One fifth of ayurvedic herbal supplements online have traces of lead, mercury or arsenic, according to a study in The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Researchers led by Dr. Robert B. Saper, assistant professor at the Boston University School of Medicine tested 193 ayurvedic herbal supplements available online. The average consumer, Saper said, “has no way of determining which supplement is free of contaminants and which isn’t.” The American Herbal Products Association, a trade group, said the levels were well below international standards and not toxic. The F.D.A. does not specify acceptable concentrations for contaminants in dietary supplements. |
