Who and How Many People Are Taking Herbal Supplements? A Survey of 21923 Adults

2004 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 183-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harrison ◽  
Holt ◽  
Pattison ◽  
Elton
Keyword(s):  
Adult Population ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Postal Questionnaire ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Evening Primrose Oil ◽  
Herbal Supplement ◽  
Herbal Supplements ◽  
Evening Primrose ◽  
Supplement Use

Background: There is little information on the number and characteristics of adults taking herbal supplements and the relationship of this with other health and lifestyle factors. These were examined in the current study. Methods: Information on herbal supplement use and health and lifestyle characteristics was obtained by postal questionnaire, sent to a sample of the adult population in Northwest England. Results: In summer 2001, 70.5% (15,465/21,923) of questionnaires were returned. The mean age of responders was 49.8 years (SD 17.57) and 45.2% (6,986/15,465) were men. The percentage taking at least one herbal supplement was 12.8% (1,987/15,465). Users of herbal supplements were more likely to be younger, female, white, and to own their home. Herbal supplement use was not strongly associated with any health and lifestyle variables examined. Weak associations were found with physical activity, psychiatric caseness, and use of prescribed medications. The most common herbal supplement was evening primrose oil, taken by 7.7% (1,186/ 15,465) of respondents (12.7% of women and 1.1% of men). Conclusions: More than one in ten adults were taking herbal supplements, with evening primrose oil, the most common supplement, used mainly by women. Individual characteristics such as age, sex, ethnicity, and social class influenced the use of herbal supplements, but there was no evidence that this substituted for conventional medical care. The evidence base to support some popular herbal supplements is weak. Large well-designed trials are needed to quantify the value of herbal supplements to health and well-being.

The Use of Food Supplements among Women Attending Menopause Clinics in the West Midlands

2003 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-35
Author(s):  
Leena Gokhale ◽  
David W Sturdee ◽  
Anthony D Parsons
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Food Supplements ◽  
Orthodox Medicine ◽  
The West ◽  
Over The Counter ◽  
Evening Primrose ◽  
Supplement Use ◽  
Perceived Benefit ◽  
West Midlands ◽  
Alternative Remedies

Objective To estimate the extent of use of over the counter food supplements in women attending menopause clinics in the West Midlands Study design Questionnaire survey of women attending menopause clinics in Solihull Hospital, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Rugby and Walsgrave Hospitals and Birmingham Women's Hospital. Main outcome measures Type and rate of use of food supplements in hormone replacement therapy (HRT)users and nonusers and perceived benefits. Results Three hundred and forty women completed the questionnaire. 95% (n = 326) belonged to the white European ethnic group. The median age was 53 years, with 50% (n = 170) in the 50–59 years age group, and 30 % (n = 95) in the age range 40–49 years. Overall use of over the counter supplements in the clinic was 43% (n = 147), with Oil of Evening Primrose (53%) and vitamins (44%) being the most commonly used preparations. 71% (n = 242) women were users of conventional HRT. Of these, 46% were also using food supplements. The use of food supplements was higher amongst HRT users (46%) as compared to non-HRT users (32%). The use was similar between smokers and non-smokers. The most commonly perceived benefit was a feeling of well-being, 39% (n = 58/147). The proportionate use was highest in social class I and class II (51% and 54% respectively), in keeping with amount of disposable income. Friends (27%), the internet (26%) and magazines (20%) were the most commonly quoted sources of information. 79% (n = 116/147) were spending up to £10 each month on alternative remedies. 10% (n = 14/147) of women were visiting practitioners of alternative remedies. Conclusions The use of food supplements is widespread and particularly in those already taking conventional HRT. This study was not designed to test confidence in orthodox medicine, but the prevalence of use of supplements amongst menopausal women attending menopause clinics. The most commonly perceived benefit is a feeling of well-being, but users of food supplements are unsure of any additional benefit when supplements are taken in conjunction with conventional therapy. There is a misapprehension that “herbal” or “natural” equals safe. In addition, the correlation between supplement use and side effects is very seldom made, as these compounds are mistakenly considered almost universally safe, and physicians often fail to enquire about their use in routine history taking.

PATTERNS IN LIFE QUALITY CHANGES OF IRKUTSK CITY’S INHABITANTS ACCORDING TO SF-36 QUESTIONNAIRE

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 119-125
Author(s):  
Рой ◽  
Tatyana Roy ◽  
Ильичёва ◽  
Elena Ilicheva
Keyword(s):  
Adult Population ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Life Quality ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Social Adaptation ◽  
Surgical Interventions ◽  
Russian Version ◽  
Sf 36

Actuality. At the moment, one of the current trends in medicine and sociology is the study of life quality in population. The motivation for this study was the lack of population-based studies on life quality assessment for adult population conducted in Irkutsk, taking into account the individual characteristics of all age groups with questionnaire SF-36.Purpose. To evaluate standard criteria for Irkutsk adult population’s life standard in terms of the age and gender by means of the standard questionnaire SF-36.Materials and methods. The article represents the interview results received from 579 Irkutsk dwellers at the age of 18–85. The Russian version of SF-36 Questionnaire has been used for the present research. The criteria were estimated according to 8scales. The levels of the respondents’ physical well-being, socio-environmental adaptation, psycho-emo-tional changes and viability were specified. Moreover, the respondents’ clinical-anamnestic status including complaints, anamnestic evidences for somatic pathology and earlier surgical interventions were evaluated as well. The received data were processed by Statistica 6.0 software with the use of nonparametric and multiple factor analysis.Results. The results determine the levels of physical functioning, social adaptation, psycho-emotional changes and the viability of Irkutsk residents of different age, gender and socio-professional groups. Conclusions. The presence of comorbidity in varying degrees affected the quality of life

Surveying Physicians' Attitudes about Herbal Supplements, Resources, and Pharmacy Consultations

2005 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 247-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla J Bouwmeester
Keyword(s):  
Web Sites ◽  
Perceived Barriers ◽  
Herbal Supplement ◽  
Educational Materials ◽  
Herbal Supplements ◽  
Electronic Survey ◽  
Supplement Use ◽  
Personal Bias ◽  
Comprehensive Health ◽  
Consultation Services

Objective: To investigate whether physicians discuss herbal supplement use with their patients and document this information in the medical record, to determine the perceived barriers to discussing herbal supplement use, and to assess all resources currently available to physicians in their office setting and additional resources needed to answer questions about herbal supplements. Methods: An electronic survey was conducted of physicians enrolled in a managed care electronic network as of November 2002; data were collected from December 2002 through March 2003. Results: Of the 203 physicians who responded to the survey, 18% always discussed herbal supplements with their patients, 57% sometimes carried on these discussions, 21% rarely did, and 4% never asked. These responses correlated roughly with how often herbal supplement use was documented in the medical chart (always 27%, sometimes 51%, rarely 20%, never 2%). The strongest barriers to discussing herbal supplements were lack of resources and lack of time. The largest number of physicians used Web sites or print resources for information on herbal supplements. The most preferred resources were Web sites, computer databases, and pharmacy consultations. Conclusions: Awareness of herbal supplement use is vital for the healthcare practitioner to deliver comprehensive health services. Physicians' attitudes regarding herbal supplements are influenced by the resources available and by personal bias. Pharmacists can play a pivotal role in providing consultation services, educational materials, and screening for drug–herb interactions.

Marked Transaminase Elevations and Worsening Glycemic Control Associated With Counterfeit Polyherbal Use in a Patient With Diabetes

2009 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 600-605 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nickole N. Henyan ◽  
Daniel M. Riche ◽  
James J. Pitcock ◽  
Dayna C. Strickland
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Morbidly Obese ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Herbal Supplement ◽  
Herbal Supplements ◽  
Herbal Products ◽  
Supplement Use ◽  
Patient Reported

Dietary and herbal supplements, a US$20.3 billion entity, are used by more than half of the adult population in the United States. Since weight loss is beneficial in obese patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease, many obese Americans are ingesting herbal weight loss supplements under the assumption that they are inherently safe. We report the case of a 55-year-old morbidly obese Caucasian female with diabetes, who started multiple polyherbal supplements. Six months after starting several herbal products, the patient’s A1C increased from 7.8% to 9.4% and the AST/ALT were markedly elevated. After discontinuation, transaminases normalized in 28 days. On follow-up visit, the patient reported compliance with prescribed medications and denied use of herbal products. The patient’s A1C approached target goal. The potential for counterfeit herbal supplement production exists. Our patient’s products were analyzed for purity, and 0% Hoodia gordonii was found. A misconception of herbal products is that they are safe because they are natural. Unfortunately, many natural products can act in the same capacity as drugs, educing both benefit and harm. Health care providers, particularly pharmacists, should be aware of counterfeit herbal supplements and closely monitor for dangers of herbal supplement use.

scholarly journals Prevalence and Predictors of Herbal Medicine Use Among Adults in the United States

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 108-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Rashrash ◽  
Jon C Schommer ◽  
Lawrence M Brown
Keyword(s):  
Herbal Medicine ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
Prescription Medications ◽  
Mail Order ◽  
Herbal Supplement ◽  
Medicine Use ◽  
Herbal Supplements ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Supplement Use ◽  
Mail Order Pharmacy

Objective: To describe the prevalence of herbal medicine use among US adults and to assess factors associated with and predictors of herbal use. Design: The data for herbal products use were collected from the 2015 National Consumer Survey on the Medication Experience and Pharmacists’ Roles. Chi-square test was used to analyz factors associated with herbal use, and predictors of herbal use were assessed with logistic regression analysis. Results: Factors associated with herbal supplement use include age older than 70, having a higher than high school education, using prescription medications or over-the-counter (OTC) medications, and using a mail-order pharmacy.” All Disease state associated significantly with herbal use. Approximately thirty-eight percent of those who used herbals used prescription medications and 42% of those who used herbals also used an OTC medication. The most frequent conditions associated with herbal supplement use were a stroke (48.7%), cancer (43.1%), and arthritis (43.0%). Among herbal product users, factors that predicted use included having higher than school education, using OTC medications, using mail-order pharmacy, stroke, obesity, arthritis, and breathing problems. Conclusions: More than one-third of respondents reported using herbal supplements. Older age and higher education were associated with a higher use of herbal supplements. People with chronic diseases are more likely to use herbal medicines than others. OTC drug users and patients with stroke are more likely to use herbal medicines than others.

scholarly journals Antidoping Concept of Play Clean to Win Clean: Implication of Herbal Supplements uses for Athletes in Competitive Sports

2021 ◽  
pp. 39-58
Author(s):  
John Dobgima Fonmboh ◽  
Estella Achick Tembe Fokunang ◽  
Ngono Mballa Rose ◽  
Tama Wango ◽  
Richard Abah Ejoh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Critical Issue ◽  
Competitive Sports ◽  
Herbal Supplement ◽  
Herbal Supplements ◽  
Herbal Products ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
As Doping ◽  
Supplement Use ◽  
Resource Limited ◽  
Low Middle Income Countries

The popularity of doping in competitive sports is relevant for all those involved in sports, particularly for evaluating anti-doping policy measures. However, there is a gap of information that addresses this subject so far. As a consequence, the prevalence of doping in competitive sports in resource limited countries is unknown. Even though it is challenging to uncover the exact prevalence of herbal products with prohibited activity such as doping, various methods put in place by world antidoping agency (WADA) have now been adopted to uncover parts of this particular problem, and enables the circumvention to some extend the issues of honesty, definition problems and the limits of pharmacological evidence. It is evident that current doping control test results can show a distinct underestimation of true doping prevalence in low middle income countries (LMIC). Nowadays, doping is a critical issue at international levels of sporting competitions. Athletes’ use of herbal supplements has seen a significant increase in the past two decades. At the top of the list of popular herbs used in sports are echinacea and ginseng, whereas garlic, St. John’s wort, soybean, ephedra and others are also gaining popularity or have been historically prevalent. Despite the increasing popularity of herbal supplements, recent events have illustrated possible concerns regarding efficacy and safety of herbal supplements usage. Remarkable sports performances at the end of the 20th century raised suspicions about herbal supplement use by athletes, prompting the formation of WADA. With WADA creation it was not long when the deaths of two professional athletes raised concerns that the herbal supplement ephedra, may have contributed to their deaths. These events and others have prompted clinicians and scientists to reexamine and evaluate the role of herbal supplements in competitive sports. This review attempts to give an insight into the use of herbal supplement in doping within the concept of play clean to win clean. An attempt has been made to provide guidance on the efficacy and side effect of most used herbal supplements found in sporting activities, especially in international competitive sports.

Supplement use in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e15037-e15037
Author(s):  
Valerie Lee ◽  
Abhishek Goyal ◽  
Christine Cho-Shing Hsu ◽  
Rosa D. Rodriguez ◽  
Abby B. Siegel
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Vitamin D ◽  
Overall Survival ◽  
Clinical Characteristics ◽  
The United States ◽  
Milk Thistle ◽  
Newly Diagnosed ◽  
Herbal Supplement ◽  
Herbal Supplements ◽  
Supplement Use

e15037 Background: Vitamin and herbal supplement use has been steadily rising in the United States. Few data are available evaluating this use in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We analyzed our prospective database of patients with HCC to determine predictors of supplement use and associations with survival. Methods: We prospectively enrolled 146 patients with newly-diagnosed HCC between 10/2008 and 11/2012. Upon enrollment, patients completed an epidemiologic questionnaire and provided detailed demographic and lifestyle data including diet, exercise, smoking and use of vitamins and herbal supplements. Clinical characteristics and overall survival were collected from medical records. We assessed if socioeconomic, lifestyle, or clinical characteristics predicted vitamin and herbal supplement use in HCC patients. We also evaluated if use was predictive of overall survival. Results: The median age was 62, and 79% were men. 60% had underlying HCV and 38% had HBV; 64% were Child-Pugh A and 19% were metastatic. 71% of our cohort used vitamins and 45% used herbal supplements. Most commonly used were antioxidants (including vitamins C, E, A and selenium) (51%), multivitamins (46%), vitamin D (25%), and milk thistle (23%). Vitamin D use was higher in women and those without HCV. Use of vitamin C was associated with being HBV positive (OR = 3.01, P = 0.01) while HCV patients were more likely to use milk thistle (OR = 2.80, P = 0.03). In a univariable model, use of milk thistle at baseline was associated with a trend toward worse overall survival (HR = 1.78, P = 0.09), despite not being associated with other poor prognostic signs like higher stage or AFP, or worse Child-Pugh score. Use of other vitamin or herbal supplements did not predict survival. Conclusions: The majority of patients with newly-diagnosed HCC have used some form of vitamin or herbal supplement, with almost a quarter having used milk thistle in their lifetime. In our analyses, use of milk thistle may be associated with worse survival. Though our cohort is small, this emphasizes the prevalence of supplement use in patients with HCC and the need to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of these alternative treatments in various patient populations.

Inclusion of Transgender Voice and Communication Training in a University Clinic

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (10) ◽  
pp. 109-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Oates ◽  
Georgia Dacakis
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
Clinical Education ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Communication Training ◽  
Speech Language Pathology ◽  
Transgender People ◽  
Language Pathology ◽  
Effectiveness Of Training ◽  
Negative Impacts

Because of the increasing number of transgender people requesting speech-language pathology services, because having gender-incongruent voice and communication has major negative impacts on an individual's social participation and well-being, and because voice and communication training is supported by an improving evidence-base, it is becoming more common for universities to include transgender-specific theoretical and clinical components in their speech-language pathology programs. This paper describes the theoretical and clinical education provided to speech-language pathology students at La Trobe University in Australia, with a particular focus on the voice and communication training program offered by the La Trobe Communication Clinic. Further research is required to determine the outcomes of the clinic's training program in terms of student confidence and competence as well as the effectiveness of training for transgender clients.

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