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Herbal Supplements-Nutrition Supplements from Herbs
The herbal supplements are dietary supplements formulated from herbs. They are meant to provide crucial nutrients that may be lacking in the diet. Unlike other dietary supplements herbal dietary supplements have the advantage that they can also act as preventives and curatives of certain diseases.
Usually the herbal supplements are commercial products coming in the form of a tablet or capsule. Herbal supplement tonics are also available. These are manufactured largely by the health food industry and are also marketed by them. The public by and large procure them from retail outlets (medicine shops etc.). There are some herbal supplements that are sold only to the healthcare practitioners for prescription.
The herbal supplements are often standardized and it is ensured that they do contain stated levels of active phytochemicals. However, there are herbalists who do not agree with standardization and lay stress on the usage of the whole plant or plant parts instead of relying upon using only active ingredients.
Prior to opting for the herbal supplements it is advisable to check out whether they are appropriate for usage by the concerned person. This is dependent on the particular herb(s) used in the product, the present health condition of the person contemplating to take the supplement and the medical history of the concerned person. It needs to be remembered that the herbal supplements may not be free from side effects and contraindications just because they are natural and of plant origin. Some persons may develop allergies to one or more of the ingredients used. Undesirable side effects may also emerge. Besides there are no set standards for ascertaining potency and purity of the products and the labels on the products may also be vague and confusing thus making the supplements pretty risky to opt for.
Some herbs like Echinacea and St. John’s wort have been tested for safety and effectiveness and are proven to be safe and effective. Hence such herbs can be used with prescription from qualified herbalists. Many of the famous herbs valued for their medicinal effects come in the form of herbal supplements rendering them to be easily used. Herbal healthcare companies of repute have themselves been offering herbal supplements of such herbs. It is common to find herbal supplements of Echinacea (useful for prevention of upper respiratory infections, curing colds and treating wounds), St. John’s wort (useful as an antidepressant), ginseng (used for stamina boosting and for aphrodisiac properties), gingko biloba (used for counteracting mental deterioration of dementia), chamomile (used for inducing sedation and relaxing muscles), garlic (used for a number of benefits primary among which is reduction of bad cholesterol and decreasing risk of heart attack and ginger (useful especially for preventing nausea).
There have also been made available herbal supplements formulated as per ancient Indian (Ayurvedic) or Unani or Traditional Chinese recipes. These combine the goodness of herbs revered in the respective systems of medicine in the supplements provided. Alongside the herbal supplements coming in the form of tablets, capsules and tonics there have also been made available special herbal supplement teas. The popular herbal supplement teas include chamomile, dandelion, elderflower, nettle, mint and hibiscus.