Last night ABC World News had a feature on the latest attack on supplements – a study done by the University of Minnesota on the Iowa Women’s Health Study. It was printed in the Archives of Internal Medicine. If you watched it and it made you anxious, consider the following:
- Every year 100,000 people die from legally prescribed, properly dosed pharmaceuticals. That’s one person every five minutes! Perhaps big pharma is on the defensive?
- In 2008 the last year recorded for this data, the American Association of Poison Control Centers reported that not one person died from taking a vitamin or mineral supplement.
- In 2000, National Institute of Health reported about 43 % of hospital emergency admissions for drug overdoses (nearly 500,000 people!) happened because of misused prescription drugs.
- In the October 10, 2011 issue of First for Women, Archives of Internal Medicine was referenced for this statistic – “70 is the average number of potential side effects that accompany a single prescription drug!â€
- Ever listen, really listen, to those prescription drug commercials that end with the litany of side effects? They’re worse than the symptoms for which the drug is taken to treat! I bet you’ve never heard that in a dietary supplement commercial, have you?
- In evaluating any research, always ask yourself “Who funded the study?” When it comes to research, universities are no long the bastion of neutrality they once were – they are very heavily funded by pharmaceutical companies and big corporations. They wouldn’t dare bite the hand that feeds them.
- Â The Archives of Internal Medicine is a publication of JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association) and the American Medical Association, which receive major funding for their publications from advertising from the drug companies. Can you say conflict of interest?
They don’t mention the types of supplements the study participants took. Were they cheap big-box variety supplements with fillers and questionable quality? Are they referring to ANY supplement?
A response to the study from the Council on Responsible Nutrition says. ‘…dietary supplements are commonly taken to prevent chronic disease…’ The statement would be more accurate with the addition of ONE word: dietary supplements are commonly taken to HELP prevent chronic disease. Dietary supplements should not be expected, in and of themselves, and without the synergy of other healthy habits, to prevent chronic disease.”
Natural Healthy Concepts sells a variety of professional grade supplements as well as research-based retail brands, to bring you the highest quality return on your investment. You are the captain of your own ship when it comes to your health and, as our tagline reads, “your health is the best investment you’ll ever make.” We trust you will consider this latest attack on supplements with real discernment and place it where it belongs….in the circular file!
As with ANY research, we must look for the monetary support behind the study as well as if it CLEARLY spells out the Who, What, When, Where & Why.
Related articles
- CRN responds to study on supplements and mortality (newhope360.com)
- http://www.gaia-health.com/articles401/000412-poison-control-report-herb-vitamin-deaths.shtml
