As April’s health report concluded, while the benefits of supplements are often not proven or exaggerated, there are times when individuals may have medical conditions that increase their individual need for supplementation of specific vitamins.
Who might need supplementation?
Those with iron deficiency may need iron supplementation. Pregnant women may need more folic acids than they would get in their normal diets; osteoporosis patients may could benefit from calcium and Vitamin D beyond what their normal diets provide.
In other cases, some groups may have difficulty getting enough of a specific vitamin, such as Vitamin D3. It’s estimated that 65 percent of Americans are deficient in this vitamin, so supplementation may be recommended, especially if for those living in area northern with little sun exposure. Another example: according to the NIH, vitamin B12 insufficiency affects over 12.5 percent of all adults and risk increases with age. Those eating a fully plant-based diet don’t get Vitamin B12 from the soil where microbes make it, so again a need for supplementation.
What if you have a health condition and want to explore how a specific supplement might improve your health?
It’s best to discuss your options with a knowledgeable health care provider before spending money on vitamins and supplements. If your body doesn’t need a particular supplement, it will simply get rid of it, and the money you spend will go down the toilet. Worse, you can end up creating problems if you are taking too much of certain vitamins. Excess Vitamin A, for instance, can become toxic creating vision and skin changes, bone pain and potential liver damage.
Perhaps you also want to do your own research. Here’s an example: You have heard that the supplement AMLA can lower blood pressure. Going on the internet you have seen lots of ads rhapsodizing about how your blood pressure will plummet once you start this supplement. You decide to check it out by reviewing reputable medical websites such as the National Institutes of Health- Office of Dietary Supplements. You type in “Dietary Supplement Factsheet” where you’ll factual information about amla as well as other helpful resources such as “Dietary Supplements: What You Need To Know” and “Frequently Asked Questions.”
This month’s health report will conclude with strategies you can use when facing supplement claims, especially ones that are new and seem to have no or shaky science behind them.
Five ways consumers can protect themselves from fraudulent and supplement claims
First – don’t blindly accept the claims. Be realistic or as nutrition expert Dr. Michael Greger wisely states: “Generally speaking, Mother Nature’s powers cannot be stuffed into a pill.” The aggressive marketing of supplement manufacturers, coupled with popular media influencer messages can be hard to resist, even when those supplements are proven ineffective or even harmful.
Second – Recognize that due to changes in the 1994 law, US supplements are now not regulated as tightly as drugs are (although some fear that drug regulation/enforcement will now also weaken due to less staff and budget cuts.) At this point drugs sold in the United States must meet USP standards including need to conduct clinical trials to prove a product is effective or safe before putting it on the market.
Third – Understand that the situation with dietary supplements is different. Unlike drugs, supplement manufacturers do not need to conduct clinical trials to prove a product is effective or safe before putting it on the market. The FDA does not evaluate supplements for safety, effectiveness, or quality. Because supplements are assumed safe like foods, the FDA does not require manufacturers to verify the ingredients in a given product.
Be aware that recent headlines such as this one by a major news outlet “Study highlights risks of popular dietary supplements. Millions of Americans rely on dietary supplements, but new research warns that some could harm your health” and this American Medical Association 2024 report: “Dietary supplements: underregulated, unknown, and maybe unsafe.”
Fourth – Protect yourself by choosing supplements which are certified by third-party organizations like NSF (National Science Foundation), ConsumerLab or USP (United States Pharmacopeia) verified mark on products, ensuring what’s on the label is actually in the product and at the labeled potency and amount.
Fifth – Consider the risks. Knowing there are minimal guarantees when considering using a supplement, bear in mind any potential harm. If the supplement has been shown to be only weakly effective, but harmless, such as taking elderberry supplements for a cold, you may decide to gamble considering you’ll only lose money; however, if it has potential to harm your health, taking it is a riskier decision, making your own body the subject of a potential biology experiment!
