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Claims that certain supplements can cure anything and keep you healthy and wise have boosted the vitamin business to billions of dollars per year. Most people today want to stay young and avoid diseases and have bought into the idea of supplements to enhance their health. Side effects of supplements aren’t something they often think much about.
Health food stores in America abound with shelves laden with goods that promise miracles for your health. But there are certain dangers involved in surreptitiously ingesting vitamin supplements. Some risk occurs if you’re taking other medications that the supplements might have an adverse reaction to.
The Dangers of Vitamin Supplements
Some people think that “natural” is safe, but that isn’t always true. Some supplements that might endanger your health are:
- Weight loss supplements that contain “theophylline.” Theophylline is taken from a black tea extract and bitter orange. It’s sometimes prescribed for asthma but can cause seizures and irregular heartbeat.
- Aristolochia. An herb supplement that sometimes causes cancer or kidney failure.
- Bitter orange. This is a weight loss supplement that may cause seizures.
- Kava. It can be the source of liver failure.
- Pennyroyal. An herb that has been linked to nerve damage and liver and kidney failure.
- Comfrey. An herb that sometimes causes liver damage.
- Lobelia. An herb that can cause tremors, dizziness, breathing difficulties, and low blood pressure.
- Androstenedione. It can increase cancer risk and decrease good HDL cholesterol.
Despite possible side effects, there are many instances when supplements are effective. For example, if you’re a vegetarian, senior citizen, or a woman who’s menopausal or post-menopausal, you may not get all the vitamins you need.
People on a severe diet plan, smokers, heavy drinkers, and pregnant women may also need extra vitamins to supplement their diets because many vitamins are difficult to absorb. Gastric surgery people have a list that their doctors recommend for them.
It’s always best to consult a health professional if you suspect that your body needs dietary supplements. Also, check with the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to see if there are current bans on a particular supplement. The side effects of supplements can be serious if you don’t know what to look for.