Rosick said he might recommend Echinacea for patients with upper respiratory infections or viral conditions because antibiotics are not effective in treating these conditions.
St. John's Wort is also suggested for those that seek relief from depression, Miller said.
Melissa Martilotta, a licensed dietician nutritionist, agrees that students should do their research when it comes to investing in herbal medications.
"It is a 'buyers beware' market," she said.
Martilotta explained that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has loose guidelines when it comes to herbal remedies and they aren't specifically regulated. A company that produces an herbal product cannot make a disease claim that has not been proven true by the FDA.
"You can't say Echinacea prevents colds," Martilotta said.
Instead, she said a company would make a structure function claim, which targets a certain part of the body, not a disease. For example, companies say Echinacea boosts the immune system, not that Echinacea prevents a cold, which is why many people take it for that reason.
There also is no regulatory agency that investigates the ingredients in herbal medications, Martilotta said. This also includes particular claims that companies can make about the ingredients in their product. Dr. Rosick advises consumers to buy organic herbs over processed ones because certain pesticides can be used in production of those medications.
The FDA also needs proof of harm, or evidence that a product does not do what it advertises, in order to investigate. Martilotta said that is why it took so long for the herbal drug Ephedra to come off the market. A long period of time passed before officials knew of any harm it could cause. Ephedra was shown to increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, seizure or even death in some cases, according to the Mayo Clinic website Kava kava has also been known to cause severe liver problems, which the FDA is now investigating.
If you're thinking of trying herbal medication as an alternative to traditional medicine, Martilotta has some advice of what a smart consumer should look for.
"Make sure you know the dangers of mixing herbs, know the right amount for the desired effect, the area [it] was grown, [what] part of the plant [it comes from]," she said.
Buyers can also look on the label for approval of respected labs that do their own research on certain herbal medications. Martilotta recommended National Formulary and Consumer Labs. Dr. Rosick said consumers could also look for the drug to be USP certified.
Miller recommends that you stick with the same manufacturer for each product. They often use the same standards in producing each herb, so you experience lesser side effects, if any.
Both Martilotta and Rosick emphasize awareness of interactions of herbal medications with certain prescription and over-the-counter drugs. People with anxious tendencies or those on anti-anxiety medications should avoid taking ginseng because it has been known to increase anxiety, Rosick said. There are two types of ginseng, Siberian and American -- Siberian being less severe in its anxiety side effects.
Consumers are also advised not to mix St. John's Wort with tetracycline (an antibiotic) or anti-depression prescriptions. Kava kava is also known to not
There are many places in the State College area that offer herbal additives or sell herbal supplements and medications. Moxie Café in West Commons sells smoothies with herbal additives for an extra charge.
Katherine Rea (junior-international politics and journalism) works at the café and says that the most popular additives that students request are multi-vitamin powder and ginkgo extract.
"Ginkgo is most popular [during] final's week." Rea said.
Students often travel out to The Granery, 2766 W. College Ave., to buy organic items in bulk, according to manager Liisa Bartges. If any customers have questions on herbal medications, she refers them to a copy of Prescription for Nutritional Healing, but most of her customers have already done their research.
"If customers have questions, we can only tell them what's on the bottle,"said Bartges. Companies also put out their own literature for particular products, which can be found on the shelf with the product.
Wegman's Food Market, 345 Lowes Blvd., has a new homeopathic section and Nature's Marketplace, which sells many organic and herbal remedies. Olivia O'Neill, coordinator of Nature's Marketplace, said the most popular remedies are Vitamin C, ginseng and Echinacea.
"Women also buy energy bars to eat between classes and there are powders and shakes for weightlifters. They're pretty popular too," O'Neill said.
The homeopathic section offers many different types of teas, mostly caffeine-free. O'Neill specifically pointed out green tea, which has antioxidants that are said to lower cholesterol and promote good teeth and gums.
Whether you decide to invest in herbal remedies or not, Dr. Rosick advises you to simply do your homework, talk to a physician or someone who is trained, and use a simple rule-of-thumb: "If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is."
