How can I evaluate the claims of herb companies regarding the efficacy of their products?
Asked by bjmullaney on Mar 27, 2008
in Alternative & Integrative Nutrition
I am interested in herbs such as suma, kava, camu, lemon balm, and others. Medical doctors don't seem to have much information about them, and the herb companies tell you they are the best thing since sliced bread! In addition, the dosage on the bottles can have quite a range: 1-3 capsules, 1 to 3 times a day. How can I evaluate the claims and how can I determine the proper dosage?
Answer
The best professional resource in print is the Professional's Handbook of Complementary & Alternative Medicines by Fetrow and Avila, Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (2001). On line, fairly complete and reputable sites are the Herbal Research Foundation: www.herbs.org and Herb Med: www.herbmed,org and MedlinePlus Herbs and Supplements: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/herbalmedicine.html
