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It doesn’t take much — a scroll on social media or a stroll through the store — to come across an herbal pill, powder or gummy that claims to help with stress, sleep, weight loss and more.
You may have even tried one. Federal data shows that the majority of older adults take a dietary supplement — be it a vitamin, mineral or herbal supplement, sometimes called a botanical. But do these products really do what they claim?
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The promises aren’t always backed up by research, health experts say. “Unlike prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs and everything else that is sold for our health, supplements can be promoted as if they work for these things [stress, sleep, weight loss, etc.], without any evidence from human clinical trials that they actually work,” says Pieter Cohen, M.D., an internist at Cambridge Health Alliance and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School who studies supplement safety.
That’s because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve supplements for their safety and effectiveness before they are marketed. Rather, the companies that make them are responsible for ensuring their products are safe and correctly labeled.
Here’s what you need to know about three trendy herbal supplements, including potential side effects and why you should always talk to a health care provider before taking one.
1. Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub that grows in Asia and Africa. It’s been used for centuries to help manage stress and anxiety, and sometimes to improve athletic performance. These days, you can find the botanical in gummies, tinctures, bottled water, even mocktails.
What does the science say? Several studies have shown that ashwagandha can be effective at relieving stress, especially when taken orally, and it may even help with sleep and inflammation, though experts note that larger studies are needed. A small 2022 study from researchers at the University of Colorado found that participants who took ashwagandha reported an increased sense of well-being, better mental clarity and enhanced sleep quality.
Are there side effects? Reported side effects for the supplement include drowsiness, headache, stomach upset, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. “However, evidence on the safety of longer term ashwagandha use over many months or years is lacking,” according to the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements. What’s more, the supplement may have potentially harmful effects on the liver and thyroid, the NIH says.
Health experts caution against taking ashwagandha if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. People who have cancer, especially hormone-sensitive cancers, such as prostate cancer, should also avoid the supplement, since it can increase testosterone in the body. Research suggests that ashwagandha may interact with thyroid hormone medications, sedatives, immunosuppressants, and medications for diabetes and high blood pressure.
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