In 2002, interviewers showed respondents a flash card listing 35 specific herbs. Some, but not all, of the herbs were the same as those recognized in 2000, and some were only included in 2002. Interviewers asked, "During the past 12 months, did you use any of the following natural herbs for health reasons?" Interviewers were instructed to "mark all that apply."

The other such supplements, along with the years the variables are available, are:

• Aloe (HERYALOE, 2000 only)

• Astragalus (HERYAST, 2000 only)

• Bee pollen or royal jelly (HERYBEEP, 2002 only)

• Bilberry (HERYBIL, 2000 only)

• Cascara sagrada (HERYCASC, 2000 and 2002)

• Cat's claw (HERYCAT, 2000 only)

• Cayenne (HERYCEY, 2000 only)

• Chaparral (HERYCHAP, 2002 only)

• Chasteberry or vitex (HERYCHAS, 2002 only)

• Black cohosh (HERYCOH, 2002 only)

• Comfrey (HERYCOMF, 2002 only)

• Cranberry (HERYCRA, 2000 only)

• Dong quai (HERYDONG, 2000 and 2002)

• Echinacea (HERYECH, 2000 and 2002)

• Ephedra (HERYEPH, 2002 only)

• Evening primrose (HERYEVE, 2000 and 2002)

• Feverfew (HERYFEV, 2000 and 2002)

• Fish oils or omega fatty acids (HERYFISH, 2002 only)

• Garlic supplements (HERYGAR, 2000 and 2002)

• Ginseng (HERYGIA, 2000 and 2002)

• Ginger supplements (HERYGIG, 2000 and 2002)

• Gingko biloba (HERYGIK, 2000 and 2002)

• Siberian ginseng (HERYGIS, 2000 only)

• Goldenseal (HERYGOL, 2000 only)

• Glucosamine with or without chondroitin (HERYGLUC, 2002 only)

• Grapeseed extract (HERYGRA, 2000 only)

• Guarana (HERYGUAR, 2002 only)

• Hawthorn (HERYHAW, 2002 only)

• St. John's wort (HERYJOH, 2000 and 2002)

• Bladder wrack or kelp (HERYKELP, 2002 only)

• Lecithin (HERYLEC, 2000 only)

• Licorice (HERYLIC, 2002 only)

• Melatonin (HERYMEL, 2000 and 2002)

• Milk thistle (HERYMIL, 2000 and 2002)

• Peppermint (HERYMINT, 2002 only)

• Mexican yam (HERYMYAM, 2002 only)

• Progesterone cream (HERYPROG, 2002 only)

• Ragweed (HERYRAGW, 2002 only)

• SAM-e (HERYSAM, 2002 only)

• Saw palmetto (HERYSAW, 2000 and 2002)

• Senna (HERYSEN, 2002 only)

• Soy supplements (HERYSOY, 2002 only)

• Valerian (HERYVAL, 2000 and 2002)

• Yohimbe (HERYYOH, 2002 only)

• Other herbal supplement (HERYOTH, 2000 only)

Respondents reported the number of months they had taken herbal supplements (HERYMONO). They also reported the frequency with which they had taken such supplements (HERYDAYNO), responding as they wished in terms of either days per week or days per month (HERYDAYTP). The National Center for Health Statistics recoded the data from the last two variables to create two new variables with consistent time units across respondents: HERYDPW (Number of days per week took herbal supplements during past 12 months) and HERYDPM (Number of days per month took herbal supplements during past 12 months).

For persons who took more than one herbal supplement, one cannot disentangle the length of time taking individual herbs. For example, persons who took both aloe and St. John's wort, and who reported taking herbal supplements every day per week for 12 months, might have taken St. John's wort daily and aloe occasionally, or might have taken aloe daily and St. John's wort occasionally, or might have taken both supplements every day for a year.

For more information on the full range of variables related to herbs, see HERYR.