?We hear so much about air and water pollution in China, how safe are chinese herbs and roots? How can we tell we are getting the safe ones? Are there toxicity tests to determine the levels?
and how do you go about getting tested?
My friend got really sick taking Chinese medicine. And when I tried it, it helped one condition but caused another.
My friend who got sick was tested to find the problem (didn't know until then that the new illness was caused by the Chinese herbs) and he had hi levels of arsenic, which turned out to be from the herbs.
I work with a lot of Chinese college students and they say that back home, traditional Chinese medicine is only used for minor conditions, not for serious ones.
Pollution is so hi in China that you don't know what kind of toxins are in the soil and water, that end up in the plants. If I take herbs now for anything, I personally avoid the Chinese ones and look for herbs mainly from North American sources, or certain European countries and certain other places.
My friends in Chinatown here, try to avoid buying food from mainland China, but will buy food from Taiwan. I see what they buy and what they avoid, and take my cues from them.
Thank you for your informative reply. I have been seeing a chinese practitioner since 2004 after a hip replacement. How do I verify that the medicine for stress, pain relief, cold symptons is from the Chinese mainland and how do I verify
that I am relatively free of toxins?
I go to an acupuncture clinic, but the chinese herb formulas I buy are produced in California. I asked about the safety of the chinese manufactured herbs they sell, and they told me that they only used reputable companies. Still, I prefer to get formulas produced in the US.
I live in China so I have some experience with Chinese Medicine or TCM. I can tell you that in chinese herbal medicines are regularly used for many types of diseases and illnesses - not just 'minor ones'. In fact, if you go to any Chinese hospital and get prescribed medicine, it will likely be either all herbal medicine or a combination of herbal and traditional. The packaging even looks very similar to the regular drug medications which is usually a box with the individual pills in blister packaging. I've taken it before when I've been sick, along with my wife who is Chinese and my daughter takes it regularly if she ever catches a cold or flu bug. I've honestly never had a problem with any chinese medicine that I've taken.
Outside of the hospitals you can find pharmacies that sell the same items that are prescribed in the hospitals and although there are fewer and fewer of them, you can still find the older TCM shops that sell the whole herbs or a mix of herbs together. They are usually stored in large glass or metal jars in the shops. I've never taken any of these because I don't know what they're for and it's hard to talk medicine with a limited command of the Chinese language.
I personally stay away from supplements in particular which seem to me to be of unreliable quality. You can find these in most shopping centers and Watsons stores which are similar to a wallgreens.
There is a type of cold medicine here in China that's sold by a number of different companies that comes in individual packages that you pour the contents of in a glass and mix it with warm water. It's a brown, foul tasting liquid. I've taken it a number of times from different companies and the result has always been mediocre. I don't think it's hurt me but it really didn't help either.
As for toxins, etc., I really don't know. I've never been sick from taking any Chinese medicine but whether or not toxins are building up in my body I really don't know. Vitamin Research Products offers a test for toxins, etc., you might want to try them.
Unfortunately, the quality in general in China is not good. There's a general feeling among companies here to do whatever is necessary to produce the product and sell it for profit regardless of whether it is ethical or not.
I don't think I answered your question but I hope some of this helps.
Thank you for posting and feel free anytime to post/share your experiences in China.
Best of Health To You
Moderator/Dr.Weil Team
moderator44@drweil.com
All information contained on our web site, including information relating to medical and health conditions, products and treatments, is for informational purposes only, and not as medical advice.
Hi, I am an acupuncturist and Chinese Medical herbologist in California. I prescribe Chinese Herbs in my practice regularly. The herbs I use are processed by one of two U.S. companies and are routinely screened for dozens of toxins. There are however, many Chinese manufactuors which distribute products without the same strict guidelines.
It is key first of all to visit a licensed professional whom will determine which herbs are appropriate, avoiding self-prescribing, and cases of "the herbs didn't work" due to use of inappropriate herbs or dosage. The practitioner should be aware of the source and regulation of the products.
I have seen an Oriental Medicine Doctor regularly, for the past 6 years or so. With Chinese herbs, he has helped me tremedously with chronic problems, most notably "liver headaches" which I used to experience daily. I am so thankful because I don't think western medicine would ever have helped. Now I have two children, ages 1 and 3. They really don't have any reason to take Chinese herbs other than possibly when they get sick, i.e. coughs that linger. However, we are uncertain as to whether it is totally safe for children. Coupled with that is the concern over combining Chinese herbs and Tylenol or Motrin when they have a fever. Does anyone have any input regarding these concerns?
Do'nt buy anything from China, support the boycott of Chinese goods due to their repression and violent treatment against the Tibetan people.
Also, my friend went to a Chinese doctor who gave him herbs for his shoulder pain. He took this horrible tasting tea for months. It did not help shoulder much at all, but it did give him hemmorhoids which he never had before in his life.
I do believe in Chinese medicine. However, it's like chiropractors, there are good ones and bad ones, and if you don't get a really good one, then you may screw yourself up.
Hi: I'm an acupuncturist and Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner in Canada, and though I spent four years learning TCM, including herbology, in my practice I don't prescribe raw herbs, only patent pill Chinese herbal formuas, and these formulas only from three companies, all of which are known to have very high standards and rigid testing...and the product comes through or from the US. One company in particular, Health Concerns, manufactures all products in the US, though of course the herbs do originate in China. But, again, they are thoroughly tested.
Both Health Canada and its partner in the US have very strict guidelines now regarding any herbal products, regardless where it originates, and whether western herbs or oriental herbs...as well as all health products.
I have had very good results in treating my patients with acupuncture and herbals, and frankly I would much rather take/prescribe an herbal preparation than most western drugs. If you want to be really aware and educated about what goes into your body, buy yourself a copy of "The Essentail Guide to Prescription Drugs" and inform yourself of the deleterious side effects of most western medications...it'll make your hair stand on end!
Don't get me wrong: western drugs save lives everyday, but they're very much over-prescribed. I've had patients come to me who are taking drugs to counteract the side-effects of others, and taking more drugs to counteract the side-effects of yet others...so much so that they're a mess and worse yet: can't get off any of these medications! They're locked in: saved and made worse all at once...vicious cycle.
Also it's important to bear in mind how rich and powerful are the pharmaceutical companies, how much influence they have, over the general populace, as well as doctors. MDs generally learn about all the new and "better" drugs from the pharmaceutical salesmen who constantly flow into their offices with free samples for the doctors to give out to their patients. Everybody loves a freebie! And doctors don't have time to study up on these drugs when they're running a busy practice.
Hmm....something to ponder, eh? We should question EVERYTHING that goes into our bodies.
I agree we have to be careful no matter the source of our products. I didn't have a good result from the TCM or the acupuncture I tried, but I have also had a bad experience with some western medications. What I go by is, if I don't feel or see an improvement, or if I feel worse, then I stop it.
Newsletters
chinese herbs 
Print This Post
Send to a friend
Bookmark This Post
