Re: Herbs and heavy metals, incorrect parts of the plant?
Hv someone contacted me telling me sometimes the reason herbs are cheaper in some places rather than others is some companies test for standardization, heavy metals, and making sure it's the correct part of the plant (leaf/root).. do you think this is true my mind is saying that must be sales hype echoing in a customers voice, I mean is it really common for herbs from say china to be flooded with heavy metals or not the right part of the plant??
Virtually all herbs are tested by the companies importing them This is because manufacturers require certificates of analysis from the raw material suppliers for all the herbs, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, etc. they use to make their products. Manufacturers also tend to have their own labs for in house analysis on top of that, especially if they are GMP certified manufacturers. This testing checks that the plant is what it is stated as being, checks for contaminants such as heavy metals and pesticide residue and makes sure the product is not being cut or adulterated with a cheaper product. Certificates of analysis are then made up for each batch and is provided with each raw material shipment to show the herbs are compliant with specifications and requirements.
So it is rare that herbs coming from anywhere, including China and the US, being used in manufacturing are contaminated with excess heavy metals or the wrong plant or part of the plant are being used.
also can you PLEASE explain how it is possible, with herbs like say, bacopa, a little does more of a job than a lot? I mean how is it possible, why doesn't the body just takes what it needs, maybe a little, maybe a lot, and excrete the rest. I heard bacopa and a lot of herbs like it have a 'bell curve' for effects and it just boggles me how that's possible. I understand too much of a good thing, like water, or oxygen, can hurt you but I can't comprehend how more of a herb, like bacopa, can offset the effects that it would do taken in small doses. I mean does it exhaust the body as the body tries to use it or what?
It depends a lot on the chemistry. Some things more does not increase benefit because the body can only absorb so much. For example vitamin C. The body can only utilize a certain amount at a time. The excess is either excreted or converted in to oxalic acid, which has adverse effects on the body.
Many chemicals have opposite or different effects on the body depending on dose. NSAIDs for example are used as pain relievers, but cause pain in higher doses. Insulin is a vasodilator in small doses and a vasoconstictor in high doses. I think the different effects on doses again has to do with the metabolites formed from the excess of compounds in most cases.