Poll: 38% Have Used Herbal Supplements

(CBS)  Nearly four in ten Americans have personally used herbal supplements such as Echinacea, St. John's Wort, Saw Palmetto and others to try to help a medical problem or as part of their regular diet – and most who have tried them think supplements generally are effective, according to a new CBS News poll.

Thirty-eight percent of Americans have tried an herbal supplement of some kind. Six in ten (61 percent) have not.

Women are more likely than men to have tried them, and Americans between the ages of 30 and 44 are more likely to have done so.

Have You Taken Herbal Supplements
(Men)

Yes
31%
No
69%

(Women)

Yes
45%
No
55%


There are also regional differences: Americans who live in the West (44 percent) and East (42 percent) are more likely to have tried supplements than those in the south (36 percent) or Midwest (32 percent).

Do You Think Herbal Supplements Are Generally Helpful?
(All respondents)

Yes
44%
No
33%

Most women and men who have tried supplements think they are generally effective.

Most Americans -55 percent - say they have heard at least something about herbal supplements – and women are more likely than men to have heard a lot. Most men say they've heard little or nothing.

How Much Have You Heard About Herbal Supplements?
(All respondents)

A lot
20%
No
35%
Not much/Some
44%


Younger people under 30 are the most likely to have not heard much about supplements.

For detailed information on how CBS News conducts public opinion surveys, click here.

Interviews were conducted among 993 adults by telephone on January 13, 2007. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points.

[lonestarlad1]

Almost any of the medication I take is a supplement. CBS and the God awful FDA need to butt out of the American peoples business. Supplements are much safer than what the BIG Pharmaceutials put out. CBS needs to report on the Liberal Media, Radical Liberal Politicans (The Degenacrats), Liberal Judges, Liberals on the Supreme Court. You know, things we all would like to hear the truth on, but our Liberal Media won't report.

[lyarberry]

CBS used "bad journalism," and "sophomoric reporting," "fiction," "spin and muckraking," when it attacked herbal supplements. I've used them for over 10+ years, and they work great. Like most things, they can be abused- even food can be abused as most people know. "Shame on you, CBS for trying to lead your viewers to believe that all supplements are bad" unless they are approved by the FDA. Look at what the FDA has done for us in the past.

Have you forgotten Vioxx and the diet pill that was prescribed in the 90's that caused many heart problem throughout the U.S. These are only two of the FDA approved medicines that basically caused the death of many people throughout the U.S. Guess Mr. Alfonsi forgot to check out all the facts (or maybe he forgot on purpose). The FDA protects the pharmaceutical companies' interest and that's about it.

[kaiyo4u]

Supplement do work as do other treatments not part of the mainstream. UV light treatment was used and logged into medical journals until the advent of penicillin. Read "Into the Light" a book regarding the use of UV treatment for cancer and other maladies. Very good read.
Do you think the networks are going to endorse those methods that have been proven (UV) when their monies come from drug companies? Just watch the evening news and count the number of drug commercials...
PS- infrared light causes cataracts, not UV.

[lfsblnc]

I know supplements work and I have so much faith in this that after I was dianosed with severe IR , researched and used suppliments to lose 125lbs, sold my house and invested every last dime into starting a business about educating people about the correct supplements for self use! After 15 months in busisness I've have great success stories and continue to help people on a daily bases. Maybe the question should be asked of Mr. Natureal Causes is how many individuals in this country does he think is healthy. Within the last four weeks I bought life insureance and was told that I am in the 1% Nationwide that have recovered and continue to manage my IR on a healthy level. Thanks to Supplements!

[katia327]

I watched a show the other day, about a woman who needed hip surgery. She CHOSE to go to another country. They offered her a stay at a resort, plus the surgery, for $6500. Her alternative? Having it here, for $45,000. She said the care was amazing. If she pushed that button, they were there in a second. She said, it was as if, they were camped outside her door. She is back home, and doing great. These countries, Costa Rica and India, are offering these packages to people here. And THEIR doctors, are educated here in the United States. The coverage on this story was funny. News people saying...oh, you need to check into these things before you do anything like this. You could SEE, the pure panic in them. God forbid, we all seek treatment OUTSIDE of the United States! Got news for them, I'll do it, if I need to. Or, are they going to try and stop people from doing that, too??

It's all about our rights and OUR choices. And they are slowly being taken away. What a country, when you work to buy a home, and think you'll be in it forever. It's YOURS. Then along comes eminent domain. And all because some big time developer wants your land, you can lose it. People need to fight this. People need to fight all of these things.

FDA, leave herbal and vitamin supplements ALONE. Because if you don't, we're out here, and there are alot of us, and we're going to fight for our right to take them. And NOT under a doctors supervision. Under our OWN.

[katia327]

My father was treated with chemo for cancer. He wasn't that far progressed. He passed away recently, but not from the cancer. From the drugs he was given. They messed up his blood, by giving too high a dose of one particular drug. Otherwise, he would still be here today. And I regret, and cry, each and every day, choosing chemo at ALL, and not taking a natural path. He truly suffered with those drugs they gave him. And they kept pushing and pushing, and if people (he was treated in a huge room with other people) wanted to stop chemo, they really came down on them. Tried to make them feel if they stopped, they'd be gone. Tried to FORCE them into coming. It was horrible. It's all about money.

We don't HAVE to have these harsh drugs.

[katia327]

I am sick to death, of this government, trying to control everything we do. Many of us have taken herbal and vitamin supplements for YEARS. They need to BACK OFF. And those who need to run to the doctor, for every little thing, keep doing that, too. These are our rights, and our choices. They are trying to take that away from us. From ALL of us.

I've seen several posts here that are right on. It's all about money, and they're losing control with the people. They want us under their thumb, so to speak. Stop us from thinking on our own, and educating ourselves with alternatives. Force us to ONLY go to the doctor. After all, they know everything, right?? Wrong.

gigimama28 ...I had the same thing happen to me. Doctor kept telling me I needed blood pressure medication. Started taking it. Kept TELLING him, at HOME, my BP was quite normal. Anyway, under his direction and 'expertise', I took it. Well, I almost died from that medication. And I won't even MENTION, that he over prescribed it. I slowly weaned myself off of it, never went back to him, STILL have a normal BP, like I tried to tell him in the first place. That was 10 years ago.

These people are drug happy. It's all about big money, doctors, pharmaceutical companies, and the lawyers play a part in it, too. As they do in everything.

[marcpcbs]

Sallyforth4

"Most of us understand that the AMA would love to have the government control all supplements, even though few doctors understand the subject as well as the informed public."

Thats funny!

[sallyforth4]

I find it interesting that your poll features only herbal supplements, but the implication by way of promotional spots, which mentions vitamin C in particular, is aimed at vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements. Looks like a little smoke and mirrors to me. Most of us understand that the AMA would love to have the government control all supplements, even though few doctors understand the subject as well as the informed public. Your features are an indirect aid to that cause! Shame on you.

[sallyforth4]

I find it interesting that your poll features only herbal supplements, but the implication by way of promotional spots, which mentions vitamin C in particular, is aimed at vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements. Looks like a little smoke and mirrors to me. Most of us understand that the AMA would love to have the government control all supplements, even though few doctors understand the subject as well as the informed public. Your features are an indirect aid to that cause! Shame on you.