The Dangers of Dietary Supplements

The Food and Drug Administration has recorded more than 2,500 reports of side effects and 79 deaths associated with dietary supplements. Millions of Americans take dietary supplements.

Alternative therapies have become very attractive as treatments for a variety of medical conditions. While it is true that no treatment is without risk, medical professionals are particularly unsure as to the safety of many of these products. People are essentially self-medicating, without the proper knowledge of the substances that they are using.

Good nutrition uses a number of these substances in limited amounts. Most times, when nutrients are consumed in their natural form in food, they are considered safe. However, when we start to consume mega doses of these nutrients in addition to our regular diet we can create some potential risks.

Supplements promise to slow aging, improve memory, clean kidneys, protect the heart, and even prevent cancer, and there is evidence that some herbs, vitamins, and minerals do help. Folic acid, Calcium, garlic, and ginger are just a few of these beneficial supplements.

However, there are a large number of other products that have few, if any, reports of substantial data to support their claims of health benefits. These products are sold with very little information as to the potential side effects, or even how the product works. "You almost have to be a detective," said Mary Ellen Camire, food sciences chief at the University of Maine, who studies natural remedies.

Dietary supplements came into their greatest popularity when Congress shielded them from most government oversight in 1994. They have been able to sell without prior certification or purity inspections, as the law prohibited supplements from advertising that they directly treat or prevent disease, but allowed them to boast vague claims of "supporting bodily functions".

This law has been enabling the sale of billions of dollars in sales of supplements until recently. A presidential commission called last fall for changes to clear the confusion, urging the FDA to aggressively review herbal supplements, clearly labeling those that work with some benefit to the user. Regulations aside, experts warn that "natural" does not necessarily mean "safe".

"There are many herbs with therapeutic potential, but I think you need to be smart with how you use them," says Susan Smolinske, a toxicologist and sort of medical detective at Detroit's poison control center. Women are especially at risk, when it comes to dietary supplements, due to the fact that they use far more products that men.

Studies suggest that 40% of patients do not tell their doctors that they use alternative therapies, which makes diagnosis of some bizarre reactions very difficult. Smolinske was recently called in to diagnose two astonishing cases.

In the first, a 47-year-old Detroit woman was losing her ability to swallow and breathe, as her muscle tissue was rapidly dying. The culprit: a ma huang, a Chinese herb also known as ephedra. The herb is often used for weight loss, but has been linked to 15 other cases of muscle destruction.

In the second, a young woman was covered head-to-toe in a rash, complete with itchy pustules on the soles of her feet. She has recently switched from her normal multivitamin to one with added ginkgo. According to Smolinski, in rare cases, ginkgo can be contaminated with a poison ivy-like substance.

"Mainstream medicine does not have all the answers," stressed Judith Jacobson, a Columbia University epidemiologist. Many of these remedies have not been studied for safety. Others have been studied for safety only when taken in conjunction with other medications. For example, many herbalists advise people on blood thinners to avoid ginkgo and ginseng.

What can you do to ensure your health? First of all, always check the product label. Although supplements are largely unregulated, the U.S. Pharmacopeia has developed standards for some, and those bottles should mention "USP" on the label. You can also check The American Botanical Council's "HerbalGram", and ask your doctor about possible drug-supplement interactions. Most importantly, seek medical diagnosis and known effective treatments for an underlying condition, before self-medicating yourself in any way.