The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) warned this week about three herbs that occur in nutritional supplements and alternative medicines. Why can these herbs be so dangerous and what are they in?
Last week, the RIVM suddenly sounded the alarm about the herbs Huperzia serrata, Tabernanthe iboga and Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera). These three components of alternative medicine have been causing dangerous situations for years, both here and abroad.
Why this warning now?
Why a warning now for products that have been on the market for a long time? “We have just completed our research into these herbs,” explains toxicologist Linda Razenberg of the RIVM. “Our risk analyzes show that all three herbs can have serious harmful effects, even if you take exactly the packaging amount.”
What kind of herbs are they?
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), also called Winter Cherry or Indian Ginseng, is sold at large chains such as Kruidvat and Holland & Barrett. You can buy it as a powder, extract or pill. Some people make tea from it. All these applications should have approximately the same effect: less stress, a soothing effect (also anti-inflammatory) and ‘a sense of balance’.
The herb owes its popularity to Ayurveda, an alternative medicine from India that is becoming increasingly famous in the West. According to the RIVM, doctors have: poisonings and damage to the liver reported. Because the herb was traditionally used to induce an abortion, the RIVM also advises pregnant women in particular ‘not to use products containing this herb during pregnancy’.
Hallucinating for days due to iboga
Tabernanthe iboga, often simply called iboga, is central to some rituals of the Bwiti religion of central West Africa. During these rituals, participants hallucinate for hours or days. Anxiety, nausea and vomiting are normal. In the Netherlands, some people take Iboga (often in liquid form) as a micro dose; this would help you concentrate.
It has been proven that the stuff can disrupt your heart rhythm, which is why, according to the RIVM, ‘several deaths have been reported in the Netherlands’. People can also suffer from psychoses and epileptic seizures after using iboga.
Huperzia serrata, from which Huperzine is extracted, is found in nutritional supplements. It is said to be especially good for the brain and therefore prevent memory loss and even Alzheimer’s.
However, the RIVM concludes that people can suffer from complaints such as muscle weakness, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, blurred vision and paralysis. There are also indications that Huperzia serrata is harmful to the unborn child.
Are these herbs in regular products?
“We don’t know exactly how many people use these herbs,” says Razenberg. “But we do see that Ashwagandha, for example, is for sale in shops, also as tea. Our impression is therefore that this is the most used. However, you don’t just have these things in the kitchen drawer. They are mainly used in nutritional supplements and are not found in food.”
Will sales be restricted?
Although RIVM only conducts research, this is done on behalf of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). “So it is possible that they will decide on a ban based on our conclusions.”
2024-03-09 12:00:00
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