Salinas, CA Herbal Supplements A Waste Of Money And May Even Be A Health Hazard

Many people take herbal supplements to improve their health but many doctors question their effectiveness.  My own physician has told me not to take them as many ingredients come from overseas where oversight is non-existent and dangerous chemicals may end up in the product.  The New York State attorney general’s office poured fuel on the fire of this debate yesterday, accusing four national retailers of selling dietary supplements that were fraudulent and in many cases contaminated by ingredients which weren’t even on the label.  Such well known companies as GNC, Target, Walgreens and Walmart are at the center of the controversy.  Four of the five products analyzed from these chains contained none of the herbs on the labels.  At GNC, five out of six samples from the company’s signature “Herbal Plus” brand “were either unrecognizable or a substance other than what they claimed to be,” said court filings.  Ginko biloba, for instance, contained rice, asparagus and an ornamental plant used for Christmas decorations.  At Target, three out of six tested negative for the herbs on the label.  Things like St. John’s Wort, Ginseng, Echinacea and Saw Palmetto were found to be without what was supposed to be the main ingredient at various stores.  Even more disturbing is that many fillers like rice, pine, palm, dracaena, wheat, grass and citrus were found in products but weren’t on the label.  Many people are allergic to some of these ingredients and could become ill after taking them.