Most americans especially the mature ones, aka us, are on dietary supplements. I wouldn’t be surprised as herbal medicines are believed to be necessary in keeping up with our body’s nutritional requirements. We also believe that when aging, our system has somehow slowed down and some of its functions are not functioning properly at all, that we need supplements to keep us going.
However, there was this case wherein a man who was once subjected to kidney transplant had managed to baffle his doctors as his body wasn’t responding to post-op medications recommended to him. It was later found out that he was constantly taking St. John Worts which is usually a tea, known to improve mood. This herb, when taken, enters the body and breaks down the effect of some known post-op medications before they even reach their maximum and desired effect. Further research also discovered that this certain herb has counteracting effects against chemotherapy for cancer patients, thus, further protecting cancer cells instead of killing them.
Garlic, which is known to be a wonder herb for many also has its contraindications. Garlic capsule supplements are considered to be blood thinners which can cause bleeding. Gingko and Ginseng supplements are contraindicated for patients taking psychiatric drugs. Please do note that while fiber is generally good to the body, laxatives like Psyllium fiber are not recommended when we are taking medications that require long absorption period.
We all thought that these dietary supplements are safe and doesn’t trigger drug reactions. But, haven’t we considered that these complicated drugs also came from simple components, it is just that they are a mixture of compounds and later turned out to be medications? All these chemicals have reactions, and it would be best if we take things in moderation. Too much of something is most likely to aggravate chemical reactions in our body. While browsing the doctor’s handbook on prescribing medicines, one thing I noticed, all drugs have interactions, contraindications and adverse effects.
It may be the right time for us to live the natural, balanced way. Before Vitamin C tablets were manufactured for antioxidants, eating oranges, guava and other fruits known to have natural vitamin C were fine. We might say that St. John Wort is safe and natural, but most forms we take nowadays are already processed (capsules, teas etc) These things have greater concentration of the said herb and can cause more damage than good, considering your health status. What nature gives unprocessed would be the ideal amount of whatever nutrients we want our body to receive.