ments refer to any health products that can
supplement our diet. They include vitamins, minerals, amino
acids, digestive enzymes, Probiotics, herbal supplements,
glandular extracts and dietary fibers etc.
The consumption of dietary supplements has been rising every
year. Whereas many people believe that dietary supplements can
improve their health or prevent certain diseases, some consumer
groups or medical professionals have warned that dietary
supplements can be dangerous. So, the question is: are dietary
supplements really dangerous? Unfortunately, the question does
not have a simple answer.
Dietary supplements, by its broad definition, include thousands
of different products. In 2004, Consumer Reports listed 12
potentially dangerous dietary supplements. Many of them are
herbal products. Some of these herbs have been used by
herbalists for hundreds of years and are considered as safe.
However, when the active substances in these herbs are
extracted in pure or concentrated form and consumed over
prolonged period, they can be dangerous to some people.
Many dietary supplements such as vitamins and minerals are safe
and can supplement what is missing in our diet. However, even
the benign supplement can become dangerous in overdose. In
local news, a woman was reported to give her two teenage
daughters mega dose of vitamin A for prolonged period, thinking
that the supplement is good for the eyes. Both suffered from
acute liver failure and one required a liver transplant to save
her life. Vitamin A is not dangerous but mega dose of vitamin A
is hepatotoxic. In this case, ignorance itself is dangerous!
The quality of dietary supplement is also an important factor.
The presence of contaminations, such as heavy metal, drugs, and
toxic substances can make a benign supplement dangerous. One
example is the presence of microcystin toxin in blue green
algae dietary supplements. Microcystins are natural toxins from
certain strains of blue green algae that can cause liver damage
and liver tumors. According to the research conducted by Health
Canada, only one strain of blue green algae, Spirulina, is free
from microcystins as Spirulina is harvested from controlled
ponds. Most of the non-Spirulina blue green algae supplements
are contaminated by microcystins, especially those harvested
from natural lakes. Daily consumption of these dietary
supplements would exceed the acceptable level of microcystin
intake established by Health Canada and WHO.
Good manufacturing practice (GMP) is another key factor to
safeguard the quality and safety of dietary supplements.
Dietary supplement manufacturers in compliance of GMP standards
have to test the identity of raw materials, implement a quality
control unit, provide expiration date for the finished
products, maintain good records of batch production and written
procedures, and hire personnel who are trained to understand and
follow GMP. This practice can reduce the chance of having batch
to batch variation in strength, composition, purity and quality
of finished products.
To sum up, although most dietary supplements are safe when
consumed according to the label, consumers are advised to
educate themselves before taking these supplements. What are
the functions of these supplements? How long should I be taking
them? Are they manufactured by reputable companies in compliance
of good manufacturing practices? Never consume more than the
recommended dose unless supervised by health care
professionals. If you are pregnant, breast feeding, or
suffering from pre-existing health conditions, you should also
take extra precaution and consult with your doctors or
nutritionists.
About The Author: Kwan H Lo is the owner of
http://vitaminstores.4reviews.net, a review site providing
information on high quality dietary supplements such as New
Chapter, Garden of Life, Enzymatic Therapy, etc.
Please use the HTML version of this article at:
http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid#128042
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