5 Important Things Everyone Should Know About Supplements
Supplements have grown in popularity over the last decade. The American demographic has slowly progressed to include vitamins and supplements in their diet.
Vitamins deficiency to heart health and skin foods, dietary supplements are a way to take charge of your health and be proactive about it.
Social media and commercials too, have played a major part in the inclusion of supplements in the American diet. However, taking supplements without enough knowledge could be devastating. Today, this blog walks you through 5 facts that you should know before getting supplements from a dispensing physician.
5 Facts About Supplements Everyone Should Know
Supplements Can Be Taken in Different Forms
Supplements are always powdered; in fact, many of them come as pills or liquids too. A supplement usually contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, herbs, and botanicals. Mostly the average person will consume multivitamins. Multivitamins combine all the good stuff without having to take a dozen pills each day. Nevertheless, you can also buy supplements with a single ingredient for targeted consumption.
Some Supplements May Work for Some People and Not for Others
Just because supplement A gave dramatic results to your friend doesn't mean it will work equally well for you. Sometimes, you may not even notice any prominent results. This is because, unlike medicines, supplements work on the lower rung of metabolism. Think of them as some sort of superfood. Different bodies process food differently, and so is the case with supplements.
Another important point to remember in this regard is that supplements are never the cure or prevention for diseases. It is even illegal for manufacturers to claim so of their products.
Not All Supplements Are Safe
The FDA only has a limited role in regulating the safety and lawfulness of dietary supplements. Of course, pharmaceutical companies meticulously vet their products before putting them on shelves, but in the absence of stringent FDA regulations, it does not guarantee that the supplements are of the same quality as advertised. This only emphasizes why dispensing physicians are the safest way to acquire supplements.
Even then, as buyers, we suggest you take on the ‘beware and informed’ stance before getting a new supplement. While most supplements do not contain anything blatantly harmful to your health, but there are some additives that can make certain essential medications less effective.
This includes vitamin K, which makes blood thinners ineffectual, and St. John’s wort which reduces the efficiency of anti-depressives and birth control. Gingko is itself a blood thinner. Herbal additives like kava and comfrey can have adverse effects on your liver. If you are an active smoker, beta-carotene and vitamin A can aggravate the risk of lung cancer.
You Should Always Speak with Your Doctor Before Taking a Supplement
As discussed in the third point, dietary supplements can interfere with regular prescription drugs. If you take vitamins and minerals in doses larger than recommended, it can cause unpleasant side effects.
The same goes for botanicals and herbs. Inform your doctor whenever you start taking a new supplement; they will know better if it can obtrude your well-being. If you wish to include supplements in your diet, ask your doctor for recommendations. It is safer if you get them from a dispensing physician too.
Remember that Supplements Are Not a Replacement for A Healthy Diet
Never ever try to replace your regular diet with supplements. No matter how potent your supplements are, they are no match for a healthy, balanced, and nutritious diet. Eat your greens, fibers, and healthy carbs. The diet should be the primary source of vitamins and minerals. Supplements are just primarily used to target a slew of particular nutrients for a specific purpose.
PD-RX Pharmaceuticals offers an entire line of pharmaceutical repackaging and management software for point-of-care dispensing. Physician dispensing improves patient communication and compliance in addition to enhancing convenience.
For more information on our products and services, reach out to us at (800) 299-7379.
Disclaimer: The information on this page is not intended to be a doctor's advice, nor does it create any form of patient-doctor relationship.