Dietary supplements are a booming industry, helped in no small parts by celebrity proponents who tout the supposed health benefits of the items. The problem with supplements is that they’re not required to meet the same rigorous safety requirements of medication.
Consumer Reports has published an article focused on the dietary supplement industry, and the information on hand should serve as a warning that anyone using such supplements should do so with the utmost caution. For instance, the article points to one study from last year that found that, when comparing multivitamins with placebos, those who took the former for ten years did not have longer lifespans and were not at lesser risk for a stroke or heart attack.
What’s disheartening is the false perception that some may have about dietary supplements. Many people may not realize the negative interaction they could have with other medications you’re on, and one study related by Consumer Reports notes that more than half of survey respondents falsely believed that supplement makers were required to highlight dangers via a label. The truth is that the safety and efficacy of these products does not have to be proved in the same manner as drugs.
Use caution with these items. You should speak with a doctor before usage and tell doctors about your current regimen. In that way, you can be sure you’re not accidentally endangering yourself.