What could be safer than natural herbal remedies to soothe
your body and ease your
mind?

In some cases, these natural, over-the-counter cures could be
deadly, said Connie
Crawley, a food, nutrition and health specialist with the
University of Georgia Extension
Service.

Incidents of illness, permanent damage and even death have
been traced to the use of
some of these products.

"To protect yourself from fraud and possible bad side
effects," Crawley said,
"don’t use any herbal medicines. Certainly never substitute
an herb for a medicine or
treatment your doctor has recommended."

That’s strong advice, directed particularly at anyone who is
pregnant or has chronic
and serious health problems, Crawley said.

Her concern is based on developments since Congress passed
the Dietary Supplement and
Health Education Act of 1994.

The act created a new category for dietary supplements such
as vitamins, minerals,
herbs, amino acids and other over-the-counter products that are
nearly immune to the rules
of the Federal Drug Administration.

The herbal-remedies business is worth more than $1.5 billion
in current sales, with an
estimated annual growth rate of 15 percent.

According to the November issue of Consumer Reports,
the new law allows these
products wide privileges. These unregulated products can go to
your store’s shelves with
no testing for efficacy, and there is little or no research to
back up a product’s claims.

Companies don’t have to prove their products are safe.
Supplements need not be
manufactured according to any standards, and FDA approval isn’t
needed for package or
marketing claims.

"A company doesn’t have to prove its herbs are safe and
effective before they put
the product on the market," Crawley said. "As long as
a company doesn’t claim
its product will cure or control a specific disease, it can say
anything on the
label."

Some products don’t even contain the herb listed on the
label, Crawley said. Even if
the herbs are in the products, individual plants of the same
species can differ
tremendously in potency. Growing conditions, storage and
handling also affect potency.

According to a position paper from the National Council
Against Health Fraud,
"Consumers are being denied the most fundamental
information and assurances of
quality. It is precisely because herbs are a source of potent
drugs that responsible
people are concerned about the manner in which herbal remedies
are being marketed."

Eventually the FDA must specify minimal quality controls,
including protections from
filth, methods for determining potency and overall quality
assurance.

The products must contain what they claim on the label. Rules
will cover packaging,
expiration dates and lot numbers to trace problems.

But those standards are at least two years away.

Crawley listed some advice for people interested in using
these products:

* Don’t assume that herbal remedies are safe just because
they’re natural. They can
have powerful effects on the mind and body, so use caution.

* Don’t take medicinal herbs if you’re pregnant, attempting
to become pregnant or
breast-feeding a baby. Don’t give herbs to infants or
children.

* Don’t take large quantities of any herbal preparation.

* Don’t take any medicinal herb on a prolonged daily
basis.

* Buy only preparations that identify plants on the label,
and become familiar with
potentially dangerous herbs.

* If you’re taking medications, don’t use medicinal herbs
without checking with your
doctor.

* Beware of exaggerated claims on labels. Don’t trust your
health to unqualified
practitioners who use unregulated titles like herbalist, herb
doctor or herbologist.