Herbal Supplements: What They Are, How They Work, and What You Need to Know

When you reach for an herbal supplement, a natural product made from plants used to support health, not treat disease. Also known as botanicals, they’re sold as pills, teas, or tinctures and marketed for everything from sleep to immune support. But here’s the catch: just because something is natural doesn’t mean it’s safe—or that it works the way you think it does.

Take goldenseal, a plant used in traditional medicine for infections and digestion. It sounds harmless, right? But goldenseal can block liver enzymes that break down over 50 common drugs, including blood thinners, antidepressants, and statins. That means if you’re on any of those, even a short course of goldenseal could cause dangerous drug buildup in your body. The same goes for SAMe, a compound derived from amino acids used for mood and joint pain. It can boost serotonin, which sounds good—until you’re also taking an SSRI. Then you risk serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening reaction.

Herbal supplements don’t go through the same testing as prescription drugs. No FDA review for safety, no standard dosing, no consistent quality control. One bottle of echinacea might have 10% active ingredient; the next might have none. And because most people don’t tell their doctor they’re taking them, those interactions fly under the radar. A 2020 study found nearly 40% of adults using herbal products didn’t mention it to their provider—even when they were on multiple medications.

Some supplements are fine for healthy people in small doses. Others? Not even close. The real problem isn’t the herbs themselves—it’s the assumption that they’re harmless. They’re not. They’re powerful. And they can interfere with your body’s chemistry in ways you can’t predict.

That’s why the posts here focus on the hidden risks: how herbal supplements mess with liver enzymes, how they clash with antidepressants, and why even "safe" herbs like goldenseal can turn dangerous when mixed with everyday meds. You won’t find fluff here—just straight talk on what works, what doesn’t, and what could put you in the hospital.