Even though basil is a natural product, it may still cause side effects. You can safely add it to your food. When you use it to treat certain conditions, however, it would be best to take it for short term. Because it can reduce blood sugar levels, you need to ask your physician about its recommended dosage, especially if you have diabetes. Keep in mind that having low blood sugar is bad enough for your condition.
This herb may also cause liver cancer as it contains estragóle. It is a chemical that, when used for long-term, can increase your risk of suffering from liver cancer. It is also not advisable to use it as oil because of the estragóle content.
You need to be careful when using it if you are pregnant and breast feeding. Although it is safe in food amounts, larger dose can be unsafe to you and to your unborn child.
And if you have serious kidney conditions, like kidney failure, you should not use it as a medicine as your kidneys might have difficulty in eliminating it from your body.
The proper dosage of basil may vary depending on your age and health condition. Because there is no sufficient clinical data that can determine the right dosage for medicinal purposes, you must consult your physician first before taking this herb.
Basil may be a natural product but it is not necessarily safe when taken for long term. If you are using a supplement that contains such herb, you need to follow the manufacturer’s directions found on the product label. You should also consult your physician before starting to use this herb or supplement with basil.