Year after year, the number of people in the United States looking into the powerful benefits of herbal remedies increases. In 2019, the Alternative Medicines industry was valued at $62.33 billion globally. By 2026, it’s expected to reach a value of $293.56 billion. That’s a huge increase! It means that people will continue to seek natural methods for coping with and healing their physical ailments. They don’t want to suffer from all the potential negative side effects or addictions that drugs can cause.

Unfortunately, the more people that turn to herbal remedies, the more people become disappointed and disillusioned by their results. They may take supplements, brew teas, or make recipes made with all-natural ingredients, only to throw them away in frustration when they don’t work.  With all the benefits that herbs provide, why don’t they always work? Here are 6 reasons that herbal remedies might not be working for you.

1 | Inaccurate Dosage

In the same way that you take a certain dosage of medication based on your symptoms and your physical health, you should also take a certain dose of herbs. The amount you take and how frequently you take it may depend on what ailment you’re trying to soothe or cure. It may also depend on what other supplements or medications you’re taking that could interact with it.

If you’re not sure if you’re taking the correct dosage, it’s wise to consult a certified herbalist. They can tell you how much of a specific herb you should take and how often. 

2 | Not Using It Long Enough

Drugs appear to work faster because they target your immediate symptoms. Herbs, on the other hand, work on a cellular level to treat the root cause of your illness. As a result, they may take longer to show any results.

Many people quit taking natural supplements after only a few days or weeks because they don’t feel any improvement, but the truth is that herbs take longer to do their job because their task is so much more complex than just treating your surface symptoms. 

3 | Not Preparing The Herbs Correctly

Herb preparation is extremely important. If you burn them, for example, you kill all their nutrients. If they’re not fresh, they may no longer be bioactive, meaning the vitamins they contain can no longer be absorbed into your body. If they’re treated with pesticides during growth, they do your body more harm than good.

Any of these factors can make the supplement you’re taking completely useless.

4 | Not Formulating The Herbs Correctly

There’s a method to the madness of formulating an herb so that it can 1) be consumed, and 2) produce positive side effects in the person taking it.

There are different types of herbs_ some that act, some that assist, and some that guide. For example, turmeric is an acting herb_ it functions as a powerful anti-inflammatory. But it requires black pepper – an assistant herb – to activate its anti-inflammatory properties.

If you’re taking herbal medicine and it doesn’t seem to be working, it may not be formulated with the proper assistant and guiding herbs to activate it. Talk to an herbalist and do your own research to find out which herbs work best together.

5 | Poor Herb Quality

Herbs that are old, moldy, or that grow in a harsh environment are not as potent as they would be if they were in full bloom. Furthermore, if they are not harvested and packaged properly, they may deteriorate and lose their vitality. At this point, they don’t produce any positive effects. They may not even be safe to consume, period. 

6 | Treating Herbs As Cure-Alls

Herbalism is a fine art, and it has the power to improve many people’s health, but it is not the cure to end all cures. Herbal medicine is just one piece of the health puzzle. People who need help healing chronic diseases may need to take other forms of medicine or even therapy, in addition to taking herbs.

For example, if someone has an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) called ulcerative proctitis. Anti-inflammatory herbs like turmeric and peppermint help a lot with soothing the intestines, but you also need to watch what you eat. If you eat something too spicy, like jalapenos, the inflammation in your body gets worse.

Herbs also do not work overnight. As we mentioned earlier, you may need to take herbal medicine for weeks or even months before you see any improvements to your health. It’s hard sometimes, but patience is often the road to healing.

Conclusion: Talk To An Herbalist Before You Throw Your Supplements Away

If you’re disappointed in how poorly your herbal supplements have been working, we absolutely understand. But as you can see from our list, there are several factors that go into making supplements, as well as harvesting and packaging fresh plants. Any one of them could be the reason why your herbs aren’t working for you.

That’s why we recommend you to talk to a professional herbalist. But it’s also important to be educated. To learn more about the herbs you’re taking, we recommend you read our Herbs 101 series here on the Tea and I blog.

 

 

 

At Tea and I, we are dedicated to providing you with carefully crafted blends that yield real-world results. Our nature-inspired tea blends taste amazing and bring real benefits thanks to a combination of ancestral herbalism practices and science-backed ingredients. Browse our organic functional herbal tea blends selection and find the perfect blend that suits your unique wellness goals.