Dietary Supplements

Do we need dietary supplements? The bottom line is that one should do some investigative research before dabbling in this multi-billion dollar a year industry. Here are some points to consider before diving headfirst into the world of supplements:

• Read up on the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health & Education Act (DSHEA). The DSHEA prohibits the FDA from regulating dietary supplements as food additives and expands the types of products that can be marketed. Dietary supplements now include vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals, amino acids, any concentrate, metabolite, constituent, extract, or combination thereof. As a result of this act, MLMs (multi-level marketing) schemes have grown exponentially. Consider the number of infomercials on the airwaves promoting weight loss, detoxification benefits, colon cleansing, reduction of belly fat, etc. The DSHEA coupled with our fear-based society (are we getting enough vitamins & minerals?) has made for a very powerful combination of opportunity and perceived need.

• Just because something is ALL-NATURAL does not mean it is good for you. Remember ephedra, ma-huang? All natural....

• Over supplementation of water-soluble vitamins (B & C) are flushed away in the toilet and this simply equals expensive waste. On the other hand, over supplementation of the fat soluble (A,D,E,K) can create toxicity in your body, liver damage, screw up your electrolytes balance and affect absorption of other vitamins & minerals.

• Real fruits & vegetables contain fiber. Extracts found in supplements do not. You want the fiber. Drinking juice or eating fruits and vegetables are the preferred approach.

• Beware of the placebo effect. Proven many times over to be very real and powerful. If you want to feel positive benefits of something...you quite possibly will.

• Consider how many drugs and supplements over the years actually undergo and pass FDA testing, only to be pulled from the market later. The FDA is a solid defense in providing some sort of third party, objective testing within this industry. Bypassing this altogether takes away a layer of consumer protection.

　
Additional helpful input:
The American Dietetic Association put together a list of 10 red flags that signal bad nutritional advice:

1. Recommendations that promise a quick fix.
2. Dire warnings of dangers from a single product or regimen.
3. Claims that sound too good to be true.
4. Simplistic conclusions drawn from a complex study.
5. Recommendations based on a single study.
6. Dramatic statements that are refuted by reputable scientific organizations.
7. Lists of "good" and "bad foods".
8. Recommendations made to help sell a product.
9. Recommendations based on studies published without peer review.
10. Recommendations from studies that ignore differences among individuals or groups.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, what are often marketed as "sports drinks" or "energy drinks", are also supplements and also not regulated by the FDA. This would include products like Red Bull and Monster. Yes, these products bypass FDA testing, and everyone around us is drinking them. Please, please, please always educate yourselves fully and contemplate anything you are considering putting into your body.