Comments on: Are Herbal Supplements Hurting You?

New Book Says It's A Buyers-Beware Market For Herbal Remedies

[jro430]

Dear Katie,
As someone who has experienced both the positive and the negative as a result of herbal supplements, I feel as though I can offer your viewers some good advice.
My aunt died at 50 from herbal supplements. She had just received a settlement from her lawsuit against the makers of Phen Phen when she died of heart complications resulting from her use of that product.
On the flip side, I have avoided surgery on my thyroid as a result of the benefits from taking a supplement daily for several years.
The key is, find a nutritionist or natural healing expert whom you trust, preferably one who is licensed and insured. Only buy from him/her at their suggesion and never, ever purchase anything over the internet.
Thanks for bringing attention to this important topic!
Jacque Rogers

[lisagtrz]

What- 1.5 million adverse reactions in 20 years? That is miniscule compared to what pharmacuetical companies are selling us trusting and neive Americans. The way drug reps wine and dine our MD's so they can write high dollar prescriptions that are causing a million adverse reactions a year is what CBS news should be "uncovering". Herbal supplemants are effective and should be treated so. Anyone who underestimates their effectiveness and doesn't respect the potency are probably the few bad experiences.

[zackdu76]

George2221

I take vitamins and herbs on a daily basis and have never had any problems at all. I think that they do help out and a lot of the studies that have been conducted have been on seriously ill people like with major depression, previous heart attack - strokes , and cancer. I think the name of the game is prevention and if you have a serious medical condition already its probably too late to help. As for the guy's friend that died after taking herbs above , i wonder if the medical report said - died from a herb overdose? Marathon runners have cronically high levels of oxidation as they are doing aerobics which releases free radicals.I have heard of a lot of marathon runners having heart attacks and strokes.Bottom line is if i feel better it works for me!

[watcher111-2009]

So your runner friend Was taking WHICH supplements????? The truth is the vast majority of herbal supplements ARE safe, Perfectly safe. The studies they sighted in the news cast WERE BOGUS because they did not use proper dosing. They purposly produced an OUTCOME that would cast KNOWN safe and effective supplements in a negative light shame on you Katie for this sham CODEX plug.

[watcher111-2009]

So your runner friend Was taking WHICH supplements????? The truth is the vast majority of herbal supplements ARE safe, Perfectly safe. The studies they sighted in the news cast WERE BOGUS because they did not use proper dosing. They purposly produced an OUTCOME that would cast KNOWN safe and effective supplements in a negative light shame on you Katie for this sham CODEX plug.

[oldmaninfl]

I watched with great interest your story on herbal supplements this evening by Sharyn Alfonsi. As a long time user (15 years) of herbal supplements I disagree with most of what was presented. I can personally vouch for the good results obtained with herbs such as St. John's Wort, prostate supplements, and others. I must wonder how much of the negative comments were given by an author with drug industry ties. I challenge you to compare the supposed 1.5 million bad reactions since 1983 to the same statistics for the drug industry. I also challenge you to air comments from noted physicians who are proponents of herbal supplements. I know that the drug industry does an huge amount of advertising on the TV networks. But you are supposed to be news "reporters" and not passing along the biased opinion of your advertisers. As a disclaimer, I own no stocks, companies, nor have a financial interest in any herbal supplement company. I just know that they work. As with anything else, there may be some unethical companies invoved in the business...but the bulk of the industry is ethical and provides a much needed service. I really think that a thorough, factual, unbiased report on the facts of "drugs" vs. herbal supplements would be an eye opener for the american public. I dare you to produce one.

[jasper54321]

Our Goverment is trying to implement CODEX!!! this takes away our freedom to use safe and natural supplements. The big pharma companies want you to use there poison to TREAT illness. Adverse reactions from Pharma posions cause hundreds of thousand of deaths a year, and CBS managed to find one case of someone who "had there nose burned off" give me a break! Tomorrow night they will try and get you on the regulation wagon. DONT BUY THERE ***