Astragalus Side Effects

admin — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:25:05 +0000

What Are The Possible Side Effects Or Complications with Astragalus?

Astragalus is marketed and sold as a health supplement in North America and so distinctly different from pharmaceutical brand medications [which require stringent testing before they hit the market] it does not need to acquire Federal approval from the FDA that is evidence that is both safe and effective. This on the condition they do not make any wild claims the astragalus product is found to cure certain specific diseases.

There is no guarantee that you will be getting what you pay for or what is actually printed on the packaging and there is always the risk of unwanted material mixed into the formula. You may not receive accurate dosage requirements and genuine quantities per dose may also be exaggerated or non-existent.

Many of these supplements lack the research data to determine whether there are any adverse reactions or contraindications with certain foods, conventional medications or similar herbs and health supplements. There are some papers published regarding these side effects and reactions but they are far from thorough. When a drug is approved federally by the FDA there are copious amounts of research results and testing data available to determine patient risk and benefit ratios. In the case of astragalus there is limited evidence and deficient reporting about these interactions and adverse health effects so caution is the rule.

Overall astragalus is thought to be relatively safe with few side effects being reported. Symptoms documented to this point consist of bloating in the stomach region, loose stools, low blood pressure, and dehydration. If you are afflicted with an autoimmune illness you should avoid astragalus until you speak to your physician. There are fears that astragalus could interfere with blood clotting and anyone consuming blood-thinning meds should be careful. Certainly before taking any herbal remedy you should discuss potential risks with your doctor and astragalus is no different.

Astragalus has actually been documented as lowering blood sugar levels in some individuals, which is bad news if you are a diabetic or suffer from hypoglycemia. There is always the potential to have an adverse reaction when combining herbs and conventional medications, some of which can be extremely dangerous. Though reactions are uncommon, be sure to speak to either your pharmacist or physician, preferably both, before commencing on a herbal health regimen if you are currently taking additional meds for an illness.

Play it safe and speak to an expert about your plans for astragalus and your health routine. It may well be safe for you but why risk it? Anyone with an illness that includes bleeding should avoid astragalus as should anyone preparing for surgery, stay away from it for two weeks leading up to the date of surgery. There is little if any information regarding the safety of astragalus and pregnant women or nursing mothers, until more research is completed they would be advised to avoid it.

Astragalus

Add to del.icio.us

Search blogs linking this post with Technorati

Want more on these topics ? Browse the archive of posts filed under Astragalus.

Who should not use Astragalus

admin — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:02:56 +0000

Who should not use astragalus

People with certain illnesses and conditions should not use astragalus unless recommended by a qualified physician. These conditions include autoimmune diseases, cancer, and chronic illnesses such as Crohn’s disease, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes, or those individuals who have had surgery for transplants. As well, pregnant women and children should avoid using astragalus, as its safety for these groups of people is not known.

Astragalus may cause negative side effects by suppressing the usefulness of certain corticosteroid medications that include: Nasacort (triamcinolone), Beconase, Vancenase (beclomethasone), Decadron (dexamethasone), Deltasone (prednisone), hydrocortisone, Medrol (methylprednisolone), and prednisolone.
Other drugs that astragalus may interfere with include: Imuran (azathioprine), CellCept, cyclosporine, Prograf, Rapamune and Zenapak. These drugs act to control the immune system, and their usefulness may be affected.

Caution needs to be taken when taking astragalus if you are taking antiviral medications including acyclovir or interferon, as their potency can be increased, thereby magnifying their harmful side effects (including kidney failure).

Astragalus has been known to strengthen the effects of blood thinners and diuretics – examples are aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), ticlopidine (Ticlid) and warfarin (Coumadin). If you are taking these medications, do not take astragalus unless first consulting with a physician. Astragalus should be avoided by people suffering from bleeding disorders, and not taken within 2 weeks prior to or following surgery.