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The use of herbal supplements is gradually growing globally, and it raises concerns about the safety of people. The supplement industry has the best products to achieve massive profits in the future. According to the Center for Responsible Nutrition’s 2021 Annual Survey, supplements are used by about 51% of American adults in the last year. People have become more knowledgeable and focused on health; they pay more attention to their diets and try harder to improve their health.

These supplements are an essential part of your integrative medicine intake. Many issues surround us, like potency, impurity, and the imposition of existing laws, legitimate concerns for medical professionals and consumers.

Myth 1: FDA(Food & Drug Administration) approves all supplements:

There is no need for supplements to get a safe mark from the Food and Drug Administration stated by Dena Champion, a dietitian at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center. The FDA’s role starts after the supplements come on sale in the market. The supplement companies are required to inform the FDA, and only then the FDA can take the case forward.

Myth 2: It’s safe to consume herbal supplements because they’re natural.

Conforming to the Office of Dietary Supplements(ODS), part of the National Institutes of Health, many factors affect an herb’s safety or botanical such as its form of existence, dose, and how it works on the body. The reactions range from mild to powerful, and most of the herbal supplements can make interactions with prescribed drugs, which either increases or decreases the potency of the drug.

Myth 3: The best supplements are “Whole Food” supplements.

According to the Consumer Lab, no clear benefits are received from the whole food supplements. On comparing natural and synthetic forms of vitamins in supplements, sometimes results show that natural vitamins are superior. While sometimes synthetic is excellent, and sometimes the results don’t even matter. In conclusion, we can say that all supplements can help prevent or treat deficiencies, and when dozed highly, all the supplements can become harmful.

Myth 4: The labeled data is scientific.

Supplement labels can straightforwardly claim that the supplements address a nutrient deficiency, support health, or be linked to a particular body function such as immunity, bone health, heart health, or cognitive function). Scientific traces may not necessarily back up the claim. Supplement labels with health claims should include a disclaimer that reads,” This has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.” The FDA and the Federal Trade Commission can take action if a supplement on the market has false or misleading claims, but this isn’t easy to monitor.

Myth 5: You need a multivitamin for “insurance.”

No solid evidence supports the use of multivitamins for people who are eating a healthy diet. Still, the ODS suggests that people who don’t get enough vitamins and minerals from food because they are on a low-calorie diet, have a poor appetite, or avoid certain food groups should consider taking a multivitamin/mineral.

Myth 6: It’s been used for thousands of years, so it must work.

Knowing that a herb has been used to make medicines in ancient times for thousands of years is good but is no convincing evidence that it works or is safe. If small amounts of a plant caused painful or dangerous reactions right away, it probably wouldn’t have been used in ancient times as folk medicine or traditional medical systems. But conventional medical systems thousands or even hundreds of years ago did not have the scientific methods to detect long-term side effects. If a plant seemed useful over the short term but increased the risk of chronic diseases with time like (cancer, heart failure, or kidney failure), those side effects would leave unnoticed after years of use. Sometimes, when a patient’s condition gets worse after using an herb, the worsening may not have ever been linked to the treatment itself.

Myth 7: Vitamin and mineral supplements keep the heart healthier.

The ideology behind the fact that vitamin and mineral supplements will protect our hearts is encouraging. A famous writer in 2018 wrote some knowledgeable facts in his published work “A large review and meta-analysis”:

“Generally, the information on the famous supplements (multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin C) show no regular benefit for the prevention of {cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction, or stroke}, nor was there a benefit for all-cause mortality to support their continued use.”

Myth 8: You should take herbal supplements on an empty stomach.

Most of the vitamins are water-soluble- meaning they dissolve in water and will be absorbed by the body at almost any time of the day, regardless of what’s in your stomach. There are four fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K, that can only be absorbed with fat, so if you are taking a multivitamin that includes a fat-soluble vitamin. It’s best to take it with a little food containing fat in your stomach. Also, a lot of people find that taking a supplement on an empty stomach makes them nauseous.

Myth 9: Supplements always play well together

Some supplements help each other in functioning. For example, Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron. Rest work against each other; calcium blocks the absorption of iron and zinc blocks copper absorption can be taken as an example of such supplements. So taking high doses of one nutrient can cause a deficiency of another.

To play it safe, let your doctor know about every supplement you’re taking, even if you think it’s harmless. Many vitamins and minerals and herbal supplements have side effects ranging from a rash to stomach upset. They can also interact with medications and other vitamins.

The use of supplements will remain an essential part of people’s healthy lifestyle. Taking supplements will enhance your health, but if you plan to take supplements and have an existing condition, you should first speak with your doctor.

Source: Myths About Supplements

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