Why is there so little research on natural supplements?

Question

It seems that there is a lot of time and money put into researching pharmaceutical drugs. When it comes to finding natural/herbal alternatives, the results always seem to "need more study". It's hard to discern between hype and real benefits of natural remedies.

Answer 1

Something like 75% of the funding for the FDA comes from pharmaceutical companies. They get rich from selling "medicines" that elevate people's symptoms of illnesses, real or imagined.

The supplement companies are not among them. They do not fund anything of the FDA budget. Hence, supplements are in the food category basically, and not allowed to make any claims

unless they can prove that their stuff works.  That takes lots o'money. The FDA is under no obligation (at this time) to test supplements. They will test products of pharmaceutical companies because that is who gives them money. They reject most of the research of the supplement industry because "it is not substantial enough," in other words, their research isn't FDA funded research that they won't do anyways....get the idea. Also, SOME supplement manufacturers aren't all that legit to begin with. They get their pills made for pennies for hundreds in China, and who the heck knows what some of these things are.  Doesn't matter, because you already paid for them and it is "let the buyer beware...." I hope somewhere in this rant you found an answer.

Answer 2

Natural supplements are derived from herbal and natural food sources and therefore can't be patented .........  without a patent big business can't monopolise the "cure" and will therefore not make hideous amounts of money from it .......;0)

peace 2 u

♥

Answer 3

natual supplements dont have enough money behind there research, and less people generally use natural supplements

Answer 4

Because the FDA, would not get money from natural supplements, so its not really worth it to them

Answer 5

The reason is that natural supplements are not regulated in the same way that pharmeceuticals are. The reason that they are not regulated the same is that they are not sold through a doctor and on a doctor's order slip so - the big and rich and powerful pharmeceutical companies lose money if people turn to natural supplements that work. It all boils down to who has the money and control. If supplements were regulated the same way - then pharmeceutical companies would lose money and have to compete with them more closely. For instance, there are drugs that can be prescribed to help with milk production for nursing mothers, but alot of women use Fennugeek a natural supplement and it does work. Many nurses and experts actually recommend it. But, if fennugeek was a regulated like a pharmeceutical and a doctor had to prescribe it - that would create intense scrutiny on the pharmeceutical because who wants to take a chemical that costs 10x more rather than a natural substance if the natural substance works and I daresay - works better and is affordable without insurance? Well, there are so many natural supplements that it's hard to say which ones are worth their salt - but you find out by trying different things which ones really do work - just like sometimes a doctor has to change your prescription when something doesn't work - and if a natural substance has no side effects to worry about - I'd much rather take it than the pharmeceutical which almost always says on the packaging that there is a risk of something awful. Yet, I understand the need for pharmeceuticals because in a serious condition, they can be life saving. Well, I know it's because the pharmeceutical and insurance companies hold and share a huge corner on the market they do not want to share. Yeah - I know people who make six figures selling pharmeceuticals - that wouldn't be possible without a total racket and that is what they have. Yeah - people think it's poor people who drain our healthcare system but it's the rich and powerful who are bilking the system to create incredible wealth for a few. So there's Hillary's healthcare idea - who was helping her campaign? The health insurance industry in knowing they stood to gain even more by having people forced to buy insurance that will never cover enough at a cost of more than the percentage of income one spends on housing and food! Sorry  - I know I overanswered your question and got on my high horse, but sometimes I get started and.........sorry. Yeah - and you have to know which companies sell legit natural supplements that are made in this country and are high quality and do their own regulation - such as NOW foods. Most healthfood store chains are very careful about what they will sell.

Answer 6

Actually, none of the answers given here are accurate. I can tell you that there is a tremendous amount of research on various natural/herbal alternatives and their effectiveness. I am a naturopath and many of the things that I prescribe to patients are also now being prescribed by regular MD physicians since there have been studies on many, many herbs and supplements showing that they are more effective and have less side effects than pharmaceutical meds.

Yes, there are still some studies that say that "further research is needed" and not enough money is put into studying alternatives to pharmaceuticals but this is slowly changing and there are ways to find out if the particular thing you are interested in taking has been proven effective.

Answer 7

the people who sell drugs, etc have to pay for the research.

so either:

- there isn't enough money to be made selling them, or

- they don't work, but they don't want to tell you that.

you pick.