Impact of Federal Safety Advisories on Health Food Store Advice
I’ll be a little careful with this one because it’s a sensitive subject. Basically, a scant few reports on potential damaging effects of kava kava have not changed the recommendations for its use in health food stores. Now, I definitely do not think that there should be governmental regulations on who can sell and recommend supplements.
In this scenario the MDs and DOs would be left with the prescribing ability and (I’m generalizing here) they are not the groups with the most knowledge. However, I do believe in market forces making decisions. Basically, health food stores are not a good place for advice on supplementation (with the exception of some mom and pop stores). A qualified physician with a strong background in physiology and functional medicine will always be your best choice.
Impact of Federal Safety Advisories on Health Food Store Advice – J Gen Intern Med, Vol 19, Issue 3, pp. 269-272 (Abstract) –