Using Herbal Tonics Longterm
Drug Interactions with Herbal Tonics
by Ask a Healer
Heal Your Heart!
Askahealer-recommended
This is part four of a four-part article on Cardiovascular Health. If you've arrived here directly, please start with part one on Hawthorn, the natural cardiac tonic.
On this page, we are talking about whether hawthorn berry supplements can be safely taken longterm and also addressing prescription drug interactions that need to be considered before adding this herbal tonic to your cardiocare regimen. You may also benefit from reading more on nutritional drug reactions.
One of the common questions about any supplement aimed at helping a chronic condition, is whether you can take it longterm. This is particularly important when talking about an herb designed to help the heart restore and strengthen over time. Because it is a tonic herb, that is an herb that works over time to gradually strengthen the body system, hawthorn is considered safe for longterm use. In fact, using it longterm is recommended because the true benefits will only be seen over time.
Hawthorn Side Effects:
Hawthorn should not be taken if you are also taking high blood pressure medications such as atenolol, metopropol, etc. or calcium channel blockers (ask your doctor about this) You should also avoid Hawthorn if you are on digoxin. There may be other side effects as well so, before taking any natural remedy, please check with your cardiologist before adding anything new to your heartcare regimen.
Assuming you are not taking any medications that would interact with the Hawthorn herb, it is considered one of the best and safest natural tonics for improving cardiovascular function. The amount of studies done on hawthorn and heart health
lead most holistic practitioners and not a few medical doctors to believe it to be very safe; however, we're talking about hawthorn taken alone, as an herbal tonic. Adding other herbs to it requires additional research and careful monitoring.
Even though side effects are rare with hawthorn, they can occur with any supplement. Some have headaches or nausea/stomach ache. You should not have any serious reaction unless you are taking a prescription drug that interacts, as mentioned above, or you have taken wild hawthorn berries rather than a standardized hawthorn supplements. Culinary hawthorn is safe; wild hawthorn berries are dangerous!
Hawthorn Berry for Memory Loss:
Hawthorn is sometimes combined with ginko biloba to address memory loss but it should be noted that ginko biloba may have different reactions with any drugs one is taking than hawthorn would, if taken alone. Related heart-healthy article: Can Cayenne Tea Stop a Heart Attack?
Drug Interactions with Hawthorn:
Please note, this is a partial list. If you are taking ANY other drugs, you should always discuss your entire drug list with your pharmacist, doctor and nutritionist before adding natural supplements to the mix.
However, in particular, please check with your doctor before taking hawthorn berry if you take any of the following:
Cialis
Levitra
Viagra
beta-blockers
phspodiesterase-5 inhibitors
nitrates
metapropol
atenolol
digoxin
calcium channel blockers
Heart Health Disclaimer: If you are under a doctor's care for any type of heart condition including but not limited to afib, mitral valve prolapse, high cholesterol, congestive heart failure, arrhythmia, heart murmor or coronary heart disease, consult with a qualified specialist in the cardiovascular field before taking hawthorn. Note that other herbal cardiac tonics have not been studies as much as hawthorn so use particular caution if trying other herbal cardiac tonics.Check with your doctor before adding hawthorn to your cardivasular health regimen.
