Is Food Supplement Safe?

“Caution is the eldest child of wisdom.” Victor Marie Hugo (1802-1885), French poet, novelist, and dramatist

Dr. Jacob Gold, an internal medicine physician at the University of California in Los Angeles, says: “Anything that has an intended effect also has a side effect. The truth is, if a supplement does something you want it to do, it will probably also do something you don’t want it to do.” Very logical and very well said! What Dr. Gold said is the essence of today’s article.

Why do people take dietary or food supplements?

People take food supplements because they believe that doing so will help them be healthier. History points out that the use of health-promoting herbs goes back from Aztec to Celt to Han Dynasty (Mayo Health Letter). They believe that medicinal aromatic plants cure ills and increase wellbeing. Modern-day people’s beliefs are not different from those of our forefathers. You and I believe that taking supplements will help prevent illnesses, including common cold, infections, arthritis, osteoporosis, and immune system problems.

What are today’s food supplements?

The most popular are vitamins and minerals. Next in popularity are fish oil, probiotics, glucosamine, and a variety of herb and plant extracts. Also on the list are enzymes, botanicals, and amino acids.

Vitamins and minerals

Taking vitamins and minerals supplements is generally OK. B vitamins are good for alcohol drinkers. Folic acid is good for pregnant women and in women who are trying to be pregnant to help prevent birth defects. Vitamin B12 is a nutritional supplement for those who can’t eat a lot of meat (hypertensive, diabetic). Calcium and vitamin D is good for bone health.

Be careful. Some dietary supplements can cause damage to organs of the body

Take dietary and natural supplements with caution: If you’re using a blood thinner, like aspirin, be careful in taking Ginkgo biloba because it is also a blood-thinning supplement. Ginseng works in a similar manner. Too much ginseng can cause bleeding in patients who are already taking blood-thinners. Creatine, an amino acid, in bodybuilding supplements can damage the kidneys. St. John’s wort, they say, promotes good sleep, but it interacts with other drugs, including antidepressants; and can cause liver damage.