Side Effects for Some Well Known Supplements

We're bombarded with claims about health supplements and their varied benefits. But, unfortunately, the manufacturer is solely responsible for being honest about their products, and often information is misleading about the benefits of some of the products and warnings that should appear about risks and side effects often don't.

Fortunately, there is a company that conducts independent study about 'natural' and herbal supplements, consumerlab.com. There is a helpful 'Natural Products Encyclopedia' that one can use in their research to make decisions about what supplements, if any, if right for them.

There are many popular supplements that have risks and side effects unknown to the common consumer. Here are some of note, mentioned in the book, "The CURE Conspiracy: Medical Myths, Alternative Therapies, and Natural Remedies Even Your Doctor May Not Know":

· Kava kava - said to reduce or eliminate stress and anxiety, and is also used as a sleep aid. It can cause liver failure. Available in the United States but banned in many other countries.

· Comfrey - used for joint aches and to remedy bruises. Actually might cause cancer or liver damage.

· Coral Calcium (from Okinawa, Japan) - said to cure over 200 diseases, which include cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's. Actually, calcium can help to ward off osteoporosis, but coral calcium is not superior to any other calcium supplement.

· Ephedra - an herb also known as Ma Huang is a stimulant. In the past it was widely used for weight loss, but it has been linked to 155 deaths, and has been suggested that it causes heart attack, stroke, irregular heart beat, and high blood pressure. It took the Food and Drug Administration seven years to collect and present the data to ban it from supplements, which it did in 2004. Similar risks are involved with other products used for weight loss such as Fen-phen, Bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), and Phenylpropanolamine (PPA).