Dosages & Precautions
“The TOP 10 Scientifically Proven Natural Products”
by Dr. Richard Fischer & Dr. Richard Ogletree
Dosages & Precautions
#1 Grape Seed Extract
In choosing a Grape Seed Extract, look for a product that contains at least 85% proanthocyanidins.The treatment dose of utilized in most human studies was 100 mg to 300 mg per day. If it is being used only as an antioxidant to help prevent disease, 100 mg per day of Grape Seed Extract is recommended. As a treatment option 200 mg or more may be necessary. Grape Seed Extract has no known drug interactions or side effects.
Since the OPC’s in Grape Seed Extract come from a variety of sources, the German Commission E does not recognize them as a herb. However, OPC’s are used extensively in Europe especially in France where much of the research has been conducted. European recommendations often cite a starting dose of 1.0 – 1.4 mg per pound of body weight daily. After a week or two this dose is cut in half.
#2 Bilberry
As little as 60 mg per day of a Bilberry extract (standardized to at least a 25% anthocyanoside) is recommended for improving night vision. Improvement is usually seen within an hour after taking the first dose. A dosage of 120 mg per day should be used for more severe visual and circulatory problems. It usually takes at least a few weeks but may take a few months or even longer to attain the full health benefits. Research studies have used up to 480 mg per day of bilberry without harmful side effects or drug interactions.
Bilberry does inhibit platelet aggregation as do other flavanoids. This must be kept in mind when using it in patients on anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy.
The German Commission E has approved Bilberry in the treatment of nonspecific diarrhea. However, most of the commercial products available in the United States have the tannins removed so they are not useful for diarrhea.
#3 Soy
Among the sources for Soy are supplements containing Soy. These supplements are a way to get Soy into your diet on a regular basis. Soy supplements should contain at least 100 mg of Soy with at least 40% isoflavones. They need to be processed correctly to maintain their potency. Since soy only stays in the body for about 24 hours, it is recommend that Soy be included in the diet each day.
One note of caution for people taking thyroid medication. It is recommended that thyroid medications not be taken within 30 minutes of taking a Soy supplement or any food containing Soy. Many thyroid medications tend to bind with Soy making both of them less effective. Since many food products contain soy it is suggested that thyroid medication not be taken near mealtimes.
Eating raw soybeans can cause digestive problems so they must be processed. Sprouting, fermentation, roasting or cooking are the usual methods for preparing Soy products. There is concern that commercial cooking at high temperatures and pressures may destroy much of Soy’s nutritive value. Unfortunately, most of the Soy products available in the United States are processed at high temperatures. Many commercially produced Soy products leave the health benefits in the kettle. Therefore, all soy based foods may not provide the significant health benefits found in the scientific studies.
#4 Ginkgo Biloba
The recommended dose of Ginkgo Biloba for preventative use or peripheral circulatory disorders is 60 to 180 mg per day in divided doses. Daily doses of 240 mg (also divided) are recommended for cerebrovascular insufficiency, early stage Alzheimer’s disease and resistant depression. A six to eight week trial period is suggested before determining the effectiveness of this treatment. Be sure to use a properly manufactured herb containing 24% Ginkgo flavonglycosides and 6% terpene lactones.
Properly produced Ginkgo extracts have very few side effects. When side effects have been noted (usually in larger doses of over 180 mg per day), they have generally included headache, gastrointestinal disturbances and cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions. The ability of Ginkgo to inhibit platelet function could result in increased bleeding times, especially in patients on anticoagulant or anti-platelet therapy.
#5 Echinacea
Echinacea should be started at the first sign of a cold or the flu. A daily dose of 900 mg is recommended. For most people a few days of treatment is all that is necessary. People who need to build up their immune system should take 900 mg of Echinacea for six to eight weeks. Continuous use should not exceed eight weeks. A standardized extract of 4% phenolic compound and 15% polysacharides is recommended. Since Echinacea supplements can lose potency over time you should be particularly aware of the manufacturer’s expiration date.
The widespread use and its excellent reputation as a safe and effective herb made it a prime candidate for inclusion in the TOP 10 natural products.
#6 Saw Palmetto
We recommend a dose of 320 mg of saw palmetto taken as 160 mg, twice a day. This is also the recommendation of the We German Commission E. Be sure to use a standardized extract that provides 85 to 95% fatty acids and sterols.
Saw palmetto is well tolerated with few, if any, side effects. However, there have been a few reports of gastrointestinal disturbances. There has also been a report of generalized urticaria. The fat soluble component of the Saw Palmetto berries is the portion with the active ingredients, so a tea made from the berries would not be adequate. Since Saw Palmetto is fat soluble it should be either taken with a meal or in a jell cap with olive oil or another substance to assure absorption.
#7 Valerian
The recommended dose of Valerian for the treatment of insomnia is 200 to 400 mg. Some of the studies used doses as high as 900 mg. If morning drowsiness occurs, the dose should be decreased. For insomnia, valerian is taken about a half hour before bedtime. Remember that Valerian is often found in combination with certain other compounds (like chamomile) which could result in a lower dosage requirement. Be sure to use a standardized extract of 0.8% valeric acid or 1.0 – 1.5% valtrate.
A dose of 100 to 200 mg of Valerian is recommended in the treatment of anxiety. Valerian is usually taken during the day when treating anxiety. Larger doses of valerian may be necessary for patients who have been using prescription drugs for anxiety such as benzodiazepines. Long term users of these drugs should not suddenly discontinue use.but rather slowly discontinue use while starting to use Valerian.
#8 Ginger
A one gram dose of standardized ginger extract should be effective within 25 minutes and have a duration of at least 4 hours. One recommended dosage regimen for the prevention of motion sickness is one gram 30 minutes prior to travel, followed by 500 mg four times a day. Another dose should be taken at the first sign of motion sickness. The German Commission E recommends 2000 to 4000 mg daily. Many experts recommend a maximum daily dose of one gram (1000 mg) in pregnant women.
There are no known reports of severe toxicity from dried ginger powder in humans. However, pharmacological studies seem to indicate that large overdoses have the potential to cause CNS depression and cardiac arrhythmias. This has not been seen in human trials, however.
#9 Milk Thistle
The most commonly used dose of Milk Thistle extract for liver problems is 150 to 200 mg, three times a day. The German Commission E recommends 200 mg three times a day for use in chronic liver problems. This is often reduced to 200 mg twice daily after improvement has been noted. Be sure to use a standardized product to provide at least 70% silymarin (this would be 140 mg of silymarin in a 200 mg Mmilk Thistle extract).
The use of Milk Thistle has been remarkably well tolerated with few, if any, side effects. However, since it increases the flow of bile, loose stools may be seen.
#10 St. John’s Wort
The European Scientific Corporation of Phytotherapy and the German Commission E recommend doses of 0.2 – 1.0 mg of hypericin content daily in the treatment of depression. Most of the clinical trials utilized daily doses of 2.7 mg hypericin content in divided doses. Therefore using a product standardized to 0.3% hypericin, a dose of 90) mg daily (divided into two doses) of St. John’s Wort would correspond to a daily hypericin content of 2.7 mg.
Hypericin is a photodynamic medication. At very large doses, light sensitivity has occurred. This should be kept in mind when using it with very fair-skinned patients. To be on the safe side, these patients should use a broad spectrum sunscreen (one which blocks both UV-A and UV-B light) during prolonged exposure to the sun.
The monoamine oxidase inhibition properties, along with the associated food and drug interactions, should also be considered, Even though these effects have not been reported with the millions of patients using the drug in Germany each year. Hypericin should probably not be used in a patient taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. Due to the lack of scientific reports of the use of St. John’s Wort along with other antidepressant drugs, their concurrent use cannot be recommended.
#11 Glucosamine
The recommended daily dose for Glucosamine is 1000 mg to 2000 mg of at least 98% pure glucosamine sulfate. An initial daily dose of 2000 mg should be used for the first month. Pain relief is usually seen within a few days to a few weeks. After a significant decrease in pain, the dose may be reduced to 1000 mg per day. If pain returns, increase the dosage. Make sure that the product that you use is Glucosamine SULFATE and NOT Glucosamine Hydrochloride a less proven substance
Using Chondrotin Sulfate in combination with Glucosamine is NOT recommended.The Chondrotin molecule is 250 times larger than the Glucosamine molecule making it unlikely to be absorbed especially by older patients. It is now believed that the reason Chondrotin showed joint pain reducing results in early studies is that the molecules broke down to form some Glucosamine molecules which provided the pain relief. Therefore, Chondrotin is simply an expensive way off getting Glucosamine.
Glucosamine is extremely safe with no known side effects.