Supplements
Supplements and Safety
Caveat emptor. The DSHEA Act of 1994 made the supplement industry almost completely unregulated. As a result, it’s hard to know the actual contents, dosages, or efficacy of those pills you may be taking. Be sure to discuss your supplement regimen with us. Many of these seemingly innocuous substances can be harmful.
USA Today has an article on this subject here: Supplements and Medications.
Recent studies have been showing that many supplement pills do not contain what they claim. One such study by the New York attorney general’s office found that most supplements claiming to contain herbs such as echinacea, ginseng, and St John’s Wort, contained either ZERO DNA evidence of these herbs, or only TRACE AMOUNTS.
You can read the article here: Herbal Supplements without Herbs
The PBS show “Frontline” did an interesting expose on this subject also. You can watch it here… http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/supplements-and-safety/
Supplements
Probiotics
Gluten
Vitamins
New studies are constantly emerging. For a number of years, antioxidant effects of Vitamins C and E, and Omega-3 fatty acids were thought to slow aging, and reduce the risk of some cancers by neutralizing “free radicals”. Recently, however, evidence has emerged that these vitamins may reduce the heart-protective effects of cholesterol-lowering medicines such as Lipitor.
Calcium and Vitamin D
Most women over 40 should take 1,200mg of calcium and 600IU of Vitamin D daily to minimize the risk of developing osteoporosis. Check the fine print– what you’re interested in is the amount of “available” or “elemental” calcium. Men over age 40 may also want to consider Calcium and Vitamin D supplementation. For comparison purposes, 30 minutes of sun exposure to the forearms and face yields 2000 IU of Vitamin D.
