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American Morning

Taking Closer Look at Herbal Supplements

Aired April 04, 2002 - 10:52   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: It is time for our weekly "Paging Dr Gupta" segment. We are taking a closer look this week at herbal supplements, a multibillion-dollar business, but can herbs really cure what ails you? For an answer to that question, we page Dr. Gupta, as we do each week. Can we?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's a huge industry. More than 20 percent of Americans have tried herbal supplements, a lot of them taken regularly. It's actually becoming more than a $4 billion industry per year, not quite as big as Home Depot, but certainly pretty it's quick. And there a lot of herbal supplements out there, but not a lot is known about them. We tried to find out about a few of the more common ones, and here's what we found out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We hear the term "herbal remedies" almost every day, to treat everything from dementia to the common cold.

But for many of these herbs or botanicals, the jury is still out on whether or not really they work, and if they are safe. The Food and Drug Administration, which regulates food ingredients, over-the- counter medications and prescription drugs has a different set of regulations for dietary supplements. They say manufacturer of herbs, which are a plant-based product, must clearly list ingredients on the nutrition-facts label, and make sure contents are exactly what they say they are.

But the testing that goes into getting a drug to market is not required for herbal supplement, so how do we know if a supplement is an effective treatment?

Experts say, it depends on the supplement and your reason for taking it. One of the most commonly used herbs in the United States kava. Consumers believe this ingredient helps them relax, reduce stress, reduce anxiety, and tension.

Recently, the FDA issued an advisory about the potential risk of liver damage associated with taking kava. They say, although the risks appear rare, consumers should be aware.

St. John's Wort, considered useful in treating mild to moderate bouts of depression, according to experts, may pose possible interactions with antiviral drugs, birth control pills and other prescription medications.

And Echinacea, said to help reduce the duration of a cold. However, there is no evidence to date that says it prevents them. Research is starting to show that some herbal supplement can be effective. But much more information is needed on possibly side effects, especially when patients want to combine herbs and prescription drugs?

With one third of Americans taken some form of herb, consumers should first talk with their doctor and be sure to read any label warning and follow the label instructions exactly.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA: And a common misconception as well is that all herbal remedies are in fact natural, therefore making them healthy and safe, and that's may not always be the case. In fact, many of these herbal remedies, such as Echinacea and St. John's Wort, in fact, have been manufactured, so that they actually have other ingredients, and added to them artificial ingredients which sometimes people don't know about, making it a little difficult to interpret.

KAGAN: Another twist. That's a lesson there, and I know people have a lot of questions. We'll give them a chance to answer your questions coming up, so you're actually coming back from more.

GUPTA: I'll come back.

KAGAN: Somehow, we don't scare you away, amazing.

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