According to a recent Congressional investigation, many dietary herbal supplements were found to be contaminated with potentially harmful heavy metals. While this news may be cause for concern, high-quality herbal supplements can still be safely and responsibly consumed, offering a natural way to support overall health.

How do you find a high-quality herbal supplement? For starters, look for certifications and testing procedures. Trusted supplement manufacturers are often certified by outside sources. Their products are subjected to strict screening and testing processes to ensure quality, potency and purity.

For instance, NSI® herbal dietary supplement products produced on-site are manufactured in a facility certified by NSF International. Raw materials used in NSI herbal products are individually tested by each vendor for pesticides. All NSI products and individual ingredients undergo near-infrared testing for identification, as well as separate testing for potency. Many supplements are formulated with overages to compensate for naturally occurring degradation and to guarantee their potency.

Before and after production, NSI products and ingredients are also rigidly screened for heavy metals and microbial contaminants such as salmonella, e. coli, mold, yeast, arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury-above and beyond what is required by both NSF and FDA guidelines.

Another major problem with some dietary herbal supplements is not what's inside the bottle, but what's printed on the label. Claims that a product will help you lose a certain amount of weight or will treat, cure or relieve symptoms of any disease or chronic medical condition are misleading. These supplements are not intended to replace a healthy diet, lifestyle or any prescribed medications and should not be used as such.

Potential prescription interaction is especially hazardous. While everyone should be cautious, those with the greatest risk of drug-herb interaction are the elderly, individuals taking multiple medications, or those with chronic conditions or impaired organ functions¹. If you are currently taking any medications, are pregnant or have any other health condition, I strongly urge you to talk to your doctor about any supplements you are considering.

Nature offers an amazing array of beneficial herbs and plant substances that have been used for thousands of years. When taken responsibly at the proper doses, high-quality herbal supplements can be an effective way to naturally support health and overall wellness.

As always, to your good health,
Dr. Allen S. Josephs


1. Boullata J. Natural health product interactions with medication. Nutrition in Clinical Practice. 2005 (20):33–51.