The Atlantic

Neither Herbal Nor Supplements

Products labeled "ginseng," "echinacea," and "ginkgo biloba" often contain no trace of these substances, according to an investigation announced today.
Source: Stephanie Frey/Shutterstock

Many pills and capsules sold as herbal "supplements" contain little more than powdered rice and house plants, according to a report released Monday by the office of New York state attorney general Eric Schneiderman. An investigation found that nearly four of five herbal supplements do not contain the ingredients listed on labels, and many supplements—tested from among leading store-brand products sold at GNC, Target, Walmart, and Walgreens—contain no plant substance of any kind at all.

Cease-and-desist sent to the retailers yesterday demand removal of echinacea, ginseng, St. John’s wort, garlic, saw palmetto, and ginkgo biloba  from store shelves. "Contamination, substitution, and falsely labeling herbal products constitute

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Atlantic

The Atlantic6 min read
Florida’s Experiment With Measles
The state of Florida is trying out a new approach to measles control: No one will be forced to not get sick. Joseph Ladapo, the state’s top health official, announced this week that the six cases of the disease reported among students at an elementar
The Atlantic6 min read
There’s Only One Way to Fix Air Pollution Now
It feels like a sin against the sanctitude of being alive to put a dollar value on one year of a human life. A year spent living instead of dead is obviously priceless, beyond the measure of something so unprofound as money. But it gets a price tag i
The Atlantic8 min readAmerican Government
The Most Consequential Recent First Lady
This article was featured in the One Story to Read Today newsletter. Sign up for it here. The most consequential first lady of modern times was Melania Trump. I know, I know. We are supposed to believe it was Hillary Clinton, with her unbaked cookies

Related Books & Audiobooks