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Originally Posted by joelr  Right but when he said "supplement" that's sometimes used as a blanket term for any over the counter product.
The term "natural supplement" cannot be separated from "drugs" as a firm rule.
Herbs are often called natural supplements and you can get pure caffiene as well as ephedrine from herbs. Ma-huang extract contains ephedrine, which is a powerful stimulant and now banned by the FDA.
I took Ma-huang and was cranked up all day in a way far beyond coffee. Even had mild euphoria. At 9pm daily I would get intense headaches in the back of my head and really lethargic. I bought it and even put up with the strange headaches because it was marketed as a natural and safe supp for weight loss. It was speed. A complete and total drug experience.
There are no rulings by the FDA to stop calling herbs "natural supplements". |
This is all very true.
But ephedra is really the exception rather then the rule, when it comes to herbs and how strong some of them are. The vats majority of herbs available in store are perfectly safe. Much safer then even some OTC drugs (see acetaminophen and liver damage):
Tylenol and Liver Damage