Herbal Supplements

and Health
The physical and mental value of
dietary herbal supplements.

Origin of Herbal
Medicine

Primitive men and women treated

illnesses using plants, animal
parts, and minerals not part of a
common diet.

Physical evidence goes back

60,000 years to the burial site of a
Neanderthal man who was buried
with 8 species of plants.
Seven of these plants are still used
in medicine today.

Herbal Supplements Today

A resurgence of interest in herbal medicine

originated in the 1970s.
This movement began with peoples
disillusionment with modern medicine- its
high cost and inability to cure everything.
The partisans of this resurgence were more
enthusiastic than knowledgeable. No laws
were made about labeling products and
outrageous claims were made about the
abilities of herbal supplements.

Despite the importance of plants in

medicine, the FDA considers some
herbal remedies to be worthless or
potentially dangerous.
Now herbal products can only be
marketed as food supplements and
must have the FDAs approval to
make specific health claims.

Uses of Herbal
Supplements

Physical

For the treatment of sickness and

disease.
Athletic and Weight-loss purposes.

Mental

For the treatment of memory loss,

depression, sleep, and stress.

Treatment of Sickness and

Disease
All herbal medicines can be
prepared as a tea.
Drink a glass 3 times a day, use
the dried leaves of the plant, and
usually use about half an ounce of
the herb.

Common Herbs

Aloe Vera

Claims: Cure all tonic,

for the treatment of
acne, burns, minor
wounds
Effective for the topical
treatment of wounds,
burns, and frostbite.

Aloe Vera

Effectiveness varies
with product.

Advised not to use for

internal uses.

Could lead to abdominal

cramping, diarrhea, loss
of potassium,
discoloration of urine.

Garlic

Claims: Antibiotic,
antiviral, general cure
all, lowering of blood
pressure, cholesterol,
and regulation of
circulatory system.

Garlic

Well studied herb.

Shown to lower
cholestreol by 912% in 8-16 weeks
of use.
May also possess
antibiotic
activities.
Large doses may
cause heartburn.

Garlic

Used in Europe as
an approved
remedy for
cardiovascular
conditions and for
the use of the flu
and colds.

Ginger

Claims: Treatment of
Arthritis, heart tissue,
motion sickness and
nausea.
Proven to be effective
in nausea, motion
sickness, and arthritis.
It is possible that it
treats heart tissue but
not likely.

Ginger

However, there are many precautions

for the use of ginger.

The use of ginger may inhibit the chemicals

involved in platelet aggression.
This leads to increased and prolonged
bleeding.

Peppermint

Claims

Muscle Spasms
Abdominal Pain
Diarrhea
Irritable Bowl
Syndrome
Chills and nausea
Convulsions
Headaches

Peppermint
Has only been proved to decrease
muscle spasms.
Overuse can lead to heartburn,
esophageal sphincter relaxations,
irritation of mucous membranes, and
allergic reactions.

Mental Supplements

There are several very popular mental

supplements designed to aid in memory,
stress, depression, sleep, and other mental
related problems. Although there are only
a few of the herbal supplements they are
widely used and accepted by the public.
There are many claims regarding the
effectiveness of these supplements, and
the only difficult problem is discovering
which claims are true and which are false.

Ginkgo Biloba
Claims and effects
Improved memory
Reduce
Alzheimers effects
Helps hearing loss
Helps depression
Helps calm asthma

Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo balboa extract

increases blood flow to the
brain by inhibiting blood
platelet aggregation and by
regulating blood vessel
elasticity. It has also been
shown to improve blood flow
through major blood vessels
and capillaries.

Does It Work????

NO!!!

Ginkgo Biloba
In extensive studies and various
research experiments, ginkgo biloba
has been shown to be completely
ineffective against fighting memory
loss, hearing loss, depression, and
asthma. There is not enough well
documented evidence to prove
conclusively that ginkgo does not work
when used in extremely large
quantities.

Ginkgo Biloba
Side Effects
Mild
Gastrointestinal
Upset
Mild Headaches

St. Johns Wort

St. Johns wort has been used to
Prevent depression
Decrease Stress Levels
Help nervous conditions
Decrease severity of bacterial
infection

St. Johns Wort

How it works:
Hyperforin is a
serotonin reuptake
inhibitor. It is the
compound in the
plant and
suspected as
having
antidepressant
effects.

Does It Work????
YES AND NO
????????

St. Johns Wort

Has been proven to be mildly

helpful in very mild to moderate
cases of depression. The more
serious the case, the less that St.
Johns Wort helps. In the worst
cases of depression, it can actually
hurt the situation.

St. Johns Wort

Side effects
In cases of major
depression, it may
worsen the case.
Blurred vision,
constipation,
urinary retention,
and excessive
drowsiness.

Sleep Aids
There are many different herbal
sleep aids that are considered
safer than, and sometimes as
effective as prescription sleep aids.
These herbs can help sleep by
using aromas or teas.

Sleep Aids
Claims and effects:
Helps Insomnia
Helps all chronic
sleep disorders.
Helps with
headaches and
restlessness.

Sleep Aids
Some examples of herbal sleep aids are:
Chamomile
Hops
California Poppy
Catnip
Lemon Balm
Lavender
Passion Flower
Skullcap
Valerian Root

Do They
Work????

YES!!!

Sleep Aids
Herbal sleep aids do work, and
actually with little to no side
effects. They are successful at
calming and relaxing the body and
assisting in the reduction of
insomnia and other various sleep
disorders.

Exercise and Diet

Supplements
In Todays World, Many People
Are Taking Herbal
Supplements to Increase
Their Energy and Weight Loss.

How many of you have

seen this?

Magazines and
tabloids often carry
ads for herbal
supplements, usually
accompanied by a
man with a body like
Brad Pitt or a woman
who looks like shes
walked straight out
of Baywatch.

Do They Really Work?

Despite these
claims, some
experts have
serious doubts
about the efficacy
of these herbal
remedies as
answers for weight
loss and energy.

Exercise and Diet

Supplements
Common supplements:

Exercise:

Ginseng
Bell pollen

Weight Loss:

Ephedra

Ginseng

Most common form

is Asian ginseng
A perennial herb of
northern China,
Korea, Japan, and
Russia
Must be grown for
5 years before
harvested

Ginseng

The root is the

most widely used
part
Harvested in the
fall just before
defoliation

Ginseng

How it works?

Not knownit is suggested that

ginseng increases cerebrovascular
flow

Dosage:

Usual daily dose is 200mg

Does it Work?
In a 9-week, double blind, placebocontrolled trial of 30 highly trained
athletes, treatment with ginseng
produced significant improvements
in aerobic capacity.
But

Does it Work?
There were negative results in an 8
week, double blind trial that followed
31 healthy men in their twenties and
another 8 week trial which showed
that ginseng improved aerobic
capacity in people who did not
exercise, but gave no additional
benefit to those who did.

Bee Pollen

Referred to as
natures most
complete food
Praised in the
Bible and ancient
Chinese texts

What is Bee Pollen?

It is the male seed of a flower blossom

which has been gathered by the bees
and to which special elements from the
bees has been added. The honeybee
collects pollen and mixes it with its
own digestive enzymes. One pollen
granule contains from one hundred
thousand to five million pollen spores,
each capable of reproducing its entire
species.

Bee Pollen

Bee pollen rejuvenates your body,

stimulates organs and glands,
enhances vitality, and brings about a
longer life span. Bee pollen's ability to
consistently and noticeably increase
energy levels makes it a favorite
substance among many world class
athletes and those interested in
sustaining and enhancing quality
performance.

Bee Pollen
Bee Pollen contains:
-25% complete
protein
-18 amino acids
-12 vitamins
-28 minerals
-11 enzymes

-14 beneficial fatty

acids
-11 carbohydrates
-Basically
everything
needed for human
survival

Bee Pollen and Exercise

Produces an accelerated rate of
recovery-normal heart rate and
breathing
It provides energy, stamina, and
strength, and enhances
performance levels.
Improves second performances

Does it Work?

Numerous studies
have shown that
taking Bee Pollen
does in fact
increase your
energy and
stamina during
exercise and
repeated events

Ephedra
Also known as Ma Huang
Popular diet supplement in the U.S.
Has been used in Chinese
medicine for thousands of years

How Does it Work?

Ephedrine
alkaloids-naturally
occurring
compounds which
act as a mild
stimulant
Enhances energy
Similar to caffeine

How Does it Work?

Stimulates fat
metabolism

Burns fat and

sugar more
effectively

Reduces appetite

Mobilizes stored
fat and
carbohydrate
reserves

Does it Work?
Numerous studies have shown that
ephedra is effective for losing
weight
It is most effective when used with
caffeine
Popular diet supplements
containing ephedra are Metabolife
and MetaboMax