The dangers of taking herbal diet pills aren’t universal.  Just because a product contains plant-based ingredients, it doesn’t mean that it’s automatically risky.  However, as is the case with synthetic ingredients, all-natural substances can be used safely or dangerously. It all depends on what they are and how much of them are contained in the formula. The following are some factors to consider before choosing the right supplement for you.

Are There Dangers of Taking Herbal Diet Pills?

There are certainly dangers of taking herbal diet pills.  The same can be said about those made entirely with synthetic substances.  The key is to know what the ingredients are, whether there is quality research to support their use (published in peer-reviewed journals, not just conducted by a company selling a product, showing lovely graphs but that haven’t been verified or even reviewed by third-party experts).

The diet industry is one of the most confusing industries in the world.  It’s important to understand how to navigate it and understand the difference between marketing claims and scientific facts.  They can look surprisingly similar. Even experts can sometimes be duped.  That said, by understanding the safety and dangers of taking herbal diet pills, you can help to equip yourself with what you need to make a solid choice for yourself.

Understanding Regulation

In the United States, supplements are regulated as food, not as medications. Therefore, while quality control is still required in the same way that it is required for food production, the regulation doesn’t have anything to do with proving claims.  Therein lies one of the primary dangers of taking herbal diet pills.

It’s not that they’re necessarily problematic or risky, but you are depending on the company selling the pill to tell you the truth about what they can do.  There are some regulations about what can and cannot be claimed, but overall, it’s vital to know you’re shopping from a reputable brand and not a scammer.

Desperation Leads to the Dangers of Taking Herbal Diet Pills

The diet industry can be highly lucrative, as it seems everyone has at least a few pounds they want to get rid of, but they can not seem to do it on their own. The biggest problems, other than that most things simply do not work, is that some of these are downright dangerous. Herbal diet pills can be helpful, but they can also be downright deadly. Find out more before you take anything.

Some diet pills contain herbal ingredients that seem harmless, but some can still pose a risk to your health, such as senna leaf when taken for long periods of time. Some contain substances like synephrine, which are harmless in small doses, but that can put some people in the hospital if taken in higher doses or when combined with other stimulant ingredients – which they all too frequently are.

In the 1990s, a woman in California was drinking an herbal tea to help with weight loss. She passed away at the age of 37, seemingly as she slept. As it turned out, an herbal ingredient called senna was the culprit. This is a natural laxative that can do serious damage when used over the long term. It throws the electrolyte balance in the body off so far that heart failure and arrhythmia can ensue.

Herbal and Natural Don’t Automatically Mean Safe

There are tons of perfectly safe all-natural and herbal ingredients currently available. However, one of the dangers of taking herbal diet pills is in assuming that they are safe just because they are not synthetic. Don’t forget that there are many toxic and even poisonous plants out there. You wouldn’t eat just anything growing in your backyard, right? Precisely. Still, some companies claim that because they don’t use synthetic ingredients, there is no risk of drug interaction, medical condition conflicts or even side effects. As of today, consider that a huge red flag.

The words natural, herbal, and even effective are used without regulation. Something can be natural, meaning it comes from nature, and can be deadly to the wrong person. Herbal often gives someone the impression that whatever is contained within is from nature so it must be safe, but that is hardly the case. Some herbs and other natural ingredients can interact with prescription medications with deadly results, and some can even be deadly on their own. Sadly, the consumer has little information to go on until something bad happens – and that can be too late.

Know Your Banned Ingredients

You may remember ephedra or ephedrine. This supplement was considered both herbal and natural yet was yanked from the market because it was dangerous and deadly.

There are many other herbs that are dangerous if you are taking prescription drugs or over the counter medications. If you have a medical condition, you could also be one of those people. The best thing to do to avoid the dangers of taking herbal diet pills is to speak with your doctor. That way, you’ll have an expert on your side to tell you whether you’ve got a great helpful supplement on your hands, or whether it’s best to leave that product alone.