Ayurveda vs Naturopathy: How They Differ

Different roots, some shared language

Ayurveda and naturopathy are often lumped together as "natural" or "holistic" medicine, but they come from different places. Ayurveda is a traditional Indian medical system based on ancient writings. [1] Naturopathy, also called naturopathic medicine, is a medical system that evolved from a combination of traditional practices and health care approaches popular in Europe during the 19th century. [2]

Both describe themselves as holistic, and both rely on "natural" products and practices. Neither word is a safety guarantee or an evidence rating. [1] [2]

Side by side

Naturopathy is a bundle of different approaches rather than one technique, so it is best judged component by component: a diet change, a herb, homeopathy and a counseling session do not share one evidence rating. Our guides cover this in What Is Naturopathy? and Common Components of Naturopathic and Integrative Care.

Where they overlap

• Herbs and diet. Both use plant products and food advice. Quality and interaction concerns apply to both. NCCIH says some Ayurvedic preparations may contain lead, mercury or arsenic in toxic amounts. [1]
• "Detox" and cleansing. Naturopathic practice includes practitioner-guided detoxification. [2] Ayurveda has its own cleansing procedures, described educationally in Panchakarma and Cleansing. They are different systems with different methods, but marketing often blurs them. A 2015 critical review of commercial detox diets found very little clinical evidence for them and no randomized controlled trials in humans of their effectiveness. [3] That review covers commercial detox diets, not Ayurvedic or naturopathic clinical care as a whole, so see the claim checks: Ayurvedic "Detox" and Cleanse Claims Checked and Detox Programs and Chelation Claims.
• Government recognition in India. India's AYUSH policy groups Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy under one umbrella. [4] So in India the two sit side by side in the official system.

Evidence, in short

• Ayurveda: only a small number of clinical trials have been published in Western medical journals, and most of the positive ones are small or not well designed. [1] Details: Ayurveda: Traditional Frameworks vs Biomedical Evidence.
• Naturopathy: NCCIH's summary lists what practitioners do and who they are, not a verdict on effectiveness, so evidence has to be checked for each treatment used. [2]

Conventional care comes first for serious problems

NCCIH explains that using a non-mainstream approach together with conventional medicine is "complementary," while using it in place of conventional medicine is "alternative." [5] For either tradition, do not use it to postpone seeing a conventional health care provider about a medical problem. [1] Tell all your providers about everything you use, including supplements and herbs.