Can You Take Too Many Supplements?
Published On: 11-22-2011 05:43pm
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Category: Health
It is a fact that the majority of adults in the United States take at least one dietary supplement every day. These supplements include vitamins D and E; minerals like calcium and iron; herbs such as Echinacea and garlic; and specialty products like glucosamine and fish oils.
If you don’t eat a balanced diet, some supplements might help you get adequate amounts of essential nutrients. However, supplements don’t take the place of the actual food that is needed to keep us healthy.
It’s important to check with your physician about your supplements if you are scheduled to have any type of surgical procedure. Also recognize that supplements do have side effects or can harm you if they are taken of your prescribed medicines or when taken your prescribed medications. Your health care providers (doctors, pharmacists, and dietitians) should know which dietary supplements you are taking so that you can discuss what’s best for your overall health. Be sure to not start taking a supplement unless your physician first says it’s safe to do so.
Why is this important? Supplements can interact with certain prescription drugs and cause problems. For example:
- Vitamin K can reduce the ability of the blood thinner Coumadin to prevent blood from clotting.
- St. John’s Wort can speed the breakdown of many drugs, including antidepressants and birth control pills, reducing the effectiveness of these drugs.
- Antioxidant supplements, like vitamins C and E, might reduce the effectiveness of some types of cancer chemotherapy.
- Some supplements are actually added to breakfast cereals and beverages, and you may be getting more of them than you need. More is not always better.
The term “natural” doesn’t always mean safe. A supplement’s safety depends on many things, such as its chemical makeup, how it works in the body, how it is prepared, and the dose used. Certain herbs (for example comfrey and kava) can harm the liver.
Supplements are products intended to support the diet, not replace it. They are not drugs and should not be expected to treat, diagnose, prevent, or cure diseases. Keeping this in mind will help us all have a balanced view of dietary supplements and not unnecessarily take too many.
