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Dietary Supplements – Botanicals
What is a botanical? The study of plants
is called botany, so a botanical is a plant, or part
thereof, that is valued for its medicinal or therapeutic
properties. Some people groups have used these botanical
– or herbal - supplements for thousands of years
to alleviate some conditions. However, even though they
are gaining in popularity, many professional health
carers in the western world still doubt their usefulness.
The Dietary Supplement Health and Education
Act (1994) has ruled that before a botanical can be
classified as a dietary supplement, it must…
· Be intended to supplement the
diet.
· Contain one or more dietary ingredient like
vitamins, or their constituents.
· Be intended for use in oral form such as tablets,
capsules liquid or powder.
· Be labelled on the front that it is intended
as a dietary supplement.
Many herbal remedies meet these criteria.
They are also packaged and sold as teas and infusions,
tinctures and extracts, and are becoming increasingly
popular in western countries, being used to relieve
mild conditions instead of what is seen as the harsher
chemical alternative.
For instance, ginger in various forms
is used to combat travel and morning sickness,
because it does not make the consumer drowsy and dry
in the mouth as do some other over-the counter, or even
prescription, drugs. It can be taken as a tea, a tablet
or in the form of a lolly (sweet). There are many herbal
products on the market, and some claim to help mental
ability, while others are said to increase strength
or energy, help you sleep, or cope with stress. Most
of them are quite expensive, so make sure you really
do need that product before you buy it.
If you have a disease or are on medication
of any kind and wish to try an herbal remedy, it would
be wise to consult a knowledgeable health professional
before doing so. Some herbal remedies have been shown
to react adversely to chemical substances.
Many people accept herbal medications
as safe because they are ‘natural’, but this
is not necessarily so. Many plants are poisonous, or
may have serious side effects or give allergic reactions
when taken by susceptible individuals. One such case
is bee pollen. Just as you can be allergic to bee stings
without knowing it (if you’ve never been stung)
so an allergy to bee pollen may also be present. While
many herbal concoctions can be useful, you should always
approach new herbal products with caution. It is better
to be safe than sorry.
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