David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Natural sleep aid linked to nightmares
by CARLY WEEKS, Globe and Mail
January 8, 2009
Valerian, a herbal sleep aid commonly used by those who want an alternative to prescription sedatives, has been linked to serious side effects, according to Health Canada, raising questions about the safety of some natural health products.
Health Canada said it has received more than 30 reports of adverse reactions, including hallucinations and nightmares, linked to valerian from 2003 to 2008. The department also warned in a quarterly adverse-reaction newsletter that some medical studies have found an association between valerian and hallucinations, delirium and cardiac complications.
Health Canada also said it had received more than 50 reports of adverse reactions involving echinacea, ginkgo and St. John's wort in the same time period, including agitation, dizziness, rash and pain.
An increasing number of Canadians are using vitamins, supplements and other natural health products on a regular basis.
The industry's retail sales are expected to reach more than $2.75-billion by 2010, according to the Canadian Health Food Association.
But the rapid growth has many members of the medical community concerned. That's because data used to demonstrate that natural health products work are often limited and sometimes weak. More troubling to some is the fact that many consumers have come to rely on daily vitamins and supplements without realizing such products can have serious side effects or interactions with food or drugs.
"There really is a misperception in the public," said David Bailey, a professor of medicine, physiology and pharmacology at the University of Western Ontario.
"The fact you don't really have to discuss any of this with a health professional before purchase gives the impression they're gentler and they're safer. Many of them should be behind the counter."
The issue isn't whether natural health products should be available to consumers, he said. Rather, it's a question of how accessible such products should be, what level of scrutiny and safety standards they should be required to meet, and how warnings of potential side effects or interactions should be communicated.
Instead of natural health products being readily available for purchase in drugstore aisles, Dr. Bailey said, putting them behind the counter would encourage a discussion between customers and pharmacists, who could alert them to potential health issues or other important information.
Many health experts across Canada have criticized what they describe as the federal government's lax approach to oversight of the natural health products industry and the industry's seeming reluctance to accept stricter regulation. Last year, for instance, many natural health companies launched a major campaign against proposed federal rules that would require greater oversight for vitamins, herbs and supplements.
Although taking some natural health products may result in side effects or other potential health problems, the issues are no different than for other off-the-shelf drugstore products such as Tylenol or TUMS, said Gary Leong, vice-president of scientific and technical affairs for Jamieson Laboratories, the largest natural health company in Canada.
Mr. Leong agreed that consumers often share the misconception that vitamins and supplements are safe because they're sold in the natural products aisle. They need to be made more aware that natural health products are medicinal in nature and, as such, can pose potential health risks, he said.
"People think because it's natural, it's safer, and people need to change their mindset," Mr. Leong said. "They need to be treated like medicines."
However, he said, restricting the sale of the products, including putting them behind the counter, is unnecessary.
To others, the issue is not that simple. While more Canadians than ever before are using an array of herbs and supplements, reliable information about the safety and effectiveness of those products often isn't readily available.
Dr. Bailey fears that as regulators, health experts and the industry grapple with the growing pains of the booming industry, it may be Canadians who suffer the consequences.
"The consumer is the naive person caught in the middle," he said. "It's kind of scary."
by CARLY WEEKS, Globe and Mail
January 8, 2009
Valerian, a herbal sleep aid commonly used by those who want an alternative to prescription sedatives, has been linked to serious side effects, according to Health Canada, raising questions about the safety of some natural health products.
Health Canada said it has received more than 30 reports of adverse reactions, including hallucinations and nightmares, linked to valerian from 2003 to 2008. The department also warned in a quarterly adverse-reaction newsletter that some medical studies have found an association between valerian and hallucinations, delirium and cardiac complications.
Health Canada also said it had received more than 50 reports of adverse reactions involving echinacea, ginkgo and St. John's wort in the same time period, including agitation, dizziness, rash and pain.
An increasing number of Canadians are using vitamins, supplements and other natural health products on a regular basis.
The industry's retail sales are expected to reach more than $2.75-billion by 2010, according to the Canadian Health Food Association.
But the rapid growth has many members of the medical community concerned. That's because data used to demonstrate that natural health products work are often limited and sometimes weak. More troubling to some is the fact that many consumers have come to rely on daily vitamins and supplements without realizing such products can have serious side effects or interactions with food or drugs.
"There really is a misperception in the public," said David Bailey, a professor of medicine, physiology and pharmacology at the University of Western Ontario.
"The fact you don't really have to discuss any of this with a health professional before purchase gives the impression they're gentler and they're safer. Many of them should be behind the counter."
The issue isn't whether natural health products should be available to consumers, he said. Rather, it's a question of how accessible such products should be, what level of scrutiny and safety standards they should be required to meet, and how warnings of potential side effects or interactions should be communicated.
Instead of natural health products being readily available for purchase in drugstore aisles, Dr. Bailey said, putting them behind the counter would encourage a discussion between customers and pharmacists, who could alert them to potential health issues or other important information.
Many health experts across Canada have criticized what they describe as the federal government's lax approach to oversight of the natural health products industry and the industry's seeming reluctance to accept stricter regulation. Last year, for instance, many natural health companies launched a major campaign against proposed federal rules that would require greater oversight for vitamins, herbs and supplements.
Although taking some natural health products may result in side effects or other potential health problems, the issues are no different than for other off-the-shelf drugstore products such as Tylenol or TUMS, said Gary Leong, vice-president of scientific and technical affairs for Jamieson Laboratories, the largest natural health company in Canada.
Mr. Leong agreed that consumers often share the misconception that vitamins and supplements are safe because they're sold in the natural products aisle. They need to be made more aware that natural health products are medicinal in nature and, as such, can pose potential health risks, he said.
"People think because it's natural, it's safer, and people need to change their mindset," Mr. Leong said. "They need to be treated like medicines."
However, he said, restricting the sale of the products, including putting them behind the counter, is unnecessary.
To others, the issue is not that simple. While more Canadians than ever before are using an array of herbs and supplements, reliable information about the safety and effectiveness of those products often isn't readily available.
Dr. Bailey fears that as regulators, health experts and the industry grapple with the growing pains of the booming industry, it may be Canadians who suffer the consequences.
"The consumer is the naive person caught in the middle," he said. "It's kind of scary."
