Filed under: Dietary supplements
A recent article in the Washington Post has a story reporting that steroids are readily available through Amazon.com, according to a prominent anti-doping researcher who ordered several dietary supplements from the consumer Web site and tested them to verify that they indeed contained potent, illegal - and potentially dangerous - oral steroids.
Click below to access the article.
According to a recent article in Stars and Stripes, Military doctors are worried that certain energy supplements could lead to heart problems in U.S. troops, particularly those serving in combat zones.
Click below to access the article.
The FDA held a press conference on 12/15/2010 announcing that it was sending a letter to all dietary supplement trade associations, as well as posting a message to consumers, about the growing problem related to the sale of various misbranded drug products masquerading as "dietary supplements."
Click on link to read the announcement.
Click here for the [PDF] file.
Photo: Shutterstock.comThe Montreal Gazette is reporting that a new study made public yesterday links glucosamine, a popular over-the-counter dietary supplement for joint problems with a risk of developing diabetes. The study, which was published in the Journal of Endocrinology, looks at in-vitro cell lines from mice and rats.
The experiment showed that the supplement triggers a mechanism intended to lower high blood sugar levels, but it also destroyed about 50 per cent of the cells by affecting SIRT1, a protein crucial to cell survival.
Click on link to access the article.
Protein powder supplements are a popular source for packing on muscle. The September 27, 2010 edition Health section of the L.A. Times contains an article that poses the question of how much supplements, if any, should one use in building muscle mass?
Wandering down the aisle of a store looking for a dietary supplement can be overwhelming and intimidating. There are so many to choose from, and we often have to make our choices based on advertising claims and rely on the manufacturers for ingredient information. Does the supplement actually have the ingredients claimed on the label? Will it have the reported effect on our health?
The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database is the “scientific gold standard” for evidence-based information on dietary supplements and natural medicines, including drug interactions, effectiveness, safety and use, and more. HPRC has partnered with Natural Medicines Database to allow healthcare providers, Warfighters, and military families to search this comprehensive database in order to make informed decisions about dietary supplement use. The Natural Medicines Database also has “Natural MedWATCH,” which allows users to report an adverse event associated with the use of dietary supplements or natural medicines so that they can then forward the report on to the appropriate regulatory agency.
By going to the HPRC homepage, users can access any of the three database choices provided: Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database for Health Professionals, Consumers, or Natural MedWATCH. After choosing one of the sites, first-time users should sign up for an account, which is done with an active DoD email address. Once inside this vast database, a user can search for an individual natural medicine ingredient of interest or a brand name product.
The professional version of the database includes:
- Evidence-based monographs available for individual natural ingredients.
- Scientific names of ingredients
- Information on safety, effectiveness, mechanism of action, adverse reactions, interactions, and dosage/administration (which are not necessarily recommended or safe doses) of ingredients
- Patient handouts
- Brand-name product searches by ingredient
- “Natural Product Effectiveness Checker” for medical conditions
- “Natural Product Drug Interaction Checker” for a list of drugs/natural products interactions
- Comprehensive information on brand-name products, including ingredient lists and summary reports on effectiveness, interactions, and adverse effects.
- Up-to-date information for over 60,000 brand name products
The consumer version, for military families and Warfighters, contains the same research-based information on herbal remedies, dietary supplements and other natural products, but in an easier-to-understand version. An important point consumers should be aware of is that it may be necessary to research each individual ingredient in a product before making a decision to use it for health benefits.
So, if you want to find credible, evidence-based information on dietary supplements and/or natural products, search the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. Evaluating natural health products can be daunting and there is no other comprehensive, reliable site like it to guide you in making your decision.
There is a growing trend in the U.S. of consumers using a variety of dietary supplements in hopes of getting healthier, warding off disease and easing symptoms of various conditions.
In a September 14, 2010 article, The Wall Street Journal reports that the federal government is stepping up research into the safety and effectiveness of a wide range of products to help consumers make more informed choices about supplements. The article in full-text can be accessed here.
The Columbus Dispatch (Ohio) recently ran a five-day series titled "Little leagues, big costs" In this series, The Dispatch explores where youth sports have taken wrong turns in recent years.
The link below from that series contains an article that focuses on the dangers of how some unregulated dietary supplements are being targeted at teens
Supplements target teens, pose dangers and are virtually unregulated
Popular energy drinks promise superior athletic performance and weight loss but do the claims hold up? Not always, according to a study conducted by researchers from Nova Southeastern University. According to the study, energy drinks may increase athletic performance and aerobic benefits. The researchers found conflicting evidence regarding the impact of energy drinks on weight loss, although some data suggest that combining energy drink use with exercise may enhance body fat reduction.
In a report from the September 2010 issue of Consumer Reports®, the twelve most dangerous dietary supplements posing health risks have been identified. According to the report, these are dietary supplements which are taken by millions of Americans and have been found to cause serious health problems, including cardiovascular, liver, and kidney problems.
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