Are Natural Supplements And Medicines Effective?

When it comes to the debate about natural and synthetic medications, most people tend to think that natural is better. After all, aren’t we told to keep out processed foods from our diets?

Why We Think ‘Natural’ Is Better

Many, if not most, of the foods we consume are highly processed and have many adverse effects – obesity and cancer being the top two. People naturally assume consuming the opposite of ‘processed’ will be healthy. Many consume diet pills, and from slimphen garcinia reviews online, we can assume that they do their intended job. Also, natural extracts are often viewed as harmless, so people assume that if it isn’t going to work, then there won’t be any harm caused by it.

The Hidden Problems Of Natural Supplements

Many natural extracts and supplements are actually partially processed, but that isn’t the problem. Processing here is more about quality control than anything else. However, people often fail to realize that even if a product is real, it reacts with the body and any medications taken as well. This means that a natural supplement could potentially cause some serious harm.

A well known example is the reaction of grapefruit juice with several medications. This is the case even with freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, so imagine what an ‘extract’ would do. This type of interaction is found among many natural supplements and extracts, such as the interference of cinnamon extract (or even cinnamon tea) with blood pressure medications.

A Note On Dosage

Even if you are sure that you won’t have any interaction between natural supplements and your normal medications, or even if you’re sure there won’t be interaction between the supplements themselves – there is still one more problem. Everything in nature is unique, and thus no two plants can ever be exactly the same. You cannot every guarantee that the amount of active ingredients in an extract are exactly as much as needed. This means that a supplement can either be too strong, or too weak. This is why it isn’t as effective to consume herbs and other natural ingredients as-is. Natural supplements are slightly processed in order to ensure the dosage, much in the same way dosage is regulated in pharmaceutical drugs.

The Bottom Line

Natural supplements and medicines can be potent and have strong effects on our body, but it is always best to consult with a doctor before consuming any. This is especially true for patients who regularly consume any medication, or have underlying conditions.

Keep in mind that natural does not mean inherently better or worse, neither does it mean that a supplement will have no side effects. You could just as easily be allergic to a natural supplement. Also, remember that all medications started out from nature, before we found ways to synthesize them organically, which means that the active ingredients are present regardless of the amount of processing the supplement has undergone. Do not try natural supplements without consulting you doctor, and do not forget to mention all the supplements you intend on using.