Ashwagandha

[Milzy]

I’m 3rd day in on Ashwagandha and I’ve got the worst pulsing headaches. Stopping immediately. It’s a common side effect apparently. Much of the snake oils actually do more harm than good.

 

[Mo1959]

I’m 3rd day in on Ashwagandha and I’ve got the worst pulsing headaches. Stopping immediately. It’s a common side effect apparently. Much of the snake oils actually do more harm than good.

It made me violently sick. Never touching it again!

 

[Slick]

OK I'll bite, what is it?

 

[Slick]

And does it come in a bottle or a tenner bag?

 

[Mo1959]

OK I'll bite, what is it?

Supposedly good to relieve stress and aid sleep. I tried it twice before vowing never again. I thought being sick the first time might just have been coincidence and caused by something else, but tried it again and within a few hours, violent vomiting again. Our bodies are all different, and there’s obviously some reason it reacts so violently for me as I have read reports from people that think it’s brilliant.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

No idea why people believe untested treatments are safe or effective.

Holland and Barrett imply (they don't claim it explicitly, because that would be illegal), that it cures:

• Stress
• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating
• Poor memory
• Trouble sleeping
• Low libido
• Frequent illness or disease
• Anxiety
• Low endurance (mentally or physically)
• Joint pain
• Neurological condition

I particularly love "frequent disease or illness" - cures absolutely anything!

Wiki drily notes "there is insufficient scientific evidence that it is safe or effective for treating any health condition or disease."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withania_somnifera

 

[a.twiddler]

Yes, I read all that and wondered, after it's been around for about 5,000 years, why it's even a thing any more when there are tested and regulated medications available for specific conditions. Either there are rugged individualists out there who don't want to be in the thrall of "Big Pharma" whatever that is, and would rather take the risks of random herbal stuff of unknown strength or purity, or, there's one born every minute when it comes to money making opportunities. It sounds like a quack's dream, allegedly curing everything but requiring no proof. About the only positive thing you can say about it is that it's not addictive.

 

[fossyant]

Much of the snake oils actually do more harm than good.

You've answered the question. Thread closed.

 

[Slick]

Supposedly good to relieve stress and aid sleep. I tried it twice before vowing never again. I thought being sick the first time might just have been coincidence and caused by something else, but tried it again and within a few hours, violent vomiting again. Our bodies are all different, and there’s obviously some reason it reacts so violently for me as I have read reports from people that think it’s brilliant.

Sounds like you would be better with the bottle, although to be fair, that can sometimes leave me sick as well.

 

[Hacienda71]

Some natural remedies do have beneficial effects. In much of Europe St Johns Wort is prescribed for mild depressive disorders, in the UK it can't be. There is an argument that we are short sighted ignoring benefits of some natural options. I was prescribed Prozac in the 90's. I was subsequently recommended SJW by a doctor (who couldn't prescribe it) in the early 2000's and felt it was sufficiently effective for me.

All that said there is a load of stuff sold with no factual basis for the claims about the benefits they are supposed to bring.

Maybe some better form of regulation for the health supplement market is required.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Try a different flavoured water?

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Some natural remedies do have beneficial effects.

Define "natural"!

All medicines have benefits and risks, and are permitted to be marketed if the benefits outweigh the risks for the specific patient group and condition being treated.

"Alternative", "complementary", "natural", "homeopathic" treatments claim benefits without measuring either benefits or risks, which they avoid making specific claims for because it would be breaking the law to do so.

 

[Hacienda71]

Define "natural"!

All medicines have benefits and risks, and are permitted to be marketed if the benefits outweigh the risks for the specific patient group and condition being treated.

"Alternative", "complementary", "natural", "homeopathic" treatments claim benefits without measuring either benefits or risks, which they avoid making specific claims for because it would be breaking the law to do so.

I think I referred to "natural" in the context of SJW as it is an extract of a plant. Ok to avoid pedantry, I am happy to change that to some substances sold without prescription as health supplements or remedies.

I appreciate that most of them have no or very little benefit hence my last para.

 

[T4tomo]

I’m 3rd day in on Ashwagandha and I’ve got the worst pulsing headaches. Stopping immediately. It’s a common side effect apparently. Much of the snake oils actually do more harm than good.

you'll be better off sipping flat lucozade (the fizzy version shaken til it goes flat) that will cure anything

 

[icowden]

I always fall back on Tim Minchin's beat poem "Storm":-

And try as I like, a small crack appears in my diplomacy-dike.
"By definition, " I begin,
"Alternative medicine, " I continue,
"Has either not been proved to work, or been proved not to work.
Do you know what they call
Alternative medicine that's been proved to work?
Medicine."
"So you don't believe in any natural remedies?"
"On the contrary Storm, actually
Before we came to tea,
I took a natural remedy derived from the bark of a willow tree
A painkiller that's virtually side-effect free
It's got a weird name, darling, what was it again?
M-masprin? Basprin? Oh yeah! Asprin!
Which I paid about a buck for down at the local drugstore.