If you are on the look out for herbal supplements, you ought to be flooded with products, each claiming different benefits. While some are for improvement of overall health and stamina, others are more specific like colon cleansing, chronic constipation, improving metabolism, improving liver and kidney functions, insomnia, and more. It seems there is one herbal product for every ailment affecting humans. While the world is moving away gradually from allopathic medicines and switching more and more towards herbal products for improving their health, there appears a new company every day introducing a new supplement. In this overcrowded market, the genuine customer, looking for a safe and effective product, which is particularly suitable for treating his or her ailment, gets completely confused.

To top it off, there are reports everyday, that many of these new and upcoming herbal companies are fake and engaged in duping unwary patients. With this type of scenario as the backdrop, what can you do to ensure that the herbal product that you buy, is genuine and would be effective? After all, many of these herbal products are not that cheap, and if not careful, you could not only run a risk but also land up wasting a lot of money. Here are some tips to guide you, when you set out to buy a herbal supplement or any herbal medication:

Any herbal medicine can be judged first by its labeling information. The reputed companies, should  always disclose full and complete information on its packaging, like name of ingredients as composition, the quantum of each ingredient that the medication contains per tea or table spoon, per tablet or capsule. Try and check whether there is any disclaimer reading something like this: "This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." Many authentic and genuine herbal companies also put additional information like serving size as well as names and quantities in ‘inactive ingredients’. Names of manufacturer, marketer or packer, wherever applicable are also mentioned.

• If possible you must focus on products which contain only one ingredient. This is because the names and quantities of other supportive ingredients are usually misleading and may interfere with your constitution. Most of the time no clinical studies are done with the ‘other ingredients’ like additives or preservatives and these could interfere with the overall treatment.  For instance, if you are buying any aloe vera product – buy the one which contains pure aloe vera only.
• Buy herbal products made only by reputed companies. For instance, such products would normally carry a safety guarantee from the maker, including the U.S. Pharmacopeia's "USP Dietary Supplement Verified" seal, ConsumerLab.com, Good Housekeeping, and seal of NSF International.
• Since US FDA has no role to play in guaranteeing the safety or quality of herbal products available in this country, choose companies who practice GMP or Good Manufacturing Practices, which are usually published in the labeling information or pack insert.
• With the tips given above, you are sure to bring home a herbal supplement, with guaranteed safety and efficacy.