Dietary Supplement Risks

Are there dietary supplement risks you may ask? Do dietary supplements work? We'll answer those very questions in this webpage. Let's first discuss dietary supplement risks. Are there risks to dietary supplements? The answer is yes and no.

It may seem odd that there are risks to vitamins for we do need our vitamins and minerals, but just like anything that is good, too much of it can be bad -- that's the core message of this dietary supplement risks page. 

If you've read any other pages on this Nutritional-Supplement-Bible.com website, you know we always recommend you to consult with your doctor before embarking on any dietary supplement plan, and this dietary supplement risks page is no exception.

Dietary Supplement Risks:  Key Precautions

Pregnant and/or nursing women especially should always consult with their doctor before taking any supplement. So, what are some of the dietary supplement risks?

If, for example, you are taking prescription medication with a potent, assimilable standardized herbal extract without taking into account the possible affect they may have upon one another, that could be a serious risk to your health. If, for example, you are taking prescription medication for depression AND you're taking St. John's Wort and Acetohexamide, you could get an increased sensitivity to sunlight.

A woman taking a dietary supplement containing Black Cohosh while pregnant could cause premature childbirth as it's a powerful uterine affecting agent. Another example is this: If you're taking too much Vitamin A, it is actually toxic to your system! Another? High doses of vitamin E may impair vitamin K's function and increase the risk of bleeding.

One final example may be gingko biloba an herb we've taken for the past six years, and aspirin. Gingko Biloba has may therapeutic benefits including improving memory and acting as an anticoagulant -- in other words.

It can help thin your blood. This is bad news if you're taking it with aspirin. Or, if you take it with Chlorothiazide, Ginkgo Biloba increases blood pressure! So, to answer our initial question are there dietary supplements risks? The answer is a definitive yes.

Do Dietary Supplements Work

We've discussed the risks of dietary supplements. Now, let's discuss the question do dietary supplements work? The answer? It may surprise you but the best, most honest answer is -- it depends. Yes, if you take high quality, pharmaceutical grade supplements made with high quality compounds, excipients (the binding agents in tablets), and if the batch of vitamins is certified by a certificate of analysis -- this is key in negating dietary supplements risks.

No, if there is contaminants in the supplement, or if there aren't the declared ingredients on the label. This is more common than you think. Supplement fraud is rampant. Plus, many supplement manufacturers who are honest and ethical deliberately put low quality ingredients in the supplements so as to maximize their profit margin. They opt for synthetic substances instead of the pure.

The result for the body? 90% of all supplements are excreted out either by sweat, urine, or both, doing almost no good for the body. So, the answer to the question, "Do dietary supplements work?" The answer for the most part is sadly no (with a few notable exceptions).

Plus, the contaminants in many supplements could cause a reaction in your system! Yes, something that was taken to improve your health actually harms it.

That is wrong and unethical, but it happens and is happening every day in the dietary supplement world. The final word for this section.

If you are able to find a perfectly engineered supplement, but take too much of it, then that is bad for you as well. Strategy? Follow the recommended dosage and contact the manufacturer if you have any questions.

How To Choose Good Supplements

We've discussed bad supplements and the inherent dietary supplements risks, let's talk about now what criteria experts say you should follow to ensure you're getting a high quality supplement.

1. The supplements should be produced at pharmaceutical standard GMP registered facilities. Facilities that are GMP registered comply with the most rigid standards so as to minimize the possibility of product contaminants. (These are the same standards pharmaceutical companies in the United States are required to operate under as mandated by the FDA.)

2. Ensure the supplement manufacturer has a Certificate of Analysis (COA) on file for review by you the customer thus confirming the potency of the herbal ingredients listed on the label.

3. Ideally, make sure the supplement does not contain any fillers or additives such as sucrose (sugar), starch, gluten, silica (sand) or any other artificial colors, dyes, or flavors.

4. If the multi vitamin has herbal ingredients, make sure that it is standardized extracts as this preserves the potency of the active compounds that provide the therapeutic benefits.

5. The nutritional supplement should possess a broad, synergistic blend of multiple nutrients as they work together for optimum effect.

6. Look for the tablets to have enteric coating. This preserves the ingredients of the tablet in the stomach until it can get to the upper intestine. (This is one of the reasons why only 90% of supplements are nothing more than expensive urine.)

A Quality Product

I've found a company that meets all of these above criteria in New Zealand. The New Zealand government requires more rigid, stricter formulation and quality content than does the U.S. FDA -- even exceeding the FDA's standards. Their vitamin product has over 80 nutrients and versions made just for women, men, as well as a unisex version. I personally take this nutritional supplement or vitamin and am very pleased with the results.

I hope this page has been useful to you.

Yours in health, hope, and harmony,
Nutritional-Supplement-Bible.com