The War on Herbal Supplements

The biggest news story, in the pop culture, is the alleged "OD" by NBA Superstar Lamar Odom. What many may not know is that "Herbal Viagra" appears to be the culprit behind Odom's "OD".
Lamar Odom’s Toxic Drug Cocktail

Lamar Odom, NBA star and ex-husband of reality TV fixture Khloé Kardashian, was rushed to the hospital yesterday after losing consciousness at a Nevada brothel. The NBA star is said to have suffered a stroke after ingesting a mix of coc aine and herbal Viagra. According to those at the brothel with him, he had been taking large quantities of “herbal Viagra.”

Unlike prescription medications, herbal supplements are not regulated for safety and efficacy by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Despite the assumptions many make about supposedly natural alternatives to pharmaceutical products, they may contain dangerous quantities of the active ingredients found in the plants from which they are derived. Alternatively, they may contain ingredients totally different from what’s on the label, or no active ingredients whatsoever.

Why doesn't the FDA regulate herbal supplements?

Around 2800 B.C., Chinese healers added a new medicinal herb to their repertoires. This herb, a short, evergreen shrub, was dubbed Ma Huang ("bitter yellow"), after the plant's color and horrible taste [source: Berkley]. When brewed into a tea, it's a powerhouse against respiratory problems like colds. Ma Huang became a worthy tool in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

In 1887, a Japanese chemist isolated the active ingredient in the plant, an alkaloid he called ephedrine or ephedra [source: Ebadi]. In short order, ephedrine appeared in medicines around the world. It stimulates the sympathetic nervous system (which is responsible for the fight-or-flight response), in turn dilating the bronchial tubes. Ephedra became particularly useful for alleviating symptoms in asthma sufferers.

During the 1990s, TCM and other types of alternative medicines (essentially any type of medicine outside modern Western medicine) experienced a surge in popularity. Ma Huang had millennia of proven effectiveness behind it, and it was part of this newly discovered spectrum. In the image-conscious United States, however, the stimulant was largely touted for its ability to stimulate weight loss and enhance energy in products with names like Metabolift and Herbal Ecstasy. Soon after, reports of deaths linked to ephedra surfaced.

Between 1993 and 1997, at least 34 deaths and 800 medical cases were directly linked to use of ephedra. By 2003, 69 percent of all reported health problems from herbal remedy use were linked to ephedra. As many as 16,000 reports of health problems, including stroke and psychosis, were submitted to the federal government from the 1990s to 2003.

Herbs' classification as dietary supplements comes from the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA). The act essentially ties the regulatory hands of the FDA. Producers of pharmaceutical and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs alike must first demonstrate that their products are effective and safe. After an average of 8.5 years' worth of tests, conducted first in labs and then in clinical trials at universities, drug producers file an appeal for FDA approval. The FDA then reviews the claims and either approves the drug, classifying it as an OTC or prescription drug. If the FDA doesn't approve the drug, it cannot be sold in the United States. Only about 0.1 percent of the compounds first tested in labs ever receive FDA approval

There is no similar process for herbs. Under the DSHEA, the burden of proof to demonstrate an herbal supplement or its ingredients are unsafe is transferred from the producer to the FDA. Essentially, anyone who can package, market and distribute supplements with herbal ingredients can do so with no oversight by the FDA. As such, herbal supplement manufacturers can make wide claims concerning the benefits their products provide people who pop them. Only after a drug has been proven an "unreasonable" health risk or "imminent hazard to public safety" can the FDA compile a complaint, file it and hope for the best.

Garlic

Often underestimated because it is common, garlic is the number one anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-parasitical herb. If something in the body needs killing, garlic is the herb for the job. Garlic is so powerful that people have killed their cancer from eating garlic alone.

Chaparral

Chaparral is another one of the top herbs for cancer that has been used for centuries. Chaparral is a shrub that is abundant in the Mojave desert area. Chaparral is a powerful anti cancer herb, and is also a powerful liver stimulant. Chaparral will flush up any toxins that are buried in your liver.

Red Clover

Red Clover is yet another useful tool in using an herbal treatment for cancer. It is a powerful anti cancer herb that grows like a weed in many areas of the world. Red clover can be used in tincture, tea, or poultice form. If you have cancer, the more red clover you are getting, the better. You need to use the blossoms when they are still a rich purple.

Poke Root

Poke root is an extremely powerful anti-cancer and anti-tumor herb that can literally burn a tumor away. Poultices containing poke root have been used by great natural healers to literally dissolve external tumors, such as in cases of breast cancer.

Echinacea

Although echinacea is not one of the anti cancer herbs per se, its powerful immune boosting properties make it a must-have weapon in any cancer battle. Read more: www.all4naturalhealth.com...

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“I’d made it through combat in multiple firefights and nothing. I got blown up by an IED, it broke my neck… Made it through all of that, I come back and they almost kill me with pills.

I know some of you may be thinking: how do i start with an OD, and end with cancer? Well, i noticed today, the MSM was making a big deal about "herbal viagra" being a part of Lamar Odom's "OD" and very little mention about the coc aine in his system. I figured, if the FDA gets their hands on making "herbs" illegal, they'll use any excuse they can find to do so! Lamar Odom is reason enough!

a reply to: JuJuBee

I saw your thread and had to smile. A few days ago one of the biggest Chemists in the UK where I got a prescription some weeks ago telephoned me to ask how I was getting along with the medication.

I told them it had been useless, but I had managed to get some Golden Seal (a herbal remedy for sinusitis) and it had worked for me and I had no side effects either.

The chemist nearly gagged and flew off the phone like I had bitten his nose. He clearly didn't want that sort of feedback. Oddly enough in the past, when this Chemist was ranging war against other suppliers of herbal remedies they stocked Golden Seal themselves. Hypocracy or what? - its always about the money only - never mind the cure. I thoroughly recommend it for anyone suffering from sinusitis.

Great post.

The FDA is a funny animal. One day they decide they cant regulate cigarettes because it contains a naturally occuring plant material. Let alone all the chemicals added to make the cigarette a "nicotine transfer device". Now we have liquid nicotine manufactured and readily available to anyone in any mix they want, at any age. Where is the FDA now, that vapers are venemously standing on the false industry factoid of vaping is basically not unhealthy?

It doesnt matter. So dont reply telling me how wrong I am. I dont want this thread derailed that way.

Fact is, the FDA works for the money.

And there isnt enough lobby money from herbal remedies and such.

They are not wholly here for your health.

Btw, I support herbal remedies.

I'm a fan of using herbs too, and found that amongst doctors, they hate them! Comments from my husbands colleagues, about how they should all be banned, confused me.

In some other cultures, one doesn't just buy herbs with no knowledge, they go to a herbalist, who knows about the side effects, and dangers and guides you. That makes sense to me.

In almost every problem I have, I find herbs to work better than the drugs prescribed to me. Months of anti-inflammatories didn't help a tendon problem, then I started using Turmeric and lemon juice in the morning, and my problem drastically changed!

Cystic acne was treated for most of my life- with antibiotics, birth control pills and two rounds of Accutane.... never being a definitive solution and always having terrible side effects. Then I discovered Castor oil and Burdock root- problem solved!

Quitting smoking? Ever try Chantix? I did. Woke up one morning calmly convinced it was time to commit suicide- for no reason whatsoever.
I didn't know, at that time that Plantain treats the urge to smoke just as effectively, without that nasty suicide risk!

I have lost all faith in the medical community on this subject. They are just out for money, and nothing else. Not individually- there are professionals that don't buy into it. It was from doctors that I first heard about the possible dangers of vaccines- they had personally observed terrible consequences. Some of my herbal solutions were whispered to me by a pharmacist, who suggested them instead of the prescription I had just handed to them.

I went to the doctors with the cold, he sent me home with a chicken garlic and tumeric soup recipe.
It was actually pretty good and cleared me up in no time.

I think the problem is herbs are not big business so there is no money in proving the science behind them.

Things are regulated, cause people will abuse. Thats the thin line, if you reasoned, this is as much i can take before my body or brain takes damage, but your reptilian side of the brain, as soon at its gets a dopamine raise. Yeah id say, reason and reward doesnt go hand in hand.

a reply to: muSSang

Herbs usually has amino acids which you cant patent.

I think more people die from taking pharmaceuticals every year than are hospitalized from incorrectly taking herbal supplements. I picked up an herbal PDR at a book sale the other day and find it is very useful if you are using herbals.

Sal

a reply to: JuJuBee

You guys crack me up.

The question isn't whether or not the herbs work. They do. The problem is that they cannot be measured and quantified as precisely as pharmaceuticals can. Many pharmaceuticals are the refined effective elements of things like herbal remedies distilled so that they can be dosed precisely with constant effective strengths.

The best that can be done with an herbal remedy is to measure out how much of the effective part of the plant you are taking/using. The amount/strength of the effective agents in said plant will vary from individual plant to individual plant. So just because the capsule says 200mg of St. john's Wort doesn't mean you are always getting 200mg of the effective agent on the plant. You may be getting a fluctuating more or less dose of that agent inside each capsule.

And because herbs do have effective agents that work in various ways on your body, you can overdose on them and they can interact both positively and negatively with other medications you may be prescribing ... as Mr. Odom is discovering right now. Hopefully, he lives to learn from his mistake.

And because the strength of the herb can vary from capsule to capsule, it makes it harder for your doctor to judge what other medicines he can prescribe and in what strengths.

originally posted by: JuJuBee
The biggest news story, in the pop culture, is the alleged "OD" by NBA Superstar Lamar Odom. What many may not know is that "Herbal Viagra" appears to be the culprit behind Odom's "OD".
Lamar Odom’s Toxic Drug Cocktail

It's a combination of coke, whatever else he ingested or shot up (has needle track on both arms) and the herbal viagra brand "Reload".

I know some of you may be thinking: how do i start with an OD, and end with cancer? Well, i noticed today, the MSM was making a big deal about "herbal viagra" being a part of Lamar Odom's "OD" and very little mention about the coc aine in his system. I figured, if the FDA gets their hands on making "herbs" illegal, they'll use any excuse they can find to do so! Lamar Odom is reason enough!

The big deal is he took at least 10 Reload pills overs 3 days. They contain Sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, though it's not listed on the packaging. That with the coc aine will drastically lower your blood pressure, along with whatever else he was taking or drinking.

The FDA put a warning out about Reload back in 2013, about the hidden ingredient (Sildenafil). The Reload packaging lists all the cool herbals, like Gingko Biloba, L-Arginine, Ginseng, Saw Palmetto, but no Sildenafil.

I'm for herbals personally. But you have to be careful, because sometimes you may not be getting what you think you're getting.

originally posted by: ketsuko

And because the strength of the herb can vary from capsule to capsule, it makes it harder for your doctor to judge what other medicines he can prescribe and in what strengths.

The argument I have heard from our doctor friends is that they do not work. That they have absolutely no effect whatsoever on the body, and are a scam.

But then, they are french- it is possible that there are different currents of thought in this culture and in the US.

thanks, i'm going to eat more garlic

hope lamar's all good; irie vibes go out to him

originally posted by: 711117
thanks, i'm going to eat more garlic

hope lamar's all good; irie vibes go out to him

Garlic is very good for you. Very good for the vascular system, among other things.

It also works good as a mosquito repellent (in my case). While in Iraq after initially getting eaten alive someone told me about garlic pills and vitamin B. I started taking them after about a week , not a single bite.

I don't get it. Guy was on coke. Why should the focus be on herbs? Coke can cause a heart attack or stroke alone. That shows you how jacked up this is if the focus is off coc aine and on herbs. This is just silly.

originally posted by: Bluesma

originally posted by: ketsuko

And because the strength of the herb can vary from capsule to capsule, it makes it harder for your doctor to judge what other medicines he can prescribe and in what strengths.

The argument I have heard from our doctor friends is that they do not work. That they have absolutely no effect whatsoever on the body, and are a scam.

But then, they are french- it is possible that there are different currents of thought in this culture and in the US.

My neurologist put me on a regimen of vitamins and herbs when I got pregnant, although the herbals were light ones because he didn't want to rock the boat too much with them. We've also discussed the possibility of various alternative medicine options for migraine. We ruled out chiropractor because I have a bone spur.