Recently the New York Times’ Well-Health had an article on turmeric, which has been touted as
having anti-inflammatory properties and aids digestion. The April issue of
Consumer Reports contains two articles-Does Tea Tree Oil Work? and Does Aromatherapy Using Essential Oils Work?
Even though turmeric has been
used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries according to the NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) as well as the New York Times
article there isn’t sufficient research to make too many claims.
Any number of newspaper and
popular magazines will list the power of rosemary, sage, garlic, ginger and
other herbal supplements (also called botanicals), but like turmeric, Tea Tree
Oil and aromatherapy is there valid research to back it up?
The NCCIH’s Herbs at a Glance
provides fact sheets on 41 different herbs. Overwhelmingly this is an area
where there’s a lot of anecdotal information but minimal research. What is helpful about these handouts is that
they provide information about possible side effects, drug interactions, etc.
Often when research on a popular topic appears in the medical journals, the media will pick this up and draw their own conclusions. It's helpful to have a basic understanding of what is a good study when reading such articles. A quick way to understand
if it's a valid study is sample size. A study with 500
people is going to yield more reliable findings than one with 50. Were an
experimental group (participants receive treatment) and a control group
(participants didn’t receive treatment) used? Learn more about this topic at
Know the Science.
Herbs and spices are incredible
food flavor boosters, and so dietitians and nutritionists highly recommend
them. If you want to explore the use of “botanicals” for medicinal purposes,
consider the following:
• Check Herbs at a Glance to see what research has been
done, if there are contraindications and what type of side effects could
happen. For example St. John’s Wort can interfere with many medications
including antidepressants, birth control, Digoxin etc.
• Don't exceed recommended
dosages or take for longer than recommended.
• Keep track of what you take
and write down how it effects you.
• Be cautious about
supplements manufactured outside the United States. Herbal products from some
European countries are highly regulated and standardized. But toxic ingredients
and prescription drugs have been found in supplements manufactured elsewhere,
particularly China, India and Mexico.
• Check alerts and
advisories. The FDA and NCCAM maintain lists of supplements that are
under regulatory review or that have been reported to cause adverse effects.
Check their websites periodically for updates.
• Keep your medical
provider informed about any herb, spice, or supplement that you are taking or
have tried.
