Just because an herbal product is labeled 'natural' or 'safe' does not mean it cannot hurt you. Many herbal supplements contain active ingredients that do not need to mix with prescription or over-the-counter drugs. If your doctor does not ask if you are taking any herbal products, be sure to tell him. Herbal products can also have harmful effects on some medical conditions such as: high blood pressure, diabetes, pregnancy, breastfeeding, heart disease, thyroid problems or glaucoma to name a few. Herbal products are not subjected to the same testing as prescription medications. This can lead to varying strengths, purities and potencies within the herbal product.
Garlic is an herbal product that needs to be avoided if taken with blood-thinning medications such as ticlopidine, dipyridamole and warfarin. Garlic can cause excessive bleeding because it may increase the effect of any anticoagulant. This effect can also decrease immunosuppressant effectiveness.
The herb ginger has similar effects as garlic. It too can cause extra bleeding. Ginger can increase stomach acid production making the effect of antacid medicines limited. It can lower the blood pressure, which could affect how much of your medication you are taking. Ginger might lower your blood sugar levels and that could affect the amount of insulin proscribed.
St. John's wort is a popular herbal supplement for mild depression. This herb can widely affect the body's metabolism. It should not be taken with any antidepressants, heart medications and chemotherapy among others. St. John's wort might reduce the effectiveness of birth control pills, so use an alternate form. In large amounts, it can cause heightened sun sensitivity and can interfere with the absorption of iron and other minerals.
Echinacea is an herb that is used to help with the common cold and other infectious illnesses. If the over-the-counter or prescription drug has the potential to cause liver damage, echinacea needs be avoided. If you are taking medications to treat irregular heartbeat, rheumatoid arthritis, immunosuppressants or calcium channel blockers, skip on the echinacea.
Feverfew needs to be avoided if taking blood-thinning medications or aspirin. Medicines such as clopidogrel and dipyridamole reduce blood clot formation and feverfew can increase the effect. It is also a uterine stimulate and should be avoided during pregnancy.
A popular herbal product that people take for memory improvement is ginkgo. Patients taking medications for anticoagulants could have the effect increased, leading to spontaneous bleeding. In addition, it can increase the amount of antidepressant medicine in the bloodstream. Combining ginkgo with antipsychotic medications can lead to seizures.
Kava is an herbal supplement that is taken to enhance physical and mental relaxation. Because this herb can cause drowsiness, it should not be combined with sedatives, sleeping pills or alcohol. Some reports are showing problems with the liver after taking kava. This product needs to be avoided by people with liver problems or those who may develop them.
Melatonin is used to help with sleep problems and as an antioxidant. Because of this use, it should not be combined with fluvoxamine (Luvox), an antidepressant. It can interfere with the blood pressure lowering medication nifedipine. This might cause an increased heart rate and blood pressure.
