Kava Kava should not be FDA approved. Kava Kava is believed to control anxiety, depression, alleviate symptoms of menopause and P.M.S., as well as managing stress. However, much research has been done to Kava Kava to test its side effects. Kava Kava is not only a natural tranquillizer, it has been shown to contain supplement thought to cause liver damage and in some cases liver failure. I would not recommend that anyone take this supplement. Its harmful and could possible kill someone. Due to this information I would be against the FDA approving Kava Kava.
Next is ginseng. Ginseng is believed to help regulate blood sugar levels, control cholesterol levels, strengthen metabolisms, increase longevity, regulate blood pressure, and to slow degeneration of cells. Many scientific research studies have been conducting tests to determine whether these accusations are found to be true. I personally have taken ginseng, it has helped my blood sugar levels and has not harmed me. As for found harmful effects none were found. I find it to be an herb that is helpful to people who take it correctly. My opinion is the FDA should approve ginseng as a natural supplement.
Finally the supplement called Echinacea. Echinacea is a supplement which is used to aid in treating infections caused by over stimulated immune systems. Echinacea has been used to treat respiratory and urinary tract infections. It can also be found in the form of an ointment. Echinacea ointments are said to be used on rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and yeast infections. Though the ointment has not been scientifically proven. No harmful side effects have been found to be linked to Echinacea. We could use a natural supplement to help cure infections, as a substitute to antibiotics which we are becoming immune to. The FDA should definitely approve Echinacea.
I believe as long as we are aware of the side affects we should be able to take whatever we want. I mean unless the side affect is Death then duh we don't need that drug out there. but its the persons decision whether or not to take the medicine, no one forces them.
The so-called evidence that Kava causes liver damage is very much flawed. Unfortuneatlely it gets repeated by those it appears who have a vested interest to promote such wrong information.The best evidence is the people in the South Pacific have been drinking it for thousands of years with out ill effect. Other more recent clinical evidence is the a German scientific institute who recently teated the claims of ill effects and found them wanting,
I agree that the FDA should approve Echinacea. Every time I start to get a stuffy nose, cough, or other flu symptoms I take this supplement and usually I end up getting better. It really works very well.
On Kava Kava, just this month a medical study in the European Union found kava kava to categorically prevent two forms of cancer, lukemia and bladder cancer, look for these findings and watch kava kava become more widely accepted. The liver toxicity has been such a rare event and almost always occured in people combining alcohol and/or prescription drugs, or in those with a high sensitivity to methyl bromide the pesticide used by American Kava producers and others. The scare was really a pharmaceutical company orchestration to ban the cheap competition to its high priced anxiety drugs. And the perpetuation of the fear of the centuries old plant root is trully ill fated, seeing as how it already is a main component in many prescription drugs.
I think that the FDA should conduct appropriate testing (just like it would for any other medication) and interpret their results correctly.
FYI: Echinacea is botanically related to the ragweed plant, so if you are allergic to ragweed, you may have an allergic reaction to echinacea. (I discovered that by experience). I'd like to see better warning or information labels on herbal products.
Small amounts of ginseng gives me bad headaches too, although I'm not sure of the cause.
I for one don't trust the FDA. They do what the drug industry tells them too, and that's to debunk all the supplements they can and outlaw them too, and then you have to go the highly profitable drug route.
Drugs have far more side effects and many people can't afford them anymore.
I'm with the person that thinks the very partisan big brother fda should concentrate on testing DRUGS - not supplements.
John Hansen majorjh@socket.net