Echinacea, Vitamins, and OTC products

[Guest guest]

Thought some of you might be interested. If this holds true for Sjogren's, it would hold true for RA since they are both autoimmune diseases.

Nina

Here's a Q & A from the Sjo. Syndrome Foundation web site: question:Q: I am considering the use of nutritional supplements for help with chronic fatigue. Would you feel there is a concern with these products for people with an autoimmune illness such as Sjögren's? Since the immune system is out of balance and is attacking healthy cells, could "supporting" the immune system with these products, and possibly stimulating it, cause even more damage? A: The problem is that these products may also cause unintended side effects that could either flare the underlying disease or cause other organ-related damage. These supplements, as is the problem with all OTC supplements, are not controlled by the FDA and thus are not studied extensively as are prescription drugs. Also, Sjögren's patient's immune systems are already "turned on" in many cases so the last thing that one wants to do is stimulate the immune system further in this disease. - Stuart S. Kassan, MD - Colorado Arthritis Associates

[Guest guest]

I use the following site to check drug interactions including many herbals. Like anything else it is only a guide. God bless.

http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Home