Health Effects of Diet Supplements

Sales of nutritional supplements in the United States are a more than $27 billion dollar annual business. That's a lot of chewable vitamin C, diet pills and energy boosters. But because the labeling of supplements is unregulated, people may rely on marketing and less than scientific evidence of the effects of extracts, tinctures and capsules. It pays to be a savvy consumer of supplements to ensure that what you consume performs as expected.

Vitamins

• Columbia University reports that more than half of Americans take dietary supplements but they may not be getting much benefit from them. Most vitamins are water soluble and are just flushed through the system. Fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K can cause complications if they build up in the body. Supplements are important for people who have deficiencies such as anemia or for people who can't follow a healthy diet for some reason. But daily vitamins are not a panacea for poor food choices, pollution or fatigue. Try eating a nutritious low-fat diet, getting adequate sleep and exercise and checking with your health care provider before adding supplements.

Weight Loss

• Weight loss supplements are not magic pills and could even endanger your health. Don't combine weight loss supplements with other medications. Dietary teas are often little more than laxatives and could lead to dependence and that substances like Chitosan, a shellfish derivative, showed no discernible effect on weight loss. Ephedra, the buzzy stimulant that increases blood pressure and could lead to stroke has been banned by the United States Food and Drug Administration. PPA, an appetite suppressant, is now available only by prescription because it, too, could lead to strokes.

Fish Oil

• Some common supplements may perform as expected but getting the whole food nutrient for a dietary source is preferred. Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for brain health, memory and normal growth. They can be important for lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, reducing risks for heart disease and stroke as well as symptoms of arthritis. Results for a host of other imbalances and diseases are less clear although fish oil supplements appear to have some effect on diseases of the brain, macular degeneration and some cancers. Because the supplements can interact with some medications, eating fish rich in omega-3s is recommended over taking supplements but anyone on medication should check with their doctor before increasing omega-3s, in any case.

Reactions with Medications

• One in five people taking prescription drugs also takes supplements like ginseng, echinacea, St. John's wort and ginkgo biloba. In some cases, for people with kidney, liver and heart diseases, for instance, over-the-counter supplements can react badly with medications or reduce their effectiveness. But many people don't tell their doctors when they add non-prescriptions supplements and that many are unaware that there could be serious problems with mixing supplements and medications. You should be treating supplements like any other medication and discussing their addition to your diet with your health care provider.