The supplement industry is a billion dollar money maker. Half of all American adults (including 70 percent of those age 65 and older) take a multivitamin or another vitamin or mineral supplement regularly. The total price tag exceeds $12 billion per year. Johns Hopkins and other organizations say the money might be better spent on nutrient-packed foods like increasing fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat daily products. Reducing saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and sugar is also necessary for good health. While this is very necessary and very important, certain conditions require the addition of supplement use.
In a 10-year study, researchers looked at surveillance data from 63 emergency departments to estimate the annual number of emergency room visits associated with adverse effects from dietary supplements. The authors defined “dietary supplements” as herbal or complementary products, and vitamin or amino acid micronutrients. Patients visiting the emergency room for symptoms related to supplement use were an average of 32 years old, and women made up more than half of all visits. Just over 10% of these visits resulted in admission to the hospital, especially among adults older than 65.
Weight-loss products accounted for one quarter of all single-product emergency room visits and disproportionately affected women, while men were more likely to experience adverse effects from products advertised for sexual enhancement and body building. Energy-boosting products made up anther 10% of these visits.
Although the study’s findings are annual estimates based on emergency room visits to a relatively small number of hospitals, they reflect the growing use of dietary supplements and micronutrients. These products are widely available without prescription and are advertised as alternatives or complements to therapeutically prescribed drugs. As a result, dietary or herbal supplements are widely perceived to be natural and safe. The most recent figures indicate that there is more than 55,000 such products available in the United States.
While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is charged with overseeing dietary supplements, there is no safety testing or FDA approval required before a new supplement goes on the market. In addition, there are no requirements that dietary supplement packaging list potential adverse effects, nor are there standards for maximum pill size (a clear risk for older people).
Some supplements that were found to have health benefits in observational studies turned out, with more rigorous testing, to be not only ineffective but also risky. Vitamin E, which was initially thought to protect the heart, was later discovered to increase the risk for bleeding strokes. While folic acid is recommended for women of child-bearing age, folic acid and other B vitamins were once believed to prevent heart disease and strokes. Later studies not only didn’t confirm that benefit but actually raised concerns that high doses of these nutrients might increase cancer risk.
Heath care providers also may neglect to ask patients about the use of over-the-counter or natural dietary supplements. Without that information, they may not recognize that any signs and symptoms their patients may be experiencing could be related to these products.
Certainly some dietary supplement can be beneficial. And blood tests can be given to determine your levels of several vitamins. Be very sure where you are getting supplements. Not all brands work the same way. Not all brands are effective. I try to buy most of my supplements from Life Extension and my naturopathic doctor. When sold through a health specialist the supplements they sell are often more effective and manufactured in a better way versus over the counter & in health food stores.
People who take supplements tend to be more health conscious, exercise more, and eat healthier diets.
There is a lot of encouraging news about supplements. A series of studies hailed vitamin D as a possible defense against a long list of diseases, including cancer, diabetes, depression, and even the common cold. Omega-3 fatty acids have been touted for warding off strokes and other cardiovascular events. And antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and beta carotene were seen as promising silver bullets against heart disease, cancer, and even Alzheimer’s disease. But if the product isn’t working in your particular biochemistry, it won’t do anything beneficial.
However, supplemental folic acid for women of child-bearing age prevents neural tube defects in babies when women take it before and during early pregnancy.
It is recommended that all women of reproductive age get 400 micrograms of folic acid daily. The amount of iron in a multivitamin may also be beneficial for women of child of child-bearing potential, Larry Appel, M.D. said. He is with John Hopkins.
People who are living a vegan lifestyle may come up short on vitamin B12, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. Samantha Heller is a registered dietitian at NYU Langone Health who said, “vitamin D insufficiency is a global problem, though there is no consensus among health experts as to how much vitamin D people should take.” I take 5,000 IU’s and this amount provides me with blood levels within the normal ranges. My doctor does blood work for this vitamin each time I have blood work done.
In addition to poor nutrition, there are health conditions that deplete vitamins and minerals. Supplementation is needed in those cases. Work with your doctor or alternative health care professional.
Samantha Heller also said “supplements can be helpful when necessary, but there are people who feel that if a little is good, more is better. Our bodies work at maintaining a very delicate balance, and taking too much of any one nutrient can knock that balance off. the nutrients in foods work synergistically to help keep us healthy and fight disease.”
Studies were published online April 8 in the Annuals of Internal Medicine.
