supplements
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Should You Supplement or Not?
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
A healthful diet is more beneficial than a handful of dietary supplements.
Confused about the value of taking a multivitamin supplement? You are not alone! Accumulating evidence suggests they probably don't help, and may even increase risks. There has never been strong evidence in their favor, and were often recommended on the notion that they were good insurance. It may take the full blend of vitamins, minerals, anitoxidants and phytochemicals found in whole foods to deliver the benefits.
PositiveTip: Health is not found in a pill. Good food and regular physical activity are the most important ingredients to good health.
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Vitamins C and E Supplements Strike Out Again
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
Nutrient supplements continue to struggle in proving any real worth.
A study of 14,641 older male physicians for an average of 8 years has quashed hopes that supplements of vitamins C and E might reduce the risk of cataracts. The rate of cataracts between those getting vitamin C or E instead of the placebo was almost identical. Researchers had hoped that longer supplementation might be useful, but the study concluded that it is not.
PositiveTip: Eat vitamin E and C rich foods in your diet, but save your money and skip supplements --at least when it comes to preventing cataracts.
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Three Popular Dietary Supplements Recalled for Contamination
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
Dietary supplements recalled because they contain undeclared drugs ingredients.
The dietary supplement in your cupboard may contain more than you bargained for! The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recalled three products marketed by the EZVille company. Solo Slim and Solo Slim Extra Strength were found to contain sibutramine, a prescription appetite suppressant known to increase the risk of stroke and heart attack. Revivexxx Extra Strength, advertised to increase male sexual enhancement, actually contains unlabeled tadalafil, better know as Cialis.
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Vitamin B Supplements Fail to Prevent Dementia
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
Large study finds B vitamins do not reduce risk of recurrent stroke.
More than 8000 patients with a history of recent stroke were randomized to either a placebo or a daily dose of B vitamins (folic acid, B6 and B12). After an average of 3.4 years of follow-up, both treatment groups had the same risks for major vascular events. The results of this 20 country study do not support the use of B vitamins to prevent recurrent stroke.
PositiveTip: Do not count on supplements to prevent disease. Choose a wholesome diet rich in whole-grains, vegetables and fruit for the best outcomes.
Cardiac Risks from Calcium Supplements
Posted by Elvin Adams on
Millions of women take calcium supplements. The U.S Government recommends 1200 mg intake of calcium per day for men and women over the age of 50.
Recent research, just published in the British Medical Journal, show that calcium supplements actually have no beneficial effect on bone density and are actually harmful because they increase the risk of heart attacks.
Scientists at the University of Auckland in New Zealand analyzed 11 calcium supplement studies (without Vitamin D), with more than 12,000 participants. The risk of heart attacks among those taking supplements was 31% higher than those not taking them.
Vitamins Don't Prevent a Second Heart Attack
Posted by Elvin Adams on
One risk factor for first-time heart attacks is an elevated blood level of homocysteine. High homocysteine levels can be lowered by administering vitamin B12 and folic acid. The question has been whether or not this treatment would result in reduced disease and death from heart attacks.
Do Expensive Supplements Provide Real Healing?
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
Many people who spend hard-earned money on expensive nutritional supplements are mistakenly seeking a "natural" method of healing. The companies who sell these products know this, and spin their marketing to exploit it. You can learn more about "natural" doesn't always mean natural if you wish.
Some people today dream of a wonderful time in the past when all food was organic and no one ever used pesticides. Health problems were treated with folk remedies. Obesity was unheard of, and everyone got plenty of physical activity. And...the average life expectancy was a ripe old 35!
Are Expensive Supplements A Rip-off?
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
Many people today, even in church lobbies, are selling high-priced nutritional supplements through network marketing schemes.
Remember the Bible story of Naaman (I Kings 5)? He was an important man in the Syrian army, and he had leprosy. Every Syrian treatment had failed, including all the alternative methods. But then a little slave girl suggested the prophet of God who lived in Israel, an enemy country. Naaman's king gave him permission to visit this healer, and sent along fabulous gifts.
Do Expensive Supplements Make Me Healthy?
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
So your doctor, or someone you know, has been urging you to try expensive nutritional supplements. The problem? The supplements they suggest are far more expensive than you can afford. How badly do you need them? Will you endanger your health without them?
The American Dietetic Association says a healthy diet will give you all the nutrients you need. Of course there are rare exceptions, such as when people have a disease or an acute deficiency. But if you want a little nutritional "insurance", a good multi-vitamin from your local pharmacy is just fine.
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"Nutritional Insurance" Raises Risk of Breast Cancer
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
Multivitamin users experienced 19% more breast cancers.
Can "nutritional insurance" in the form of taking multivitamin supplements actually increase the risk of breast cancer? Swedish investigators followed more than 35,000 older women (49-083 at the beginning) for an average of 10 years, and discovered that after adjusting for known risk factors, the multivitamin users were 19% more likely to develop breast cancer. While this observational study cannot determine cause-and-effect, the authors indicate it is certainly biologically plausible.
PositiveTip: If you eat a healthy and varied diet there is really no need to take multivitamins.