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Nutritional supplements come in several forms such as pills, teas, powders and drinks. They are usually taken to provide a specific benefit, such as improving energy levels, increasing muscle mass or elevating mood. Examples of nutritional supplements include multivitamins, herbs, protein powders and energy bars.
When making the decision about whether or not to take a nutritional supplement, it is important to understand that most nutritional supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration or any other regulatory body. The types of supplements that are not regulated include herbal preparations and performance enhancing supplements.
There are many reasons why this is important. First, there may be compounds in the supplement that were never intended to be there. There have been supplement recalls because of contamination, meaning an unintended substance was included when the supplement was manufactured. This is usually not discovered until the supplement harms people, because it is not tested for purity before being put out to consumers.
Since August, the FDA requires large supplement companies to ensure supplements are not contaminated and they do not contain impurities; however, medium sized companies have until 2009 to comply and small companies have until 2010 to comply. Depending on stock levels, it may be some time before the tested products hit store shelves.
Second, there may be higher or lower doses of a compound than the label indicates, which may mean you are taking a potentially harmful dose or you are taking a “sugar pill.” This safety concern will not change with the new FDA requirements. Finally, the lack of supplement regulation means that supplements that may be harmful can still be sold to consumers. Unlike medications that must undergo rigorous testing prior to being released to consumers, consumers must prove that a product made by the supplement manufacturers is harmful. For example, some performance enhancing supplements may contain ingredients that hinder the body’s ability to cool itself during exercise, exertion or when living in very hot climates, thereby causing heat injuries, seizures and potentially death. The manufacturer may not know that the combination of ingredients has this effect – it may not be known until several people are harmed; unfortunately this result has been the case with a variety of supplements.
There is another very important reason to carefully consider whether supplements are right for you – a supplement could interact with prescription or non-prescription medication you are taking. This is an aspect often overlooked. Some herbs have the same action of prescription medications, so if taken together, a person could risk an overdose reaction. Some supplements prevent a medication from having its intended effect, so it is as if the medication was not taken.
The bottom line is that if you want to take any kind of supplement, first discuss it with your doctor or other healthcare provider to make sure the supplement is safe for you. After you decide that a supplement is right for you, do your homework because you want to find a reputable brand.
For more information, visit www.medicinenet.com, www.mayohealth.org, www.onhealth.com or www.fda.gov. Or, call a dietitian at the Nutrition Clinic at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center at 486-7144.
