Americans spent billions of dollars last year on natural remedies. But with so many different products to choose from in the aisles of your local health food store, how do you know which ones are worth buying and which ones you should avoid. Its important to note that there are many vitamin and nutritional supplements that can work wonders for your health however if you make the wrong choice, you may cause yourself irreparable damage. Before you make any long term decisions about your health, take a moment and discover these 3 amazing secrets related to supplements.
Amazing Secret #1 The difference between a drug and a nutritional supplement.
Secret # 2 The implications of taking supplements while also taking prescription drugs.
Stunning Secret # 3 The importance of taking only name brand supplements from approved sources.
The Difference Between and Drug and Nutritional Supplements
Often times, there is no significant difference. Both can have strong effects and can cause physical problems if taken incorrectly. One of the critical factors is how the FDA, or the Food and Drug Administration view them. Largely, supplements are handled like foods. They are intended to supplement the diet, to go along with it. Drug on the other side are substances intended to treat or prevent disease. Due to these differing definitions, most supplements get lots of attention from the FDA, almost as much as a package of cough drops.
The Impact of Taking Both Drugs and Supplements
Be cautious with supplements because some of them can interfere with the doctor prescribed drugs that you may be taking, and they may also cause serious and dangerous side effects. The easy answer to this is to talk to your doctor before taking any supplement, even if you believe it to be perfectly fine. Whenever you are scheduled for surgery, make sure to discontinue all supplements, for they may interfere with the anesthesia and can cause high blood pressure and excessive bleeding.
The Importance of Taking Only Brand Name Supplements
One myth that has run wild is that supplements are safer than prescription drugs because they are thought to be natural and chemical free. Unfortunately research has not shown this to be true across the board. Many independent tests have found that some supplements were contaminated with potentially harmful ingredients such as pesticides, bacteria and heavy metals. More recently, Consumer Reports tests found that labels on supplement bottles did not contain what they said nor was the dosage information correct. According to their research, a good strategy is to rely on more well known companies like GNC or vitamin shoppe over lesser known brands. These and other better known brands appear to have more consistent quality and safety.
Now that you have been enlightened, you may be wondering where you can obtain accurate information about supplements. It is ironic that most of what you will see online or hear from talking with a grocery store clerk is not reliable. Take a step in the right direction by talking to the FDA and the National Institute of Health.
