A guide to buying herbal supplements

Americans are clamoring for alternative medicines. It's not that we don't think our doctors are doing a pretty good job.

It's just that they often can't help us with some of our most annoying problems. Like headaches, chronic pain, and anxiety.

Add to this that the baby boomer generation is really starting to feel some aches AND we want to keep what health we've got. So, we're always in search of things that can prevent disease.

Herbal supplements may seem like the answer. We're lured to buy them with their vague promises on the bottle "for relaxation" or "to promote circulatory health".

We're spending a cool $4 billion a year on herbal products. Are they safe? It's hard to tell.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates herbal products like food. So they don't go through the same rigourous and expensive process that drugs go through to ensure their safety.

What can you do?

1. Tell your doctor what you're taking. Hopefully your physician will be able to educate you about what you're taking and will be aware of any potential negative effects you could experience.

2. Ask your pharmacist. There is new software that allows pharmacists to look for dangerous interactions between herbal supplements and other drugs.

3. Get some good information. There's a lot of good information on the net but there is also misinformation on the internet. A good place to look for herbal information is Consumerlab.com. They will tell you the brand names of supplements that meet their criteria.

Another reliable site is the National Institute of Health Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

A third source is The Office of Dietary Supplements, also part of the National Institutes of Health. They are creating online fact sheets about dietary supplements.

If you do decide to take supplements, gather as much information as you can, take the recommended dosages, and check in with your doctor if you plan to take any substance daily for an extended period of time.