Health Education: supplements

When Supplements are Harmful

This is a subject that is very dear to my heart and one that gets my dander up every time.  I believe one of my blog side panels gives my viewpoint on supplementation and I have openly stated it here, repeatedly, over then past ten years. What I consistently say is that the vitamins and minerals that we need, including antioxidants that may be helpful in reducing chronic disease, inflammation and damage from aging, are best obtained in their NATURAL forms - in foods, in plant based foods.  These awesome vitamins, minerals and antioxidants should be transported via a fork or spoon - not taken from a pill bottle. The only convincing evidence I have ever seen for taking supplements involves calcium and Vitamin D.  Calcium is also associated with negative outcomes so even it cannot be considered an absolute.  All research findings are open to falsification - there can be no "truth" just the truth we know today. And today we know that there is a lot of harm to be found in these pills, shakes and powders.  I am going to quote a couple of scientists who are responding to this new research and link you to an abstract on the actual published study, But before I do - let me remind you of something very important - all those vitamins and supplements you see lined up for purchase are NOT FDA regulated.  The people who make them are the ones claiming how great they are - they are not claims from health experts or nutritionists they are claims from companies with a billion dollar industry -  they want  your MONEY. You do not have to read the article or its abstract but please know that there IS real harm in taking some of these pills and that harm seems to be especially true for older women.  If it were me - or someone I care about - which really is all of you - I would not recommend anything except calcium and D and only if that person's doctor agreed. Here is <a href="http://www.healthcosmo.com/diet-nutrition/dietary-supplements-linked-to-higher-mortality-in-older-women/">an article</a> (or blog post)regarding the just released study - I am linking it because I am pulling a direct quote from the article which I most want to share, it is attributed to Drs. Goran Bjelakovic, M.D., D.M.Sc., of the University of Nis in Nis, Serbia, and Christian Gluud, M.D., D.M.Sc., of Copenhagen University Hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark <blockquote>. . . . add to the growing evidence demonstrating that certain antioxidant supplements, such as vitamin E, vitamin A, and beta-carotene, can be harmful.</blockquote> This <a href="http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/171/18/1625">link</a> will take you to the abstract - or summary- of the actual research which discusses the risks of some supplements to older women.

When Supplements are Harmful

This is a subject that is very dear to my heart and one that gets my dander up every time. I believe one of my blog side panels gives my vi...

7:48 PM

it just doesn't DO that

It is no secret that I do not endorse the use of herbal supplements for any condition. I am not an herbalist or physician so my not endorsing something doesn’t really have practice implications, but as a health educator I will share my reasons. There is very little evidence to support that the use of herbal products has any positive effect on health. Instead there is research that indicates a risk for detriment – to say nothing of the impact on your bank account. Herbals include ginger, ginkgo biloba, garlic and ginseng to name a few. And the reason I name these few is because they were the target of a pretty interesting undercover operation of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in the USA. As you may be aware, the FDA does not approve supplements but is responsible for evaluating complaints on adverse outcomes and contamination if such issues come to light once the pills are on the market. The FTC has the responsibility of assessing label claims, which are really not allowed in anything more than a general sense. So the GAO sent investigators to several retail sights and also contacted website sites that sell these products – under cover of course. Several misleading claims were made in print and verbally for which the FTC is now involved. Contaminants were also found in 37 of the 40 products that were independently tested. Of course, the lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium and pesticide residue was NOT found at a level that the FDA and EPA think are harmful – “hello? I’ll take mine without the lead please and thank you very much.” [note that McDonald’s has just today recalled its plastic Shrek tumblers because they contain cadmium” The study was commissioned in large part due to the marketing claims made towards the aging population – oh those baby boomers and their quest for memory enhancement and cholesterol control – the GAO wants you to know: Gingko biloba does not treat or prevent Alzheimer’s, erectile dysfunction or depression. Garlic does not treat obesity, heart disease or hypertension and ginseng does not cure cancer. There is much more to read in this report, which as a government document, is available in full <a href="http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-662T">here. </a>

it just doesn't DO that

It is no secret that I do not endorse the use of herbal supplements for any condition. I am not an herbalist or physician so my not endorsi...

5:20 PM

Harder, Longer, Stronger - Recall

Well, for goodness sakes I am near speechless. As you know, or as I've noted before, I am on an email list for FDA alerts. I am sure that I would have missed this one if not for the alert, but here it is. A product for male sexual enhancement that claims to be 100 natural (**** that doesn't mean safe, it means natural and natural only means minimally processed) was found to be contaminated through voluntary testing and a recall for certain batches is in effect. I received the FDA alert and also read the company's press release. Then I went to the company website and that is where my mind sort of boggled. Okay, I can't even peruse the website without feeling stupefied. They advertise it as (a trademarked) "Sexticement", it works in 30 minutes and lasts 72 hours. It is a blend of several different herbals and is sold as a supplement. NO where on the website did I see mention of the recall. That is odd because in their own press release they talk about how serious they take that sort of thing and how they use an independent laboratory that is supposed to increase safety and purity. They blame the taint on one of their raw ingredients that came from China. Oh yeah, it has to be China's fault, I bet ALL the ingredients come from China and it is probably bottled there too! Anyways, the FDA reports that tests found an undeclared ingredient in the product and though the FDA doesn't regulate supplements it can take action if they are not what they say they are. In this case, the unidentified ingredient is a derivative of Sildenfil aka Cialis. Men with certain conditions can experience extremely low blood pressure and that is why the Cialis commercials have a disclaimer. The FDA alert didn't say as much as the Rock Hard Laboratories press release did. In the press release it is said that men with certain conditions often take medication that lowers their blood pressure and can thus have fatally low blood pressure if taking ED (erectile dysfunction) drugs. Rock Hard Weekend is not supposed to be a drug. Anyways, the press release goes on to say that men with the following conditions often find themselves sexually compromised - high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. We might not be able to help the 60 plus year old men, but it is time to tell the teens - eat right and exercise, your penis will thank you later! As for the Rock Hard Weekend, well you can get your money back - learn more from the <a href="http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm191052.htm">FDA website.</a>

Harder, Longer, Stronger - Recall

Well, for goodness sakes I am near speechless. As you know, or as I've noted before, I am on an email list for FDA alerts. I am sure t...

5:40 PM

A Crock...

I was not sure what I would write today until I saw an advertisement in a magazine I read during breakfast. The ad was for several products from GNC, a so called health and wellness store. One product boasted not only increased calorie burn but rigorous clinical trials to attest to this claim. According to the ad and website, people who take this supplement (and the ingredients are not listed in the magazine or website, so I guess you have to go to the store to read the label) burn more calories before, during and after exercise. [ you know that I diligently searched for the actual research study - nowhere to be found ] The ad states that it was a double blind randomized placebo controlled study, that of course is what we would hope for, HOWEVER, one test of 25 people does not equal RIGOROUS scientific study. For goodness sakes - yes, we are all so desperate to find these quick and painless cures that we don't apprise ourselves of the small print. The ad also does not say if the difference was statistically significant... and you know why... because it CAN"T be if there were only 25 people. Supplements can contain any number of fillers and can contain any amount of whatever ingredient the scientists think caused this increase calorie burn. I.e. they are not safe nor guaranteed pure. If you think I am perhaps being too cautious, just remember this. Obesity and weight loss are BIG BUSINESS, billions of dollars will be made when someone figures out how to give us the metabolism of birds or Olympic runners... if a clinical trial proved something effective, it would NOT be buried in the pages of Real Simple magazine.

A Crock...

I was not sure what I would write today until I saw an advertisement in a magazine I read during breakfast. The ad was for several product...

4:55 PM

Health Education

When Supplements are Harmful

it just doesn't DO that

Harder, Longer, Stronger - Recall

A Crock...

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