Exploring Herbal Supplements: Uses and Benefits

Herbal supplements are products made from plants or plant extracts that are used to support health and well-being. They can come in various forms such as teas, powders, or tinctures.

Herbal Supplement FAQ

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What are herbal medicines & supplements?

Herbal medicines or supplements are natural compounds from plants’ leaves, bark, roots, seeds, or flowers that people can use for medicinal purposes. They may offer therapeutic benefits when people use them as complementary medicine. Herbal medicines contain active ingredients from natural plants.

Are herbal supplements dietary supplements?

Are labeled as being dietary supplements. Herbal supplements—sometimes called botanicals—are a type of dietary supplement containing one or more herbs. The amount of scientific evidence on dietary supplements varies widely—there is a lot of information on some and very little on others.

What is a herbal medicine?

A herb is typically defined as: ‘A plant whose leaves, flowers or seeds are used to add taste to food, in medicines or for their pleasant smell. Parsely, mint and oregano are all herbs.’ 1 What is herbal medicine? The NHS defines herbal medicines as: ‘Those with active ingredients made from plant parts, such as leaves, roots or flowers.’ 2

Which herbal supplements are most commonly used in the United States?

Herbal supplements are most often sold in solid form (capsules, pills, tablets, lozenges) but are also available in liquid or powder form. This paper focuses on the following commonly used herbal supplements in the United States. These are: Saw palmetto is indigenous to the southeastern United States.