NO one would have expected a Mat Salleh to be one of the first to market Tongkat Ali in Malaysia, but that’s what Benjamin Scott Drewe did.
More than 10 years ago, this Australian herbalist registered one of the first lines of Tongkat Ali products in Malaysia.
Drewe, who has lived in Malaysia for more than 20 years, says he’s been attracted to the study of herbs since his teenage years.
“Growing up in an organic farm, it was easy to find my passion at an early age,” says Drewe, the managing director of Asia Botanicals.
“I take pride in building people’s trust in herbs. Herbal remedies are based on scientific research.
“Things have changed since ‘Grandma’s days’. Today we use science and technology to show the mechanism of herbs.”
Living among the Orang Asli in jungles around Malaysia, and also among people of Sumatra, Drewe has seen the many benefits in leaves, roots and seeds.
“I’ve travelled all over Malaysia, trying to find the best herbal remedy for ailments and I’m still amazed at the many cures there are in the Malaysian rainforests.
“Unfortunately many people are looking for quick fixes to their medical problems and are not patient to try alternative treatment.”
What most people don’t realise, he says, is that quick fixes come with quick side effects.
“Erectile dysfunction (ED) should not be left untreated as it is a warning sign for more serious ailments.”
Drewe warns that if you find herbal pills that work in one hour, it’s sure to be an adulteration of chemicals.
“Genuine herbal pills don’t have chemical adulterants that cause other problems in the future.
“It has no long-term side effects when used with the guidance of a professional herbalist.
“But most prescription drugs cause other health problems like headaches and sinusitis.”
Drewe says not every herb is safe, as there are herbal poisons as well.
“I’m against using the word ‘natural’ as if natural means safe. The important thing to remember when using alternative treatment is to get a good product and use the recommended dosage.
“When treating ED with Tongkat Ali high concentration extract, the dosage is usually not more than three pills a day.
“But people usually forget to take enough.”
Drewe says when people take alternative medication as and when they choose, they don’t reap the full benefits.
It also doesn’t help, Drewe says, that there are many fake products in the market.
“Whenever there’s a product out, there are sure to be counterfeits. When it comes to sex, men will pay whatever it takes.”
(c) 2008 New Straits Times. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.
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