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Don’t just pick, ask your pharmacist. It is not true when your pharmacist tells you herbal supplements are without side effects, I was once guilty of this but the truth is that some herbal supplements act more like ethical drugs

Herbal supplements have one or more side effects especially in the area of drug interaction with some medications.

Herbal supplements like ginger, garlic, licorice root contain active constituents that act like ethical drugs reason why interactions are possible.

Here are some of the herbal supplements you should be careful with while taking your MEDS.

LICORICE: licorice is a plant, it is used as flavoring in beverages, foods and tobacco, the root is used to make medicine. It is used for various digestive system complaints. It can also used be for osteoarthritis, liver disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome and infections both of bacterial and viral origin.

But the truth about this root is that it can raise your blood pressure and cause problems with heart rhythms, reason why people with heart problems should avoid it. It is also known to cause problems for people with kidney disease.

GARLIC: This is an herb grown around the world. It is related to onions and it is a popular ingredient in cooking because of its strong smell and delicious taste. It can be used to treat tuberculosis, hypertension, liver disorders, diabetes, bronchitis etc. Recent studies showed that it can lower cholesterol a bit too. It is practically a safe bulb to use but the bitter truth is that it can thin your blood. That can increase your risk of bleeding if you take blood-thinning medications like warfarin and clopidogrel

GINSENG: This is my favorite herbal supplement. I love it for the vigor it gives. No doubt this is a very good herbal supplement. It can be used to boost the immune system, can decrease the number and severity of colds in adults, good for diabetic patients and most importantly enhance blood flow through the arteries to support major organs. But note that this supplement can cause issues for people with diabetes because it may lead to a drop in blood sugar. People with high blood pressure and those on blood thinners should avoid or take with caution

ALOE: it is used for constipation, skin diseases, worm infestation, and infections and so on. It has found widespread use in the cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and food industries. But for people who take it by mouth it can cause abnormal heart rhythm. It may also lower sugar levels if you have diabetes and on other MEDS. So you take with caution while on this supplement

GINGER. I don’t think there is any pharmacy that doesn’t have ginseng in its shelves. This is a very popular supplement. People take it to ease nausea brought on by surgery, chemotherapy or motion sickness, and sometimes used to treat inflammation of the joints. If you don’t know, it can cause problems with blood clotting, heart rhythms, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Avoid ginger if you have gallstones or take blood thinners

GINKGO: Ginkgo`s been widely studied for its anti-inflammatory, anti oxidant, platelet- forming and circulation-boosting effects. People take ginkgo to improve their memory. Ginkgo can also thin your blood and cause bleeding specifically risky if you take blood-thinning drugs like warfarin, clopidogrel etc.

Next time you visit a pharmacy store, don’t just pick, ASK YOUR PHARMACIST.

on point