Response to heavy metals in Ayurvedic products

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Consumers are urged to choose herbal companies with quality control measures.

Redmond, Washington, September, 2008--According to a study conducted by the Boston University School of Medicine published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on August 27, 2008, “high levels of lead, mercury and arsenic” were found in 193 Ayurvedic preparations randomly purchased from the Internet and Boston area. Reportedly, 60 percent of the preparations were manufactured by US companies and 40 percent by Indian companies.

In order to obtain high quality contaminant-free products for their Ayurvedic and naturopathic medical practices, the Sodhi brothers--Dr. Virender Sodhi and Dr. Shailinder Sodhi, established Ayush Herbs, Inc. in 1988. They experienced first hand the difficulty in finding unadulterated products completely free of heavy metals and other contaminants. “This is the founding principle of our company,” says Dr. Virender Sodhi. “We want to have full knowledge and confidence in the contents of our herbal products for the sake of our patients and our own families.”

Ayush Herbs, Inc. manufactures and exports high quality Ayurvedic herbal products, vitamins, minerals and enzymes. The Sodhi brothers chose to use herbal extracts, rather than raw herbs, to ensure the purity of their products. Although the use of raw herbs is the more traditional Ayurvedic approach, contamination can occur. With its patented extraction method, Ayush Herbs’ herbal preparations retain the active constituents to ensure the optimal benefits from the herbs, while removing heavy metals and other contaminants.

Ayush Herbs’ standards for avoiding heavy metals exceed those of the Food & Drug Administration (FDA). FDA standards recognize acceptable levels of these naturally occurring elements in nature, but Ayush Herbs requires even lower levels. Ayush sets the following limits for their products: lead, less than 1 part per million (ppm); mercury, less than 3 ppm; arsenic, less than 1 ppm. Independent microbial and in-house microbiological testing of all the products is performed to ensure supplement purity.

Dr. Virender Sodhi recommends that consumers choose herbal companies that employ third-party testing of their products. He also points out that according to the JAMA report, products certified by the American Products Association (AHPA) are significantly “less likely to contain metals.” Therefore, he recommends that consumers and physicians look for independent testing of the herbal products they choose and familiarize themselves with the organizations that oversee quality control measures.