Dietary Supplements – What Are They and Why Should I Be Concerned?
A
dietary supplement is any product taken by mouth that contains a so-called
"dietary ingredient". These
dietary ingredients may include vitamins, minerals, herbs, and amino acids as
well as substances such as enzymes, organ tissues, metabolites, extracts or
concentrates. Dietary supplements can be found in many forms such as pills,
tablets, capsules, liquids or powders and must be identified on the label as a
dietary supplement.
Canadians
spend an estimated $1 billion dollars annually in dietary supplements (also
known as alternative therapies). The
reasons why many people have turned towards dietary supplements are:
· A lack of faith in traditional/conventional medicine
·
A desire
to manage or be in control of their own health
·
A belief
that conventional medicines have too many side effects
·
A belief
that herbal remedies or other dietary supplements are “natural” and
therefore safer
· Testimonials about the effectiveness of the dietary supplement from people that they know
Unfortunately,
many people taking dietary supplements are reluctant to discuss them with their
physician or other health professionals.
They may fear disapproval or feel that the conventional care they are
receiving will change, particularly if they have experienced an adverse
reaction. Because of this lack of
reporting, no one knows how many negative effects are really occurring with
dietary supplements.
There is evidence that some dietary supplements may provide some health benefits. However, they should not be used in place of conventional medicines but rather in conjunction with them. Nevertheless, it is important for a physician to know what dietary supplements are being taken to assess the risk of possible side effects of the supplement as well as interactions with drugs that the person may be taking.