Many commercials, websites, and even bottles of vitamins recommend that you seek your doctor’s advice before taking many herbs and supplements. However, is your primary care physician really the best person to ask?

In a study published by the Health Care Bulletin this year, conventional doctors admitted to having little or no knowledge about things like herbal medicine. The main reported reason was lack of training. Students are not getting the information they may need even in other fields. A survey conducted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2004 found only 1 out of every 4 colleges surveyed required a single nutrition class as part of the curriculum.

If you do ask your doctor about a specific herb or alternative medicine that he or she does not know about, you are unfortunately like to receive advice based on caution rather than information. Many doctors will advise you simply not to risk taking an herb or supplement because they lack experience with these forms of medicine.

Does that mean you should ignore your doctor? No. Your doctor does have a lot of clinical wisdom and education regarding health in general and knows your body and your medical history. Your doctor also may be aware of side effects of some herbs that can interact with your current medications, such as St. John’s Wort and anti-depressants.

Prescribed drugs vs. herbs

Asking your doctor about herbal medicine may be similar to asking your doctor about your car problems or what style of haircut he or she would recommend for you. Some doctors are simply not trained in Ancient and Eastern Medicine, herbal or nutritional sciences, or otherworldly practices of meditation and prayer.

Doctors are more likely to prescribe medications with which they are familiar. However, just because a doctor prescribes a medication does not mean that is safe. According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, there was a 65% increase in deaths caused by opioids, sedatives, and tranquilizers between the years of 1999 and 2006. Conversely, in the year of 2010, there were zero reports of deaths caused by herbs.

This does not mean that you should take any herb you find without talking to a healthcare professional. There are other health professionals you may wish to consult for non-traditional medicines. For instance, an herbalist would know about herbs, or if the herb is for a cancer therapy, perhaps an oncologist would have more experience and education about the matter.

Who will know about alternative medicines?

Another reason doctors are having trouble answer the questions of alternative medicine practices is because they are unaware of where to find unbiased, reliable information about alternative health products. But the information is out there. The World Health Organization offers many alternative medicine articles about current research, as does The National Center for Complementary and alternative medicine.

Also, for traditional Chinese medicines, such as acupuncture, acupressure, or Chinese Herbal Medicine, you will probably be able to find a local healthcare professional who is certified to practice in these modalities and who can answer many questions for you.

If you are interested in using alternative medicine in your life, talk to your doctor anyway. Many doctors are working to become more familiar with complementary and alternative medicine practices. If you doctor does not share the same beliefs in alternative medicine as you, perhaps you can find a physician who does.

Source: AltMeds.com staff writer Rieve Chievrue.