Willow bark extract, the precursor of aspirin, is still marketed separately with the caveat that the claims made for it were not approved by the FDA. Gallega officinalis, or goat’s rue, is the herb from which the #1 Diabetes-2 medication, Metformin, has been developed, but no one can buy goat’s rue except from the very sites accused of quackery by promoting folk medicines. This is not to say that all promoted supplements have real worth, far from it — and there will always be those whose consumption is predicated on hearsay and the desire for quick, no-hassle remedies that require no deviation from the poor diets and excerise-poor lifestyles adopted by the majority. (And I daresay we all know some health-food addicts that wax eloquent on the benfits of this or that while looking no more healthy than the next person.)

When first diagnosed with Diabetes-2, I was put on Metformin 850 mg and Enalapril Maleate 2.5 mg and given a glucose-monitoring meter. I was told to avoid the usual: sweets, starches, certain fruits, etc. and to adopt an exercise program (no details – left up to me). I weighed 210 lbs.

For six months I lived with diarrhea and depression, though the restricted diet and the exercise took off 15 lbs. The doctor claimed he wasn’t happy with the blood sugar levels and increased the metformin to 1350 mg. A cholesterol-lowering medication was prescribed as well, but I never filled it.

To shorten the narrative, I threw out all the medications and started using the antidiabetic herbs and supplements I found on the Internet, very few of which are “FDA approved”.

Of course, cinnamon and fenugreek aren’t going to be condemned anytime soon by the FDA or anyone else, but the same isn’t true of some of the others.

Using my glucose monitor I was able to find out which ones worked and which ones didn’t, that simply. Now I weigh 20 lbs less (175) and the diarrhea and depression are over. The last blood test showed normal blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, glyco-hemoglobin and blood glucose levels. The only downside was the cash outlay that made it possible – more expensive than the co-payments shelled out for the prescription meds.

I’ve also found that my body doesn’t give up when I accidentally leave the supplements at home; i.e., after regular use of the supplements, a “miss” every now and then did not cause blood sugar to spike after a meal – like it did when I forgot the Metformin. I’m grateful to the “Health Food” companies online that made it possible. The doctor initially did not approve, but now with three good blood tests in a row over the last nine months, he just says “keep doing whatever you’re doing”. And what I’m doing is what would not have been possible if some regulatory agency had interfered with my freedom to experiment with herbs and – yes – chemical supplements like chromium picolinate.

True, I haven’t been on this current regimen for years and years to know whether the good results have any preventative effect on diabetes complications like limb death, neuropathy, detached retina, heart or kidney failure, etc. On the other hand, many of those with amputated limbs and diabetes-indiced blindness or coronaries were faithfully taking their FDA-approved insulin or oral medications.right up to the sad events.

A person prescribed antidepressants might imagine that taking St John’s Wort alongside would be safe and helpful. It most likely wouldn’t be, especially if they also have thyroid problems. The fact that there is a serious disconnect between herbals and pharma products could be lethal in some cases, which is why I think there should be better controls.

To reiterate, I’m not arguing that they should not be regulated. In fact, I’m a huge supporter of increased regulations AND training for anyone who provides information on these types of products. Right now, it’s far too relaxed and pardon my language but some of the ‘advice’ provided along with purchases is daft at best (speaking from personal experience on that one). What I am saying is that pharmaceuticals are far more potentially onerous as a comparative whole and that it seems excessive to subject herbals to the exact same scrutiny and testing. I think a separate category is realistic and would be effective, plus safer than the current wishy washy pseudo-regulations around most herbals.

“commonly used as preventative an supportive treatments alongside pharmaceuticals”, sorry but that really just sounds like an evidence-free proposition.

I’m not saying that all herbals are hogwash, some do have physiological effects and because they do, they should be regulated properly. Take St John’s Wort, anyone who feels a bit miserable can buy it OTC and start popping pills in the hope of making themselves better, totally unaware of its latent interactions with certain medications, often made by the same companies via their pharma wing:

http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/8513/31402/348539.html

More to the point, herbal manufacturers are not allowed to make medical claims about herbal products, so consumers buy these things blindly or having read some anecdotal evidence in lifestyle magazines of non-controlled, non-blinded, quasi clinical trials.

Like I said before, if they have no effects, then they’re a waste of money, if they do have effects then these should be regulated because the effects could be hazardous when mixed with other diseases and pharma products.

Which mainstream herbals do you think are worthy? Echinacea? Ginseng? Maluka honey? None of those have any proven efficacy beyond acting as a poor source of some vitamins and minerals.

I don’t think that herbals are typically used as a ‘cure’ in the same way that – for example – antibiotics might be used to treat a bladder infection. Herbals are commonly used as preventative and supportive treatments alongside pharmaceuticals.

P.S. Speaking of topical aspirin treatments, the ‘aspirin mask’ is a raved about beauty treatment for acne. ;)