4 Surprising Truths About Supplements

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The next time you go to the doctor, he or she may tell you to add supplements to your diet. Since most people don’t get the nutrition they need from food, it makes sense to take a few pills during the day to live a healthier life.

Unfortunately, your doctor probably won’t tell you these four surprising truths about supplements. Until you know them, though, you can’t choose options that optimize your health.

No One Regulates the Supplements Industry

The federal government plays a heavy role in what drugs Americans can consume. Considering that it takes at least 10 months for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve drugs that could potentially save the lives of sick people, you may assume that it also keeps a tight rein on supplements.

In reality, no government agency regulates the supplements industry. This situation makes it difficult for consumers to choose effective supplements. When you buy a bottle of supplements, it’s nearly impossible to know whether the pills contain high-quality ingredients that will benefit you. Companies can even make unproven claims about their supplements without worrying that they will get sued.

Your best option is to choose supplements from a company that controls every step of the growing and manufacturing process. For instance, Amway is involved in raising, manufacturing, and distributing the herbs that go into its supplements. It’s still difficult to know exactly what certain supplements can do for your body, but at least you know you’re buying what the bottle advertises.

Many Supplements Are Tainted With Prescription and Illegal Drugs

Although the FDA does not approve supplements in advance, it does have an effect on the supplement industry after the fact. In April 2015, it sent warning letters to 14 supplement companies saying that their products contained DMBA, a synthetic stimulant that hasn’t been tested in people, but is chemically similar to dimethylamylamine (DMAA), which the FDA earlier declared to be an illegal supplement ingredient. The FDA correctly claimed that the safety of DMBA is unknown. It’s a good bet that taking these supplements won’t improve your health.

DMBA isn’t the only drug that’s been found in supplements. Researchers discovered that a sexual performance supplement called King of Romance contained Viagra, and a weight loss supplement called Xcel contained Prozac.

If you want to know what you’re putting into your body, don’t trust supplement companies unless they maintain full control of the production process. The companies may not even know that they’re distributing drugs illegally.

Some Supplements Could Do More Harm Than Good

Just because a company claims that a supplement can improve an aspect of your health doesn’t mean that taking the pill will do anything good for you. In fact, research shows that some supplements could actually do more harm than good.

Contrary to popular belief and advertisements, fish oil doesn’t help prevent prostate cancer. Neither does black tea. Vitamin E won’t extend your life. Lavender doesn’t improve sleep or relaxation. In fact, some of those substances could do the opposite of what they claim.

Before you buy any supplement, review the available scientific literature to make sure you’re spending your money on something that’s potentially helpful. You may discover that research shows the opposite of what you hope to gain from taking certain supplements.

Supplements Won’t Treat Major Illnesses

In most cases, taking moderate amounts of a supplement won’t hurt you. If you rely on the supplement to treat an illness, though, your condition will likely continue to worsen.

St. John’s Wort offers an excellent example of how supplements can prevent people from seeking the medical attention they need. The herb is said to have properties that treat depression and anxiety. Little evidence, however, shows that it is an effective remedy for these conditions. People who take St. John’s Wort supplements instead of seeing their doctors put themselves in danger of becoming very depressed, which can eventually lead to suicidal thoughts.

Taking St. John’s Wort probably won’t make you more depressed, but it probably won’t help you, either. That situation puts you in danger when you use the supplement instead of seeing a trained professional for help.

Some supplements can have positive effects, but it’s difficult to know what you’re getting when you buy a bottle. Make sure you do some research before you take your next capsule.

About Post Author

Abigail Clark

Abigail Clark is an upcoming freelance writer. She graduated from The University of South Florida with a bachelors in marketing, minoring in journalism. When she isn’t up to her neck in coupons she is enjoying the outdoors fishing. She loves doing reviews for technology, home products and beauty products. If you would like her to do a review for you look her up on twitter @downtownabby17.

downtownabby17@gmail.com