Dietary supplements are touted as being natural cure-alls that can help you stay healthy, lose weight, sleep soundly, stop hair loss, help nails grow longer, skin get clearer and replenish the body with various vitamins and minerals we feel we may be lacking. But what if these pills are doing more harm then good? Whether it is super health or super scam, here is the truth behind dietary supplements.
With a wide array of dietary supplements made available in your local pharmacy or health food store and recommended to you by your doctor or pharmacist, it can be easy for most people to assume that these pills are safe and effective. But the truth of the matter is that dietary supplements are not regulated or tested nearly as much as they should be. Unlike drugs, supplement manufacturers do not have to prove the safety and efficacy of their products before going on the market and their labels never reveal any of the harmful side effects that can occur.
Also, there is little oversight of the manufacturing process so many of these bottles do not contain half or sometimes any of the ingredients they claim to sell. Canadian researchers tested popular supplements from 12 companies in 2013, and found that products from only two of the companies actually contained 100 percent of the advertised supplement. The rest had been contaminated with other plants, mislabeled or rancid ingredients, or contained fillers like rice, soy or wheat.
Many of the dietary supplements we take contain large dosages in one single pill. But more is not necessarily better. If you are taking a multi vitamin that covers 100 percent of your daily value intake (which is usually written on the back of the label), you should technically be safe. Unfortunately, there are common vitamins that people can overdose on and they don’t even know it.
Whether it be vitamin D, B vitamins (essential for those following a vegetarian or vegan diet) or vitamin A, don’t get sucked into thinking you automatically have a deficiency or need to constantly take these supplements daily. Instead, speak to your doctor and have blood work done to help determine which dosage would be best for you personally and how may times you should be ingesting it, whether it be daily, weekly or monthly.
Dietary supplements are flourishing during a time where the terms “natural” and “holistic” are extremely sought after. Many people would rather take a million supplements over prescription medications these days to help cure their various health ailments, insomnia, weight issues, etc. But what needs to be made clear is that natural does not always equal safe or beneficial. Many things are both natural and toxic and in no way benefit the human body.
Sometimes, taken in too large doses, these plants or herbs can become lethal (especially for people with pre-existing conditions). A prime example is St-John’s Wort, often taken for depression, anxiety and sleep problems it can cause headaches, dizziness, dry mouth and increase likeliness of getting sunburned. Also, it can cause problems for those taking heart medicines, antidepressants, birth control pills and can make chemotherapy less effective. Once again, see a trusted medical professional before trying any of these “remedies”.
Another fact to consider is that dietary supplements are not always a suitable replacement for the vitamins and minerals we can get from the food in our diets. Researchers have proven time and again that they have seen a health benefit in people who eat a particular food containing a nutrient of interest. They test the nutrient in the lab and see promising and positive health effects. But when the supplements industry isolates the nutrient and tries to sell it in pill form, the studies show there are little to no positive health benefits down the line.
The reason being that whole foods contain a variety of essential nutrients that work together in complex ways to benefit our bodies. Individual pill form nutrients have, at most, a small effect on chronic diseases. In the end, you are better off eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and some fish that offer a rich mix of micronutrients. They offer everything our bodies need to function and eliminate the need for supplementation.
A final thing to note about dietary supplements is that, if taken in too high a dosage, too often or even as a preventative measure, they can cause reverse effects on the body and exacerbate health problems or issues. Vitamin A for example is said to be essential for the support of bone health and promotes healthy growth and reproduction, but if taken too often can be linked to increased risk of hip fractures and osteoporosis. Antioxidant supplements like vitamins E, C and beta-carotenes are touted as being preventative of heart disease and cancer, yet these are the supplements that are not recommended for any cancer patient.
They not only interfere with the treatments and cause the disease to grow faster, but there has also been evidence to suggest that beta-carotene can increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers. One thing to always keep in mind is that these herbal remedies are not cure-alls. Research and consultations with a health care practitioner should be your top priority before purchasing any of these vitamins.
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