HERBAL medicine and food supplements are becoming popular in the market but can they really cure health problems?
According to Dr. Virginia Mangati, of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center-Hemodialysis Unit, herbal medicine can be effective but it can also cause bad effects to the body.
“Yes, sinasabi nila na nakakagamot daw kahit yung mga food supplement but the downside is pwedeng nagamot niya yung isang sakit pero may mga natamaan din na ibang organs sa katawan,” Mangati told Sun.Star Baguio.
Taking herbal medicines and food supplements can cause kidney failure and medicine over dosage.
“Being a necrologist, I won’t advise taking alternative medicine, kasi hindi po tayo sigurado diyan. Maaring ma-over dose ang pasyente or magkaroon ng drug interaction,” Mangati stated.
“For example, you have diabetes, while taking a prescribed medicine from your doctor, you’re also taking food supplements then nagpakonsulta ka pa sa herbal medicine practitioner. You are taking meds that were not prescribed by a doctor. Ang side effect noon ay maaaring may component yung isang gamot na hindi sila magkatugma nung supplement. The medicine will be ineffective or mag-cause ng sakit sa ibang organs mo,” Mangati said.
Mangati added that when an individual fell ill, he must consult a doctor and ask for drug prescription.
“Kapag may nararamdaman po tayo sa ating katawan, magpakonsulta po tayo sa doctor at hindi sa kung sini-sino lang. Our doctors know best,” Mangati said.
Mangati issued the warning after a herbal supplement was found to have a negative interaction with diabetes drug, Metformin, when taken together. It can cause blood sugar level increase.
Other supplements that can cause negative interactions are Ginseng with warfarin (blood thinning drug), which can increase blood clotting, and Vitamin E and St. John’s worth supplements taken with statin (cholesterol drug), which can increase risk of heart attack.
“There are a lot of supplements and herbal medications sa market. The public should be warned because they are not well researched especially its effectiveness,” Mangati said.
Mangati said that more people are having kidney failures due to supplements.
“Ang problema kasi kapag nagpakonsulta sa doctor, hindi nila sinasabi na may tinetake pa silang gamot, then maadmit na sila sa dialysis kasi nakita na may kidney failure na sila. At the end of the day, saka na lang nila sasabihin na umiinom pala sila ng supplements other than the doctor’s prescription,” Mangati said. (Danica Guieb)