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Medical Scribblings - August 29 / 2001

Frequently I am asked as to whether patients should be taking Herbal remedies or Vitamin supplements.

I must confess to being very ignorant about Herbs though many of the drugs that we now use from Aspirin to the contraceptive pill where originally made from natural plant material. Most seem to be harmless but there have been cases of Chinese medicines having such things as steroids added to make them effective. Obviously a very dangerous practice.

The vitamins however have an interesting history. When things such as vitamin C where discovered to cure Scurvy it was hailed as a great breakthrough and allowed the British Navy to rule the waves. Why not take vast doses of these on the assumption that if small amounts of vitamins are good for you then a lot must be even better. I’m afraid that it does not work like that and even Vitamin C, which was thought to be harmless, has been brought into question when used in large doses.

At present the discussion is about whether we should be adding Folic acid another vitamin to our food. It has been found to help both heart disease and the prevention of spinal abnormalities in babies. The USA has recently added it to their bread and has seen a 50% reduction in spinal abnormalities. The great problem is whether everyone should be forced to take things in their food without their agreement.

This type of dilemma is getting more and more common and there does not appear to be a simple answer.

John Schofield