Herbs are natural and cannot hurt me. Herbs are the functional ingredients in most medications. Taking too much of some herbs can cause serious problems like abnormal bleeding, headaches, and nerve damage. These problems can be temporary or permanent. I should not tell my doctor if I am taking herbs because she might think that I am foolish.
Some herbs can cause medications to be ineffective.
For example, St. John's Wort may help with depression but may cause birth control pills not to work. Herbal supplements are inspected. And while many manufacturers may have quality standards, independent lab analyses of certain products have found roach legs, mouse hairs, grass clippings, pebbles, dirt, and other foreign objects. Some of these may have been added as fillers, but in other cases they may be the only components of the so-called herbal remedies. If I take vitamins, I do not have to eat very much.