Posted by blueberry on February 18, 2006, at 6:08:29
In reply to How Much Is Too Much?, posted by honeybee on February 17, 2006, at 12:59:11
In follow up to my previous post, I wanted to play devil's advocate and play the other side.
All herbs and supplements do have the potential, just like all meds do and even some foods do, to do harm. As with anything, modest consumption is probably a good rule.
There are websites out there that claim vitamin and mineral and herbal supplementation is quackery, that a well balanced diet is all you need. They also say organic food is no better than regular. On and on. Of course, just as they claim there is no scientific evidence to support supplementation (which is false), they also fail to show any scientific evidence backing up their own claims. I have eaten an excellent well balanced diet for a long time, but it did not cure, alleviate, or prevent my problems.
No matter where you read about St Johns Wort, it will always say that there are no withdrawals when you stop. Probably the worst withdrawals of anything I've ever tried, meds or herbs, was from SJW. It was classic benzo withdrawal. Body trembling, shaking hands and knees, insomnia, panic attacks, anxiety, intense free floating fear. Serotonin and dopamine withdrawal were involved as well I'm sure. SJW is also a GABA reuptake inhibitor. Not to mention what weird things can happen when its glutamate reuptake inhibition is stopped upon withdrawal. And how it changes sodium ion current flow.
Herbs can affect through live enzymes the blood levels of other herbs.
Just some things to think about. Personally I favor supplementation. But as with all things, I think careful research and modest dosing with a sense of respect for the unknown are important. Basically I believe the potential for good is higher than the potential for bad, with a few exceptions.
poster:blueberry
thread:610599
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20060130/msgs/610835.html