Herbal product use by older adults

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Gerontology
• Integrative Medicine

Background:

• Medicinal herbal product use has surged globally, often marketed as foods, increasing accessibility without prescriptions.
• Older adults (OAs) represent a growing demographic with high rates of polypharmacy, frequently combining herbal products with prescribed and over-the-counter medications.
• Physiological functions like renal and hepatic detoxification decline with age, making OAs more susceptible to adverse effects from herb-drug interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the prevalence and patterns of herbal product use among older adults.
• To examine the health implications and potential herb-drug interactions associated with concomitant use of herbal products and prescription medications in OAs.
• To underscore the need for further research due to incomplete understanding of these interactions.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of selected literature on herbal product consumption by older adults.
• Analysis of reported patterns of use and associated health outcomes.
• Identification of potential herb-drug interactions and risks.

Main Results:

• Significant increase in medicinal herbal product use worldwide over the past two decades.
• Older adults frequently use multiple herbal products concurrently with various medications.
• Potential for serious health complications and herb-drug interactions exists, exacerbated by age-related physiological changes.

Conclusions:

• The concomitant use of herbal products and prescription medications by older adults presents significant health risks.
• Inadequate information and potential for misleading claims necessitate professional guidance for herbal product use in OAs.
• Further research is crucial to fully understand and mitigate the risks of herb-drug interactions in this population.