Toxins Found in Herbal Supplements

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that dangerously high levels of toxins, including lead, can be found in popular herbal supplements. According to the study, nearly 21% of Ayurvedic medicines, plant-based products that originate from India, contain elements that can be harmful to users' health.

The study, authored by Robert Saper of the Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, found that certain Ayurvedic supplements actually contain lead, mercury, or arsenic. Arsenic can cause cancer, and lead and mercury can damage the kidneys and brain, especially in children. More than 80 people have developed lead poisoning from Ayurvedic products since 1978.

Ayurvedic medications are largely used by adults to treat problems ranging from infertility to indigestion, although 4 percent of the products tested by Saper were labeled for use in children.

Saper and his colleagues purchased all of the potentially dangerous supplements on the internet. In a 2004 study, he found lead, mercury, and arsenic in 20 percent of Ayurvedic medicines sold in Boston-area stores. According to Michael McGuffin of the American Herbal Products Association, approximately 750,000 Americans have used Ayurvedic supplements.

McGuffin notes that it may be impossible to guarantee that herbal products are 100 percent free of lead, because even fruits and vegetables can be contaminated with the toxin, which can be found in soil or water. He also says that government and professional agencies establish very different standards for lead, mercury, and arsenic safety. For example, most of the products in Saper's study exceed legal levels in California, but only two violate the World Health Organization's standard.

Saper says that the Food and Drug Administration should set maximum daily dose limits for toxic elements in supplements. While the agency doesn't currently specify how much lead is allowable, it can remove products from the market if they are deemed unsafe. The FDA banned Ayurvedic products cited in Saper's 2004 study.

Source: "Study finds toxins in some herbal medicines." USA Today. August 27, 2008.