July 15, 2005 – Health Canada warns that certain Ayurvedic products on the market pose a serious health risk, since they contain high concentrations of lead, arsenic and mercury.
In his opinion1, Health Canada recommends that consumers immediately stop using these products and warns that they will be withdrawn from the market shortly. Their future import will also be prohibited.
Ayurveda – traditional Indian medicine – believes that heavy metals have interesting therapeutic properties. However, if the products used have been manufactured incorrectly, they may contain dangerously high concentrations of these metals.
Heavy metals can build up in vital organs and cause serious health problems, ranging from nausea to neurological disorders. Children are particularly susceptible to their toxic effects.
Health Canada recommends that consumers use only Ayurvedic products that it has authorized for sale in the country. These products have either a Drug Identification Number (DIN), Natural Product Number (NPN), or Homeopathic Medicine Number (DIN-HM) of eight digits. This authorization indicates that Health Canada has verified the safety, efficacy and quality of the product.
In December 2004, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that Ayurvedic products sold in the Boston area contained high concentrations of heavy metals.2. Health Canada then issued a first opinion in this regard last March.
Jean-Benoit Legault – Proteus Network
1. The complete list of the products at issue as well as the full version of the Health Canada press release are available at www.hc-sc.gc.ca.
2. Saper RB, Kales SN, Paquin J, Burns MJ, Eisenberg DM, Davis RB, Phillips RS. Heavy metal content of ayurvedic herbal medicine products. JAMA. 2004 Dec 15; 292 (23): 2868-73.
