Avoid Certain Ayurvedic Medications: Health Officials

Several medications distributed by Shree Baidyanath were recently found to contain heavy metals, which may be harmful to your health, according to Rockland health officials.

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene found elevated levels of arsenic, lead, and/or mercury in 20 samples of Ayurvedic medications purchased over the counter in NYC in In May. The levels of heavy metals found in these medications manufactured in India by Shree Baidyanath ranged from being slightly elevated to as high as 27,000 times the limit allowed.

Find the NYC list of products here.

“If you have been using these products you should stop taking them immediately,” said Rockland County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert. “Talk with your doctor to find out if you should have tests for exposure to lead and other heavy metals.”

The way scientists measure the amount of metal in a product is in ppm (parts per million). In order for a product to be safe there must be less than 3 ppm of arsenic, 2 ppm of lead, and 1 ppm of mercury.

Health officials are taking steps to alert physicians and retail stores of the toxic products.

PHOTO: Tulsi Flower/Vaikoovery