As for the cost ($1/day marketing).... That is not my experience. Of course it depends on how much you're taking and where you purchase them, but at the daily recommended dosages:
Hawthorne- 100/2.99= .12/cay
Echinacea- 100/4.00 = .16/day
Glucosamine & Chondroitin- 120/19.19 = .32/day
St John?s Wort- 100/6.59 = .26/day
Pygeum & Saw Palmetto- 120/17.39 = .29/day
If you're paying $1.00/day, you should shop around!
From Dr Andrew Weil:
Echinacea, obtained from the roots of several species of that genus, is a natural antibiotic and immune-system enhancer from the Native American herbal tradition. Echinacea is familiar to gardeners as purple cone flower, an ornamental plant. It grows wild throughout the plains of North America and is now extensively cultivated as a medicinal. Practitioners of natural medicine in Europe and America have long valued it. In recent years research, done mostly in Germany, has confirmed its antiviral, antibacterial, and immunity-enhancing properties?.
http://www.drweil.com/u/Article/A105/Saw palmetto(Serenoa repens). There is clinical evidence that Saw palmetto can help shrink the size of the prostate, and it may help promote healthy prostate function. You should inform your health care practitioner you are using this product.
http://www.drweil.com/u/HC/HCA216/Take saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), which can protect the prostate from excess testosterone and promote shrinkage of the gland.
http://www.drweil.com/u/QA/QA354927/St. John's Wort probably acts in the nervous system as an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor), but unlike other SSRIs such as Prozac and Zoloft, it affects additional neurotransmitters as well. Therefore, when taken with SSRIs or other mood-altering drugs, it may cause causing serotonin syndrome (overload). St. John's Wort should not simply be added to an existing pharmaceutical regimen, especially if taking other anti-depressants. Women using birth control pills. those taking Inadivir for HIV or those taking cyclosporine should avoid St. John's Wort. In addition, patients being treated with anti-arrythmics such as Digoxin (Lanoxin) or taking blood-thinning medications such as Coumadin should not use St. John's Wort.
http://www.drweil.com/u/Article/H18/St. John's wort is an herbal remedy that has long been used in Europe as a treatment for mood disorders. Standardized extracts have shown an effectiveness equaling Prozac in the treatment of mild to moderate forms of the disease. It should not be taken with anti-retroviral medications, birth control pills, or antidepressant medications, especially SSRIs like Prozac or Celexa.
http://www.drweil.com/u/HC/HCA211/Glucosamine and Chondroitin According to Jason Theodosakis, MD, author of The Arthritis Cure, the book that popularized the use of the supplements glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate for the treatment of osteoarthritis, there are no clinical studies showing that taking glucosamine or chondroitin causes an increase in blood sugar or insulin levels. However, recent animal studies as well as some anecdotal evidence have suggested that glucosamine might increase insulin resistance and therefore could be harmful to diabetics.
Although glucosamine is derived from glucose, the two substances are not chemically the same and follow different metabolic pathways in the body. On his website Dr. Theodosakis maintains that even if glucose and glucosamine were the same, the amount of glucose in a daily dose of glucosamine is less than you would find in a single grape or orange slice. He cites results of a three-year, placebo-controlled study which found that participants using glucosamine actually showed decreases in fasting glucose levels compared with those taking a placebo. Dr. Theodosakis has established the National Glucosamine and Chondroitin Reporting Center to track anecdotal symptoms believed to be due to these supplements. I checked the website to see what side effects are being reported. The tabulations on the site haven?t been updated, but the side effects that were reported most frequently are indigestion and excessive gas. Three people reported elevated blood sugar levels. However, just because someone reports a symptom while taking a supplement doesn't necessarily mean that the supplement was the cause.
The evidence linking glucosamine to an increase in blood glucose levels is not strong. But if you have type 2 diabetes and want to take glucosamine and chondroitin to relieve your arthritis symptoms, be sure that the physician managing your diabetes is aware that you?re taking these supplements and closely monitors your glucose levels after going on them.
http://www.drweil.com/u/QA/QA30265/On Vioxx:
http://www.drweil.com/u/QA/QA346310/Drug Interactions: For the most part, I think warnings about interactions between herbs and drugs are overstated. For example, a few years ago the American Society of Anesthesiologists warned that certain herbs and supplements could pose a hazard to patients undergoing surgery. The group claimed that several herbs have anti-blood-clotting activity and conceivably could interfere with clotting during and after surgery. St. John?s wort was also singled out in 2003 as an agent that could diminish the effectiveness of certain drugs because of its effect on enzyme systems involved in drug metabolism. (Many pharmaceutical drugs have the same effect.)
In general, I think you?re pretty safe taking most supplements, but you certainly should tell your doctor about anything you?re taking regularly, particularly if you?re also taking either prescription or over-the-counter drugs. Here?s a quick rundown of some commonly used supplements and drugs that could interact to your detriment:
?St. John?s wort: May affect metabolism of antidepressants; HIV protease inhibitors used to treat HIV/AIDS; digoxin, a heart medication; theophylline, used to treat asthma; cyclosporine, an immunosuppressant; chemotherapy; birth control pills (it may reduce their effectiveness); the blood pressure and heart disease medications nifedipine and diltiazem; Coumadin, a blood-thinner; and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors for HIV/AIDS treatment.
?Co-enzyme Q10, dong quai, feverfew, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, ginseng, vitamin E and St. John?s wort: May increase the risk of bleeding if you?re taking prescription anticoagulants such as Coumadin.
?Echinacea: May increase levels of HIV protease inhibitors used to treat HIV/AIDS, calcium channel blockers used to treat high blood pressure, and anti-anxiety drugs.
?Capsicum (red pepper, cayenne pepper): May increase the absorption and effect of ACE inhibitors used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure and kidney disease; theophylline (for asthma); sedatives; and antidepressants.
?Garlic: May decrease the effectiveness of immunosuppressant drugs and HIV protease inhibitors. It also may reduce the need for insulin among diabetics (by lowering blood sugar).
?Ginkgo: May increase the amount of antidepressant drugs in your blood; may cause seizures when combined with anti-psychotic drugs.
?Ginseng: Can cause headache, trembling and manic behavior when combined with the antidepressant Nardil; may interfere with the action of the heart medication digoxin; may reduce blood sugar levels in people with Type II diabetes, thus affecting the need for insulin or other medication for diabetes.
http://www.drweil.com/u/QA/QA347717/