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Damage to dietary supplements: what you need to know before buying
1. What is dietary supplements and why is their popularity growing?
Biologically active additives (dietary supplements) are concentrates of natural or identical to natural biologically active substances designed for direct intake with food or introduction into food products. They are not medicines and are not intended for the treatment of diseases. Their goal is to maintain health, replenish the deficiency of vitamins and minerals, increase the body’s resistance to adverse environmental factors and regulation of various physiological functions.
The popularity of dietary supplements is growing for several reasons:
- Self -medication and prevention: Many people prefer to independently take dietary supplements to prevent diseases and improve the general state of health, often without consulting a doctor. This is due to the desire to actively participate in maintaining your health and accessibility of information about dietary supplements on the Internet and the media.
- Lack of nutrients in the modern diet: The modern diet, especially in large cities, is often not balanced and does not provide the body with all the necessary vitamins and minerals. Bades are perceived as a quick and convenient way to replenish these gaps.
- Marketing and commercials: Aggressive advertising of dietary supplements, often with promises of miraculous effects, significantly affects consumer demand. Marketing strategies often exploit people of people before diseases and aging, and also emphasize the “naturalness” and “safety” of dietary supplements.
- Easy accessibility: Bad can be bought without a recipe in pharmacies, specialized stores and via the Internet. This simplifies access to them and contributes to their widespread.
- Faith in alternative medicine: Many people trust alternative treatment methods and consider dietary supplements more “natural” and safe than traditional medicines.
- Placebo effect: Belief in the effectiveness of dietary supplements can cause a positive effect, even if it does not contain active substances in significant concentrations.
2. Bad regulation: how does it work and what are the disadvantages?
Unlike drugs, dietary supplements do not go through strict clinical trials necessary to confirm their effectiveness and safety. Bades regulation are usually less rigid than the regulation of drugs.
In Russia:
- Bades are subject to state registration in Rospotrebnadzor.
- During registration, the correspondence of products is checked by the safety requirements of food products, as well as the compliance of information on the label with the declared characteristics.
- Rospotrebnadzor controls compliance with sanitary standards and rules in the production and turnover of dietary supplements.
- However, the effectiveness of dietary supplements is not evaluated during registration. Manufacturers are not required to prove that their products really have the declared effect.
Disadvantages of regulation:
- Lack of clinical trials: The main drawback is the lack of mandatory clinical trials that would confirm the effectiveness and safety of the dietary supplement. This means that manufacturers can produce products with declared properties without scientific evidence of their effectiveness.
- Insufficient control of the composition: Control over the composition of dietary supplements may be insufficient. Sometimes dietary supplements contain substances that are not indicated on the label, or contain active substances in concentrations exceeding permissible norms. This can lead to undesirable side effects and even poisoning.
- Weak responsibility of manufacturers: The responsibility of dietary supplement manufacturers for poor -quality products and inaccurate information on the label is often limited. It can be difficult for the consumer to prove that harm to health was caused precisely by dietary supplements.
- Unscrupulous advertising: Advertising of dietary supplements often contains inaccurate information about their properties and effectiveness. This can mislead consumers and encourage them to buy unnecessary and even harmful products.
3. Potential damage to dietary supplements: risks and side effects.
The intake of dietary supplements can be associated with various risks and side effects:
- Interaction with drugs: Bades can interact with drugs, changing their effectiveness and increasing the risk of side effects. For example, a St. John’s wort, a perforated (Hypericum Perforatum) can reduce the effectiveness of antidepressants, contraceptives and anticoagulants. Garlic (Allium sativum) can enhance the effect of anticoagulants, increasing the risk of bleeding.
- An overdose of vitamins and minerals: Excessive consumption of vitamins and minerals, especially fat -soluble (a, d, e, k), can lead to hypervitaminosis and other adverse consequences. For example, excess vitamin A can cause nausea, vomiting, headache, hair loss and liver damage. An overdose of vitamin D can lead to calcium deposition in soft tissues and kidney damage.
- The content of harmful impurities: Some dietary supplements may contain harmful impurities, such as heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury), pesticides, bacteria and other toxic substances. This is especially true for dietary supplements made of plant materials, which can be contaminated in the process of growing or processing.
- Unknown composition: Some manufacturers do not indicate the full composition of the dietary supplement on the label or indicate it inaccurately. This can be a danger to people with allergies or individual intolerance to certain components. In addition, the unknown composition makes it difficult to assess the potential harm of dietary supplements.
- Fakes: On the market there are many fake dietary supplements that do not contain declared active substances or contain them in insufficient quantities. The reception of a fake Bad will not only not benefit, but can also harm health.
- Allergic reactions: Bades can cause allergic reactions, especially in people with a predisposition to allergies. Allergic reactions can appear in the form of a skin rash, itching, Quincke’s edema, anaphylactic shock and other symptoms.
- Harm to certain groups of the population: Bades can be dangerous for certain population groups, such as pregnant and lactating women, children, elderly people and people with chronic diseases. For example, some herbs can cause a miscarriage or premature birth. High doses of vitamin A can be teratogenic (cause malformations of the fetus).
4. The most dangerous dietary supplements: a list of substances and ingredients that should be avoided.
There are certain substances and ingredients that are often found in dietary supplements and represent a potential hazard for health:
- Ephedra (ephedra): Previously, it was widely used in dietary supplements for weight loss and energy increase. It is associated with serious side effects, including heart attacks, strokes and death. It is prohibited for sale in many countries.
- Hormones and runners (DHEA, Androstension): Some dietary supplements contain hormones or runners that can cause hormonal disorders, acne, baldness, breast augmentation in men and other side effects. Not recommended for use without a doctor’s prescription.
- Sibutramine: A substance used in weight loss drugs, which was prohibited due to serious side effects, including an increase in blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. Often illegally added to dietary supplements for weight loss.
- Aristol -hideous acid: Contained in some plants used in traditional Chinese medicine. It is associated with renal failure and cancer of the urinary tract.
- Dinitrophenol (DNP): An extremely dangerous substance used as a means for weight loss. It can cause hyperthermia, dehydration, convulsions, to whom death.
- Yohimbine: Used in dietary supplements to increase libido and improve sports results. It can cause anxiety, an increase in blood pressure, heartbeat and headache.
- Lead, cadmium, mercury: Heavy metals that can pollute plant raw materials used for the production of dietary supplements. They can cause various diseases, including damage to the nervous system, kidneys and bones.
- Food dyes, preservatives and flavors: Some nutritional supplements can cause allergic reactions and other adverse effects. Bades containing artificial dyes and preservatives should be especially avoided.
5. How to choose dietary supplements: tips and recommendations.
To minimize the risks associated with the reception of dietary supplements, the following rules must be observed:
- Consult a doctor: Before taking a dietary supplement, be sure to consult a doctor. It will help to determine if you have the need for additional vitamins and minerals, and will select a suitable drug, taking into account your health and drugs taken.
- Choose dietary supplements of famous manufacturers: Give preference to the dietary supplements of famous manufacturers who have a good reputation and many years of experience. Study reviews about the manufacturer on the Internet.
- Read the label carefully: Before buying a diet, read the label carefully. Make sure that it indicates the full composition of the product, the date of manufacture and the expiration date. Avoid dietary supplements with an unclear or suspicious composition.
- Pay attention to the availability of certificates: Make sure the dietary supplement has the necessary certificates of conformity. The presence of a certificate confirms that the product has undergone safety and compliance with quality requirements.
- Do not believe advertising with promises of miraculous effects: Be skeptical of advertising of dietary supplements, promising a rapid cure for diseases or instant improvement of appearance. Remember that dietary supplements are not medicines and are not intended for the treatment of diseases.
- Do not exceed the recommended dose: Strictly observe the recommended dose of dietary supplements indicated on the label. Exceeding the dose can lead to undesirable side effects.
- Tell the doctor about the admission of dietary supplements: If you take any dietary supplements, be sure to inform your doctor about it. This will help to avoid undesirable interaction between dietary supplements with drugs.
- Buy dietary supplements only in proven places: Put dietary supplements only in pharmacies, specialized stores or from trusted Internet seller. Avoid buying dietary supplements in the markets, in dubious online stores or from individuals.
- Follow your well -being: During the reception of Bad, carefully follow your well -being. When any undesirable symptoms appear, stop taking immediately and consult a doctor.
- Do not take dietary supplements for preventive purposes without consulting a doctor: Do not take dietary supplements for preventive purposes without consulting a doctor. Often a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle allow you to get all the necessary vitamins and minerals from food.
6. Bad for children: special warnings.
The use of dietary supplements in children requires special caution. The children’s body is more sensitive to the effects of biologically active substances than an adult.
- Consultation with the pediatrician is required: Before taking a dietary supplement, a child must be consulted with a pediatrician. The doctor will determine whether the child has the need for additional vitamins and minerals, and selects the appropriate drug, taking into account his age, weight and health status.
- Do not give children dietary supplements intended for adults: Children should not be given dietary supplements intended for adults. The dosage of active substances in such dietary supplements can be too high for the child.
- Choose dietary supplements specifically for children: For children, there are special dietary supplements developed taking into account their needs and the characteristics of the body. Choose dietary supplements with “for children”.
- Pay attention to the release form: For young children, it is better to choose dietary supplements in the form of drops, syrup or chewing tablets. Older children can be given dietary supplements in the form of capsules or tablets that they can swallow.
- Do not exceed the recommended dose: Strictly observe the recommended dose of dietary supplements for the children indicated on the label. Exceeding the dose can lead to undesirable side effects.
- Follow allergic reactions: Carefully follow your child after admission of dietary supplements. If any signs of an allergic reaction appear (rash, itching, edema), immediately stop taking it and consult a doctor.
- Do not use dietary supplements to treat diseases in children: Bades are not medicines and are not intended for the treatment of diseases in children. With a child’s illness, you must consult a doctor to prescribe adequate treatment.
- Be careful with dietary supplements containing herbs: Some herbs can be dangerous for children. Before using a dietary supplement containing grass, be sure to consult a pediatrician.
7. Alternatives of dietary supplements: how to get the necessary nutrients from food.
In most cases, the necessary nutrients can be obtained from a balanced diet.
- A variety of nutrition: Eat a variety of food, including fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, low -fat meat, fish and dairy products.
- Balanced diet: Make sure that your diet is balanced and contain all the necessary vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
- Seasonal products: Give preference to seasonal products that contain more vitamins and minerals.
- Minimum processing of products: Try to consume products in a minimum processed form to preserve more useful substances in them.
- Enriched products: Include enriched products in your diet, such as milk enriched with vitamin D, or bread enriched with folic acid.
- Consultation with a nutritionist: If you experience difficulties with compiling a balanced diet, contact a nutritionist. It will help you develop an individual nutrition plan that takes into account your needs and characteristics of the body.
- Cooking at home: Prepare food at home to control the composition of the ingredients and the amount of sugar, salt and fat added.
- Sufficient water consumption: Drink enough water during the day. Water is necessary for the normal functioning of all organs and systems of the body.
8. Conclusion:
To take dietary supplements or not is a personal decision of each person. However, before making the decision, it is necessary to carefully weigh all the pros and cons, consult a doctor and choose dietary supplements consciously, following the recommendations set forth in this article. Remember that health is the most valuable thing we have, and you need to treat it carefully.