Herborigen-How Should We Use “Dietary Supplements” Properly?

Faced with a vast array of health supplements from all over the world—featuring various brands, product names, dosage forms, claimed benefits, target age groups, and price ranges—how should you go about making a choice? In fact, the most important factor is efficacy—if the product doesn’t work, your efforts will be in vain. Second, consider whether the ingredients are plant-based or chemical; naturally, plant extracts should be your first choice. Finally, ask yourself if you actually need to take it; if you’re in excellent health, there’s really no need. Just focus on these three points.

Our purpose in establishing the “Herborigen” brand is clear: to address the need for supplementation before using many pharmaceuticals (or as a complement to medical treatments). To put it another way, from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, our goal is to “treat before illness occurs”:

Before illness strikes, we must focus on prevention (by strengthening the body’s defense mechanisms);

When illness occurs, we provide support alongside conventional medications (since the body cannot tolerate standard treatment if it is not in optimal condition);

After the onset of illness, we must focus on recuperation (accelerating the body’s recovery and quickly boosting its immune system).

Of course, if you believe our supplements contain specific ingredients you need to achieve your desired results, and you happen to have only very mild symptoms—or even conditions that aren’t technically considered illnesses (the kind that can resolve on their own through your immune system without medication or injections)—then you might want to give our products a try. You might just have a different experience. However, if your condition worsens, it’s best to see a doctor in person and seek treatment as soon as possible. Do not rely on our supplements, as we are, after all, just supplements—not medications.

There is a classic saying in folk wisdom regarding the use of medicine: “If you can take pills, don’t get an injection; if you can get an injection, don’t get an IV.” This reflects the fact that while we use medication to treat physical ailments, it also causes some damage to the body—as the saying goes, “All medicines are toxic to some degree.” This is undeniable. Therefore, dietary supplements are an excellent alternative.

There is also another saying: “Medicinal supplements are not as good as dietary supplements, and dietary supplements are not as good as sleep.” In other words, if your body truly needs to replenish something critically deficient, you can use a high-dose supplement to quickly provide what it needs. However, if the deficiency isn’t severe, you’re better off eating well and taking dietary supplements to regulate your health. Finally, there’s sleep: if you can get a good night’s sleep every day, it means your body is in good shape. The quality of your sleep is a crucial indicator of your overall health.