Morelli V, Zoorob R J
Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans, USA.
Am Fam Physician. 2000 Sep 1;62(5):1051-60.
Natural supplements are widely used in the United States and, while claims of their therapeutic effects abound, medical research does not always support their effectiveness. St. John's wort acts as a weak selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor with fewer side effects. S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) has enough of an antidepressant effect to warrant further research. More human studies are needed before garlic, bitter melon, soy and fenugreek supplements can be recommended for the management of diabetes, although chromium may be a promising treatment in some cases. Alpha lipoic acid is used in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. The effects of ma huang/guarana combinations in obesity have not been well studied. These combinations may have potentially serious side effects but may also offer some benefit. The combination of hydroxycitric acid and garcinia has proved no more effective than placebo.
天然补充剂在美国广泛使用，虽然关于其治疗效果的说法众多，但医学研究并不总是支持其有效性。圣约翰草作为一种弱效选择性5-羟色胺再摄取抑制剂，副作用较少。S-腺苷甲硫氨酸（SAMe）具有足够的抗抑郁作用，值得进一步研究。在推荐大蒜、苦瓜、大豆和葫芦巴补充剂用于糖尿病管理之前，还需要更多人体研究，不过铬在某些情况下可能是一种有前景的治疗方法。α硫辛酸用于治疗糖尿病神经病变。麻黄/瓜拉那组合对肥胖的影响尚未得到充分研究。这些组合可能有潜在的严重副作用，但也可能有一些益处。羟基柠檬酸和藤黄果的组合已被证明并不比安慰剂更有效。
