JustCare

Category: Supplements

  • Vitamin B12 supplements

    Vitamin B12 supplements

    Is there any evidence that vitamin supplements benefit a healthy person? You’ve heard me ask this question before, about vitamin E supplements , about vitamin B6 supplements, and about vitamin C supplements. The answer is no. And, the answer is no for vitamin B12 supplements as well.

    Forget the advertisements. There is no rationale for otherwise healthy people to take a vitamin B12 supplement to improve their cognitive function or for any other reason.

    Not only should you stop before buying vitamin supplements–watch John Oliver for a funny explanation here, but there is also concern that supplements you buy at the drug store or vitamin superstore are not what you think they are. Because the FDA does not regulate these supplements, they may not be safe or as described on their label, either as pure or as strong.

    This all said, you should talk to your doctor if you are feeling weak or tired, or have sensory problems, including tingling in your feet or hands or you are experiencing memory problems. Some people cannot absorb B12 from food or are not receiving enough in their food because of dietary choices (e.g, vegetarians) and may benefit from an oral B12 prescription or an injection after laboratory testing demonstrates a B12 deficiency. It could prevent further decline or even reverse these conditions.  And, if you are a vegan you should talk to your doctor about taking a B12 supplement because the way to get B12  is through eating clams, salmon, trout, liver, beef, cereal and eggs and drinking milk, most of which  is lacking in a vegan’s diet.

    Keep in mind though that you should not decide on your own to take a B12 supplement no matter what symptoms you have. Vitamin B12 supplements should be used cautiously if you have any of a number of health conditions or if you are allergic to cobalt. So, do not go out and buy a vitamin B12 supplement without first talking to your doctor.

  • Herbal supplements may not be what you think they are

    Herbal supplements may not be what you think they are

    The New York State Attorney General’s office just issued a press release revealing that many “herbal supplements” sold in big retail stores are not what they appear to be.  Indeed, many “herbal supplements” sold at Walmart, Target, Walgreens and GNC lack even a trace of the herbs listed on their containers. And, many contain filler ingredients not listed on their labels.

    In the overwhelming majority of cases, DNA testing of store-brand herbal supplements such as Echinacea, St. John’s Wort and Ginseng revealed not even a trace of the herbs listed on the products’ labels. Only 21 percent of the time did the DNA testing confirm DNA from the plants listed on the labels. Walmart-brand herbal supplements were the most misleading, with only 4 percent of the DNA tests showing DNA from the plants listed. More than a third of the tests (35 percent) revealed contaminants and fillers in the products not listed on the products labels.

    Shockingly, the US Food and Drug Administration provides very little regulatory oversight of these supplements. They require that companies selling the products test them only for safety and that their manufacturers adhere to good practices that would keep them from mislabeling the supplements. But, there are no real protections in place for consumers.

    As it is, there is very little data to suggest that these herbal supplements are of any health or wellness value. David Schardt, senior nutritionist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest advises “consumers should stop wasting their money in the herbal supplements aisle.”

    The Attorney General has written to each of the retailers to ask that they stop selling these supplements.  It is illegal to sell products with misleading labels.  The question is whether the retailers will be removing the supplements from their shelves throughout the country.  It’s hard to imagine that the problem resides in New York State alone.

  • Supplements: John Oliver vs. Dr. Oz

    Supplements: John Oliver vs. Dr. Oz

    For decades now the dietary supplement industry has been marketing magic, and the comedian John Oliver just took the industry to task.  He also makes hay of Dr. Oz for promoting these supplements as magic pills on his TV show.  Click play to watch above.

    In brief, there is virtually no regulatory oversight of dietary supplements, including all those miracle vitamin pills you see advertised everywhere you turn.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lacks the authority to regulate the industry, except when there is evidence of serious injury to Americans.  And, then, it can take a long time—many people can die and many more can become seriously ill before the FDA has the ability to take the product off the market.  Ephedra is one case in point.

    Consumer groups have lobbied to give the FDA greater oversight over the multi-billion dollar dietary supplement industry.  The industry, in turn, has lobbied Congress heavily to stay away.  Senators Harkin and Hatch, two of many members of Congress who have received substantial campaign dollars from the industry, have been its chief proponents, fending off efforts to enable FDA oversight.

    Before you spend another dime on a dietary supplement, watch this video.  And, read our Take Care posts on why you should eat oranges, leafy greens, nuts and eggs over vitamin supplements, including Vitamins B6, C and E.  Save your money!

    Here’s more from Just Care:

  • Muscle matters, but protein shakes matter much less

    Muscle matters, but protein shakes matter much less

    I’d like to offer some advice on protein shakes.  It’s a great thing to be building your muscles, especially as you get older.  But, you may be surprised to learn that there is no good evidence that eating more proteins, much less taking protein supplements, builds muscles.  In fact, the evidence suggests that most Americans already get all the protein we need in our diet, perhaps even more than we need.That said, one study from the NIH of women and men in their 70’s showed that people who ate less protein lost “significantly more” muscle than people who ate more protein.  And, as we age, it is important to maintain muscle, particularly in our legs and hips to prevent falls and injuries.
    But, most of us do not need more protein in our diets.  As a general rule, weight loss results from eating fewer calories, not from eating less protein.  And, as far as protein shakes and powders are concerned, the evidence is paltry at best, that they are a better source of protein than food.  In special cases—where an individual cannot take in enough protein–you should talk to a doctor about whether protein supplements could help.There is no conclusive data as to whether too much protein is bad for you.  But, some people with particular health conditions, like diabetes, should limit the amount of protein they eat. And, if you have kidney disease, limiting protein intake could delay the onset of kidney failure.Of note, lean meat is a great source of protein.  So is chicken, fish, nuts, seeds and vegetables.  And, if you’re a vegetarian, rice and beans as well as peanut butter, bread and eggs should give you all the protein you need.Read more about what the NIH has to say about this, by clicking here.