Murray Charters very wisely wrote:
>we all should be very wary of information from the Web and also
>information from books written for the sole purpose of making money
>selling books. As an aside, even if their recommendation
>is valid, there may be multiple sources for some of the vitamins and
>supplements and some sources may be undesirable.
>
>It's good to read and surf and post info but please check with your
>professionals (the doctors, neuros, and pharmacists) before you take
>over the counter stuff recommended by books or the Internet. You are
>dealing with your health and your life.
Further to that...
September 24, 1999
Check Before Mixing Herbs, Pills
If your morning routine includes taking prescription drugs and
dietary supplements, researchers say you need to talk to your doctor.
Many popular dietary supplements, which are sold
over-the-counter, are proven to have some beneficial effects on health,
but little is known about their side effects. These dietary supplements,
say a team of national researchers, may contain ingredients that could
adversely interact with any medications a person is taking. For example,
the herb ginkgo is taken to help improve memory and thinking, but it
also can increase blood flow, a potential problem for people receiving
treatment for clotting problems.
"Most users of alternative therapies do not inform their
physicians," says researcher Jerry Cott of the National Institute of
Mental Health. "Almost one in five prescription drug users are also
using herbs and/or high-dose vitamin supplements. This raises the
concern of herb-drug, herb-herb, and nutrient-drug interactions, about
which little is known."
This report appears in the September issue of Psychosomatic
Medicine.
--
Judith Richards, London, Ontario, Canada
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