Devil's Claw: The Drawbacks of This Herb

Devil’s claw is an herb that is found in Africa.  It is said to be an anti inflammatory and is used for treatment in the hardenings of the arteries, muscle pain, back pain, arthritis, gout, heartburn and for migraine headaches.   This herb hasn’t been fully studied though and there are certain possible drawbacks to this herb though that must be considered before you use it.

The use of devil’s claw is normally safe.  Possible side effects for this herb are diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, appetite loss and ringing in the ears.  It is also thought that it might affect blood pressure and can possibly cause allergic skin reactions.

A potentially more dangerous drawback, though, is that devil’s claw might affect a person’s heart rate and blood pressure.  Because of this, people who have medical conditions that involve the heart or the circulatory system should seek medical advice before using this herb. Not sure if you should use this herb? Take a look at this long list of precautionary statements:

• Devil’s claw may also increase the risks of bleeding.  For that reason, people who take blood thinners should avoid taking this herb. 
• It is also thought that devil’s claw could lower blood sugar.  Because of this, people who have diabetes and take medications to lower their blood sugar should speak to their healthcare providers before taking this herb since the combination of the two could possibly lower a person’s blood sugar too much.
• Pregnant women may also want to avoid this one because devil’s claw might also adversely affect a developing fetus.  In view of this, women who are pregnant or think they might be pregnant should avoid using this herb.  A woman should also avoid using this herb if she is breastfeeding her child.
• It is also believed that devil’s claw could increase acids in the stomach.  As a result of this people who have stomach ulcers should avoid using this herb.
• Devil’s claw might also increase the production of bile in the liver.  Since this could be harmful to people who have gallstones, people who have gallstones should avoid taking this herb.

For many people, Devil's claw is just far too dangerous to consider.