Bad deficiencies in herbal dietary supplements

Health products are now offered in a seemingly vast number. In all European markets, herbal products compete in various distribution categories, from cosmetics to medical devices, nutritional supplements and pharmaceuticals. What quality can consumers expect from such products? This question should clarify scientists from the University of London for the series "Trust Me, I'm a Doctor" of the British TV channel BBC 2.

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In the United Kingdom, herbal medicines are approved in accordance with European law in accordance with the rules of "Traditional Herbal Registration", after which their pharmaceutical quality is constantly monitored and controlled by the authorities. Dietary supplements, on the other hand - just like in Germany - have to comply with the requirements for foodstuffs, their monitoring is subject to local authorities, production monitoring does not take place.

The working group of Prof. dr. Michael Heinrich of University College's London School of Pharmacy, on behalf of the BBC, examined over 70 of the most widely used health products in the UK, with herbal ingredients from ginkgo, milk thistle, and evening primrose. The analysis produced alarming results:

- For example, 40 percent of the supplements that were offered as ginkgo diet supplements either contained significantly less or no ginkgo.
- Some products were mixed with chemical substances instead of the declared plant substances.
- The content of the herbal products registered as medicinal products corresponded in all cases to the information on the packaging. Only part of the herbal supplements complied with the contents of the declaration.

The juxtaposition of herbal supplements of different categories exists in Germany as well. Thus, the question also arises here, what about the quality of the non-officially supervised dietary supplements? (Source: Edwards, S., I. da Costa Rocha, E.M. Williamson and M.Heinrich (2015) Phytopharmacy - an evidence-based guide to herbal medicines., Wiley, Chichester.)