Real Herbal Solutions or is it Just Hype?

According to some advertisements I have read, there is an herbal cure for everything that ails you. From arthritis to Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, cancer to yeast infections, every kind of ache or pain you have, they claim they can cure you with various concoctions and potions. Anyone can CLAIM anything but do they really work?

Well, if you ask the medical community their opinion of the massive herbal market, they want to refrain from saying yes to these herbs mostly because there is very little research available to render a proper answer.

The FDA has many restrictions on medications that are manufactured and/or sold in the United States but there is no laws currently regulating the herbal product market. (There are bills currently at the house of representatives that could change that fact) You see, the FDA says that herbs are natural and cannot be patented, so drug companies don't put forth the funds required to test and research these products. They claim they could be copied and sold for less by their competitors and that is not economically feasible to the bottem-line-oriented large pharmaceutical companies. Without a patented, they aren't interested in "Natural Products."

Most doctors are concerned about their patients turning to these herbal products because there is so little done in research, few well controlled studies or legitimate trial studies. Some of these products have a very harmful effect on the body. Some given in large doses can actually kill. Some herbals may interact with other medications and cause severe side effects. You should always tell your doctor which herbs you are trying, even if you don't think it's important.

One of the biggest problems with herbal products is there is no quality control standards. Studies have shown that each brand differs in actual amounts of herbs used, fillers and other added ingredients.

It is advised that you should use extreme caution when a company makes miraculous claims of a cure or even a slow down for Hepatitis C. Although there maybe some benefit in using certain herbs, there is no currently acceptable and proven product endorsed by most professional physicians.

Milk thistle has been used in the Hepatitis C community for many years and acts as an antioxidant. It contains a chemical called silymarin, which has been found in some studies to promote the regeneration of liver cells. This herb is generally regarded as a safe, but it may have a mild laxative effect and may be a potential allergen to those sensitive to ragweed. However, milk thistle has not been found to be a cure for hepatitis C.

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