A U.S. study finds some 6 million American adults turned to alternative medicine in the past year because conventional treatments were too expensive.

The nationwide study, from the non-profit, non-partisan Center for Studying Health System Change in Washington, said people sought help to treat such things as depression and chronic pain.

People using complementary or alternative medicines because of cost concerns were almost twice as likely to have low incomes, were much more likely to report poorer health status and often lacked a regular place to go for medical care. Such consumers were four times as likely to be uninsured.

Herbal remedies were the most widely used form of complementary or alternative medicine among people with cost concerns.

Among the most popular are some known to cause drug interactions or serious side effects, including St. John's wort and kava.

The study noted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has limited authority to oversee herbal remedies.

From Healthy.net