Herbal supplements aren't really a fad. Herbal remedies, whether on the shelves of health food stores or concocted from home, have been around for centuries. Herbal supplements and their use around the global aren't going away. There has been a recent burst in the use of some herbal supplements - yes - such as Echinacea - not because folks weren't using them consistently before now. No, the reason these herbal supplements seem to have burst on the scene is because of the proliferation of available information by way of the Internet, by the preponderance of broadband accessibility by private individuals who in the past have labored through the frustration of waiting for dial up - or perhaps had no computer until recently, and by the increased cost and decreased availability of quality affordable medical care.



Social networking sites such as MySpace and YouTube also help to get the word out about herbal supplements, as well as online merchant or directory sites such as that not only make the herbal supplements easy to pay for and obtain right from home, but also allow for innovative calls to action such as opt-in emails.

So herbal supplements are all the rage at this point in time and major supercenters and retailers that had not commonly carried the natural food supplements are now struggling to keep up with demand and keep these healthy goods on their store shelves. Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Safeway, Kroger, Fred Meyer and the myriad of other big name stores now sell Gingko Biloba, St. John's Wort, glucosamine, Echinacea, valerian, and all sorts of vitamins, minerals, and naturally occurring nutrients. Many not only care the major labels for these herbal supplements but have introduced their own store's label.

What's very interesting about this new demand for herbal over the counter drugs is that in a society that is so litigious - in the case of the United States - and so quick to demand restitution - that so many would demand such multitudes of unregulated products. Herbal supplements are never tested and never regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA.) There is no warning label on these bottles, no protective coating around each individual caplet that tells you they've not been tampered with. Yet, people still imbibe in record numbers.

It's important, therefore, that those who take herbal supplements educate themselves and tread with care. There are a number of nutritional and natural foods Web sites that offer help in the decision on what herbal supplement to take, how much of it to take, and when to take it. Many supplements should only be taken for limited time periods, while others are contraindicated if you are taking specific prescribed or over the counter medications. It's important that you know these things and follow the guidance of herbal supplement experts. While your family doctor may be some help here a naturopath, homeopathic professional or even pharmacist is generally going to be the wiser advisor when it comes to herbal supplements.