Supplementing Safely

Health and wellness are hot topics on the internet.  The news media regularly report on the most recent scientific findings about diet and nutrition.  The health and wellness industry pitches us their products, and friends, family members, and co-workers enthusiastically share their tips.  Within this tidal wave of health and wellness information are solid facts, working hypotheses, popular misconceptions, rumors, hoaxes, and sales pitches. 

When trying to choose dietary supplements, it is not always easy to sort the good advice from the bad.  The US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) “Tips for the Savvy Supplement User” makes these suggestions:

• Don’t confuse the newest study with personalized health advice.  News releases do not necessarily tell the whole story about a study’s results.
• Before taking supplements, consult your health care provider if you take prescription or over-the-counter medications, or if you plan to have surgery.  Supplements can interact with medications and anesthesia.
• Remember that supplements are not a replacement for a balanced diet.  Get nutritional information from a reliable source, like the National Academy of Sciences web site.
• Avoid products with too-good-to-be-true claims.
• Remember that dietary supplements are regulated differently than drugs.
• The FDA does not test supplements before they go on the market.
• Manufacturers are responsible for ensuring the safety and efficacy of their products, as well as the truthfulness of their labeling.
• You can contact the manufacturer for more information about safety, efficacy, and quality control before buying the product.
• Products that are natural or lacking warnings on their labels are not necessarily safe.

If you have a serious adverse reaction to a supplement, you or your doctor can report it to the FDA by calling 1-800-FDA-1088 or by filling out a MedWatch form on the FDA web site.

Despite all the misinformation available, there are trustworthy, informative sites to consult about supplements.  More information can be found at the following sites:

•  The FDA web site’s section on dietary supplements
• The National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine web site
• The National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements web site

Vitamin D and Sun Exposure: Weighing the Risks and Benefits

According to the National Center for Health Statistic’s March 2011 data brief, entitled “Vitamin D Status: United States, 2001-2006,” one-third of Americans are at risk for vitamin D inadequacy and 8% are at risk for vitamin D deficiency.  Vitamin D, which is vital for the maintenance for healthy bones and osteoporosis prevention, is synthesized by the skin in response to exposure to the sun.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 80%-90% of the vitamin D in our bodies comes from sun exposure. This fact has some of us wondering about the risks and benefits of sun exposure. The unseasonably warm and sunny spring in the Midwest has tempted many of us to venture out into the sun earlier in the year than usual, but keep in mind that NIH warn that the risk of skin cancer from UV rays outweighs the benefits of increased vitamin D production.  They recommend using sunscreen and protective clothing when going out into the sun for more than a few minutes, and instead relying on dietary intake or supplementation to maintain adequate levels of vitamin D.

There is some controversy over what constitutes adequate daily intake, but current recommendations from the Institute of Medicine are 200IU daily until the age of 50, 600IU for pregnant and breastfeeding women, 400IU daily for people aged 50-70, and 600IU for those over 70 years of age. Vitamin D can be found in fatty fish, like salmon and tuna, mushrooms, and vitamin D fortified foods, or by taking vitamin D supplements.  To prevent osteoporosis, rather than getting some rays, the NIH suggests not smoking or drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, getting regular exercise, and eating a healthy diet with enough vitamin D and calcium.  For more information, see:

http://www.cdc.gov/nutritionreport/part_2b.html

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-QuickFacts/

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db59.htm#ref1

-Jamie Neuendorf