Hearing about herbal remedies is easy, but finding reliable information about them is hard. One problem is that many magazine articles, books, TV advertisements, and now web sites are not as interested in informing you as trying to sell you something–a technique, a drug, or a combination of approaches. With no objective standards and few rules to go by, it is increasingly difficult to sort through all the grand claims for the products being sold.

Another problem is that some advertisements refer to, or show, an expert praising the benefits of the product. All too often, what is left unsaid is that this expert has a financial interest in the product. We feel that it should be mandatory to disclose that kind of vested interest.

But perhaps the biggest challenge is finding out for yourself what claims are based on facts. A major source of health information today is health-related web sites. These sites are like a two-edged sword. A wealth of information is immediately available to you, much of it valuable. The problem is that anybody can say anything they want on a web site; they don’t have to know what they are talking about. In addition, the site might be using old, out of date information.

How can you tell what is valid? We recommend that you rely on sites associated with government agencies, major medical centers such as Johns Hopkins (you can sign up for free health alerts at http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com), universities, and respected health organizations, such as the American Heart Association.

In the field of nutrition, Tufts University maintains one of the best sites: http://navigator.tufts.edu/. It gives you not only advice from Tuft’s own experts, but also their opinions of the accuracy of information at other sites.

The German government, unlike the U.S. government, has taken steps to monitor the safety and effectiveness of herbal preparations. Germany has formed a commission that periodically publishes evaluations and specific recommendations about herbal preparations used in Europe. This publication is called the Commission E Report.

Recently, several other organizations have published English-language reports based on the German report. The most comprehensive of these is the American Pharmaceutical Association Practical Guide to Natural Medicines.

Both the German and American publications recommend products that have known amounts of ingredients and have been evaluated for safety and efficacy. They also tell you about side effects and possible interaction with other drugs. It is important to note, however, than even when an herb or supplement is said to be effective, there is no standardization of dosing.

In fact, a recent study showed that over 50% of the supplements tested had less than the claimed dosage of active ingredients. Only 3% had more than the recommended dose. But too much of a good thing can also be harmful.

When it comes to nutrition, brain health, and herbs and supplements, buyer beware.