There are a lot of mixed messages when it comes to dietary supplements: Do they do anyone any good? Are they dangerous? Does everyone need to take half a dozen
every day? In this article I will discuss the value of clinical grade supplements.
If you take a moment on your favorite web browser to look up “Centrum Silver X-ray” you will find a picture of an elderly women’s abdomen, with light, oblong spheres scattered around her intestines, the last one very low in her colon. When you read the story, you find she states she takes Centrum Silver every day. Although the only way to ‘prove’ it was the vitamins in her colon would be to some pretty invasive internal investigations, one can use deductive reasoning to conclude the vitamin was the only possibility. Of course, the take home message of this is for some reason the vitamins never dissolved in her system, therefore did her no good.
Instead of throwing out the whole concept of taking vitamins, there are two major issues to explore: the quality of the gut, and the quality of the vitamin. We will revisit gut health on another day.
Vitamin quality is something under grand scrutiny from many people because it seems each supplement bottle or commercial states “this statement has not been evaluated by the FDA,” so many people write off vitamins as a fraud. Truth is, vitamin content is regulated by the FDA, through minimum standards called “current Good Manufacturing Practice” (cGMP) regulations requiring that manufacturers evaluate their products through testing identity, purity, strength, and composition. The FDA does not support any claims that the vitamin may cure or prevent any certain condition, but vitamin companies have minimum federal requirements as to the contents within the supplement.When you investigate individual vitamin manufacturers, you will find many greatly exceed these basic FDA practice standards through their own self-regulation, through third party quality control companies, or through university studies such as the Functional Medicine Research Center at the Cleveland Clinic. As you correctly just assumed, these additional tests come with a hefty price tag. So, the more thoroughly tested a vitamin is, the more it is going to cost.
Filler ingredients are another huge issue regarding the cost and efficacy of a supplement. These are ingredients added to the vitamins, minerals, herbs, fruits or vegetables that make up the supplement. They may be added to aid in absorption, make it easier to swallow or hold it’s shape. Have you noticed lately many calcium supplements being packaged as Calcium Citrate? This is because calcium is absorbed at a much higher percent in an acidic environment, so if the vitamin company packages the vitamin with an acid, there is less dependence on the consumer to take it at the right time or with the right foods. The citrate compound costs more than a carbonate compound found in some other calcium supplements, but you will be absorbing more calcium with the more expensive supplement.
Other fillers to consider that may be present in non-clinical grade supplements include: hydrogenated oils, artificial colors and sweeteners, magnesium stearate, (a lubricant used to prevent the vitamins sticking to each other) and titanium dioxide (a common pigment). These ingredients come with their own individual concerns in addition to preventing absorption within the body and lowering different aspects of your immune system. These are all ingredients allowed by the FDA to be used in food products, cosmetics, and dietary supplements. However, you will not find them in supplement brands you obtain through your doctor.
So how do you choose your supplements? The same way you choose your pharmaceuticals: leave it to the professionals. Doctors of all specialties and dieticians obsess over this stuff. We are constantly investigating different supplement manufacturers, keep up to date with the latest recommendations, and are always looking for better ways to help the body adapt and overcome health concerns. I firmly believe you should treat your dietary supplements with as much concern as the medications you take. Although the risks aren’t nearly as damaging as if you were to take a medication at the wrong time or for the wrong reason, taking the proper supplements under supervision of your health care professional can add vitality to your life.
Just the same as you would ask questions before a doctor places you on a new medication, asking many questions regarding your doctors’ thoughts on what they believe the supplement will do for you, why they think YOU need it, and how long before you should expect to see results are important. Be wary of professionals that seem to recommend the same supplements to everyone or seem to push a different product on you every time you enter their facility. With my patients, I hold an in-depth consultation to find out health goals, conditions they are managing, dietary concerns, etc, and then I order the supplements to fit their needs.
In conclusion, dietary supplements are an area of your health care where you definitely get what you pay for.
Sources:
http://draxe.com/4-dangerous-and-common-vitamin-fillers-you-must-avoid/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/07/24/pharmaceutical-drugs-vs-nutritional-supplements.aspx
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm118079.htm
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/about-cleveland-clinic/newsroom/releases-videos-newsletters/cleveland-clinic-opening-center-for-functional-medicine
Dr. Allen is the owner of Chiropractic Concierge, PLLC, myhomechiro.com