Let’s talk about supplements…
This month we’re focusing on one of the scariest and most devastating things in healthcare: SCAMS!
Whether it’s a “revolutionary” anti-aging cream or a pill that can help you lose weight—BE SKEPTICAL! Health scams are a multi-billion dollar industry, but they’re completely avoidable. Last week we talked about how to spot scams, and now we’re going to put those skills to work on claims about supplements!
Before we start, it’s worth mentioning what supplements actually are. Short for “dietary supplements”, they’re regulated by the FDA just like medications are. That being said, the regulations are very different! Supplements are intended to help fill gaps in our diet, but that’s all they’re supposed to do! According to the NIH, they’re “not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure diseases”, despite what companies might claim!
Now, let’s look at some claims:
Vitamin A:
“Our supplements are rich in vitamin A, and can restore your vision!”
What’s wrong with this claim? Well, it’s very sneaky because it’s actually based in some truth. Vitamin A is an important part of our diet that contributes to adequate vision development, but it’s not going to magically restore your vision.
Depression and Mood:
“Our smoothies are rich in vitamins scientifically proven to cure depression and increase mood!”
Let’s look a little deeper. There are lots of vitamin deficiencies that can contribute to a decreased mood, like vitamin B6, B12, and folate. That being said, if you do have depression, these vitamins aren’t going to treat or cure it! And if you don’t have a deficiency in these vitamins, they’ll just go straight through your body. A very expensive bathroom break!
Elderberry:
“Our elderberry gummies can help treat colds, flu, and even COVID-19!”
You probably know what’s wrong with this one! It’s a supplement, not a medication—so you shouldn’t trust any claim about it treating or preventing disease! We saw a lot of elderberry companies making extravagant claims about COVID during the pandemic, but “there is no good evidence to support its use”, according to the NIH. Great job!
Kava:
“These supplements contain Kava, which is known to treat anxiety and insomnia!”
What’s the problem? Well, it’s a supplement making claims about treating disease! This is an interesting case because kava is a central nervous system depressant, which means it behaves much like alcohol when it comes to an individual’s mood. The problem, though, is that it’s regulated as a supplement in the US—not a medication! We currently have serious concerns about serious or fatal liver poisoning resulting from kava, and it’s actually been banned in many countries including the UK and Canada for this reason.
Essential Oils:
“Walk around acne free with our specialized shampoo formula containing tea tree oil!”
What’s wrong? You got it! It’s another supplement claim about treating or curing something, which is what medications are for! Acne is a medical condition, and the FDA doesn’t examine tea tree oil’s efficacy in treating it! Overall, the evidence isn’t sufficient to make these claims, according to the NIH. It’s worth mentioning that all essential oils are considered supplements regardless of if they’re ingested or not. So the same rule applies for essential oil diffusers, topical ointments, and those used in cooking: they’re not intended to treat or cure anything!
We get most vitamins from the foods we eat, and they aren’t going to do anything if they’re already supplied by our diet. If you have questions about vitamin deficiency in your own diet, you should talk to your care team. They can help you find what vitamins, if any, you’re missing and can even help adjust your diet to include them!
If you ever have questions about dietary supplements or anything else, I’m a licensed pharmacist and am here to help with whatever you need!