works Cited

O'connor, Anahad. "Herbal Supplements Are Often Not What They Seem." The New York Times. The New York Times, 04 Nov. 2013. Web. 02 May 2014.