Dietary Supplements Report

SCI 241

University of Phoenix

Dietary Supplements have become a major industry lately. The more education is released about supplements the more people go out and try to buy them. There are some concerns about supplements that should be addressed to everyone. It is good to know the effects, good and bad, before consuming those products.

Dietary supplements are quite simply, substances added to diet that help nourish the body. They come in the form of pills, capsules, tablets or liquids. Supplements contain vitamins, minerals and/or proteins that are used in conjunction to a diet to help the overall nutrition. Some supplements contain fillers or other items to help in the digestion process.

There are some big benefits to dietary supplements that make them popular. One being that it takes some of the guess work out. Since the dietary value is listed on the bottle, one can instantly know how much to take. Another benefit is that a trip to the doctor is not required. If a person wants to start taking a certain protein, they can just go to a local drugstore and find it. Some people may be intolerant to certain food items and may not be able to receive the correct amount of supplements in their diet. It may be necessary for those type of people to take supplements. Also, people with certain conditions that make a deficiency in the body, would greatly benefit from dietary supplements. Those are just a few reasons people may be interested in supplements.

Just like having benefits, there are also some risks that are associated with taking supplements. Unfortunately the risks are not empathized enough. People are set on curing themselves at times and do not know about the negatives of dietary supplements. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) keeps a list of supplements that are tainted with other products. Shereen Jegtvig (2013) explains that using most supplements in moderation should be harmless. Once you begin to take large doses, the supplement may become toxic to the body. Another thing mentioned is that the supplements may counteract with other medications and diminish or magnify its potency.

The Food and Drug Administration is in charge of overseeing the supplement market in the United States. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 was passed in order to give some type of protection to consumers. The FDA (2013) states that, “manufacturers do not need to register their products with FDA or get FDA approval before producing and selling dietary supplements.” Take basically means that anyone can come up with an idea to sell these products. It may be very disheartening to know that there are products being made, labeled and sold which may contain dangerous contents it in. The manufacturer is wholly liable for any ingredients in the product and the FDA is responsible after the product is in the market. The manufacturer is also required to inform the FDA of serious adverse events. In reality, there is not enough information that is shared with consumers prior to them taking the supplement.

People with certain health conditions find relief in taking supplements. GERD is a gastrointestinal condition that includes the inability to digest food properly. Some of the symptoms include heartburn, acid indigestion, sore throat and breathing problems. One supplement that may aid in the relief efforts is Calcium. It may be ingested by a calcium carbonate pill or simply drinking milk. Usually that is enough to soothe the condition. The downside of taking too much calcium is that one may develop osteoporosis, constipation or kidney stones. One big implication is that calcium interferes with antibiotics in the body. Other conditions may arise if one has hypothyroidism and having too much calcium in the blood stream.

Ultimately the consumer must be fully conscious of taking supplements. There can be conditions in taking supplements that will be the catalyst for more issues. On the other hand supplements may be able to treat symptoms or conditions entirely. Consumers have the ultimate control in what and how they choose to supplement.