Herbal and Dietary Supplements

This page will not be updated after the 23rd of november 2012 due to the closure of ViFAB.

Here you can read about the effect of Herbal and Dietary supplements.

This text is based on Cochrane reviews, which are recognized scientific articles.

What is a Cochrane Review?

Authors: Department of Clinical Epidemiology at Aarhus University Hospital and ViFAB.

Positive effect

None of the Cochrane reviews on herbal and dietary supplements report a positive effect of the treatment.

Possible positive effect

The following treatments show a tendency towards a possible positive effect. However, the evidence is insufficient and cannot form the basis of general recommendations:

Asthma and allergies

None of the Cochrane reviews on herbal and dietary supplements report a possible positive effect on the treatment of bone fracture and osteoporosis.

Bone fractures and osteoporosis

None of the Cochrane reviews on herbal and dietary supplements report a possible positive effect on the treatment of bone fracture and osteoporosis.

Eye diseases

None of the Cochrane reviews on herbal and dietary supplements report a possible positive effect on the treatment of eye diseases.

Gynecological condition excl. pregnancy and birth

Acupuncture for primary dysmenorrhoea

Acupuncture for uterine fibroids

Chinese herbal medicine for endometriosis

Chinese herbal medicine for premenstrual syndrome

Chinese herbal medicine for primary dysmenorrhoea

Herbal and dietary therapies for primary and secondary dysmenorrhoea

Herbal preparations for uterine fibroids

Intermittent iron supplementation for reducing anaemia and its associated impairments in menstruating women

Spinal manipulation for dysmenorrhoea

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for primary dysmenorrhoea

Heart and circulatory diseases

Artichoke leaf extract for treating hypercholesterolaemia

Chinese herbal medicine suxiao jiuxin wan for angina pectoris

Hawthorn extract for treating chronic heart failure

Horse chestnut seed extract for chronic venous insufficiency

Shengmai (a traditional Chinese herbal medicine) for heart failure

Tongxinluo (Tong xin luo or Tong-xin-luo) capsule for unstable angina pectoris

Infectious diseases

Chinese medicinal herbs for acute pancreatitis

Chinese medicinal herbs for chronic hepatitis B

Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold

Pelargonium sidoides extract for acute respiratory tract infections

Probiotics for preventing acute upper respiratory tract infections

Xylitol for preventing acute otitis media in children up to 12 years of age

Liver diseases

Chinese medicinal herbs for chronic hepatitis B

Lung diseases

None of the Cochrane reviews on herbal and dietary supplements report a possible positive effect on the treatment of lung diseases.

Mental disorders

Chinese herbal medicine for schizophrenia

Kava extract versus placebo for treating anxiety

Omega-3 fatty acids for bipolar disorder

St John's wort for major depression

Neurological disorders

Coenzyme Q10 for Parkinson's disease

Huperzine A for Alzheimer's disease

Newborns and children

Xylitol for preventing acute otitis media in children up to 12 years of age

Nutritional problems and overweight

Chitosan for overweight or obesity

Pain in head, neck or back

Acupuncture and dry-needling for low back pain

Acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis

Acupuncture for neck disorders

Acupuncture for tension-type headache

Chinese herbal medicine for chronic neck pain due to cervical degenerative disc disease

Conservative treatments for whiplash

Electrotherapy for neck pain

Feverfew for preventing migraine

Herbal medicine for low back pain

Manipulation or mobilisation for neck pain

Massage for low-back pain

Massage for mechanical neck disorders

Spinal manipulative therapy for low-back pain

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) versus placebo for chronic low-back pain

Pain - other

Acupuncture for lateral elbow pain

Acupuncture for pain in endometriosis

Acupuncture for shoulder pain

Aromatherapy for treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting

Cold-water immersion (cryotherapy) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise

Interventions for the treatment of burning mouth syndrome

Music for pain relief

Non-surgical treatment (other than steroid injection) for carpal tunnel syndrome

Pain control in first trimester surgical abortion

Psychological interventions for needle-related procedural pain and distress in children and adolescents

Stimulation of the wrist acupuncture point P6 for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting

Topical capsaicin (low concentration) for chronic neuropathic pain in adults

Topical capsaicin for chronic neuropathic pain in adults

Touch therapies for pain relief in adults

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for chronic pain

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for phantom pain and stump pain following amputation in adults

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for acute pain

Vitamin B for treating peripheral neuropathy

Vitamin D for the treatment of chronic painful conditions in adults

Pregnancy and birth

Acupuncture and assisted conception

Acupuncture for induction of labour

Acupuncture or acupressure for pain management in labour

Antenatal perineal massage for reducing perineal trauma

Antioxidants for male subfertility

Antioxidants for preventing pre-eclampsia

Aromatherapy for pain management in labour

Breast stimulation for cervical ripening and induction of labour

Calcium supplementation (other than for preventing or treating hypertension) for improving pregnancy and infant outcomes

Calcium supplementation during pregnancy for preventing hypertensive disorders and related problems

Cephalic version by moxibustion for breech presentation

Chinese herbal medicine for subfertile women with polycystic ovarian syndrome

Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of pre-eclampsia

Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of ectopic pregnancy

Chinese herbal medicines for threatened miscarriage

Complementary and alternative therapies for pain management in labour

Creams for preventing stretch marks in pregnancy

Different methods for the induction of labour in outpatient settings

Effects and safety of periconceptional folate supplementation for preventing birth defects

Effects and safety of preventive oral iron or iron+folic acid supplementation for women during pregnancy

Folic acid supplementation during pregnancy for maternal health and pregnancy outcomes

Garlic for preventing pre-eclampsia and its complications

Homoeopathy for induction of labour

Hypnosis for pain management during labour and childbirth

Intermittent oral iron supplementation during pregnancy

Interventions for leg cramps in pregnancy

Interventions for nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy

Interventions for preventing and treating pelvic and back pain in pregnancy

Interventions for preventing nausea and vomiting in women undergoing regional anaesthesia for caesarean section

Interventions for treating constipation in pregnancy

Interventions for varicose veins and leg oedema in pregnancy

Magnesium supplementation in pregnancy

Marine oil, and other prostaglandin precursor, supplementation for pregnancy uncomplicated by pre-eclampsia or intrauterine growth restriction

Massage, reflexology and other manual methods for pain management in labour

Micronutrient supplementation in pregnant women with HIV infection

Mind-body interventions during pregnancy for preventing or treating women's anxiety

Multiple-micronutrient supplementation for women during pregnancy

Music during caesarean section under regional anaesthesia for improving maternal and infant outcomes

Pain control in first trimester surgical abortion

Pain management for women in labour: an overview of systematic reviews

Perineal techniques during the second stage of labour for reducing perineal trauma

Probiotics for preventing preterm labour

Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) supplementation in pregnancy

Relaxation techniques for pain management in labour

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for pain relief in labour

Transcutaneous electrostimulation for suspected placental insufficiency (diagnosed by Doppler studies)

Treatments for breast engorgement during lactation

Treatments for iron-deficiency anaemia in pregnancy

Uterine massage for preventing postpartum haemorrhage

Vibroacoustic stimulation for fetal assessment in labour in the presence of a nonreassuring fetal heart rate trace

Vitamin A supplementation during pregnancy for maternal and newborn outcomes

Vitamin A supplementation for postpartum women

Vitamin C supplementation in pregnancy

Vitamin D supplementation for women during pregnancy

Vitamin E supplementation in pregnancy

Vitamin supplementation for preventing miscarriage

Zinc supplementation for improving pregnancy and infant outcome

Prostate, renal and urinary tracts conditions

Beta-sitosterols for benign prostatic hyperplasia

Chinese herbal medicine Huangqi type formulations for nephrotic syndrome

Pygeum africanum for benign prostatic hyperplasia

Rheumatic diseases

Herbal therapy for treating osteoarthritis

Herbal therapy for treating rheumatoid arthritis

Sclerosis

None of the Cochrane reviews on herbal and dietary supplements report a possible positive effect on the treatment of sclerosis.

Smoking cessation and drug rehabilitation

None of the Cochrane reviews on herbal and dietary supplements report a possible positive effect on the treatment of smoking cessation and drug rehabilitation.