In addition, unlike with drugs, theU.S.
In other words, theregulation of dietary supplementsis much less strict than it is for prescription or OTC drugs.
Used properly, some supplements may improve your health, but others can be ineffective or even harmful.
The same went for dietary changes, except for a low-salt diet.
Chan School of Public Health in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Many supplements on the market have not been rigorously tested.
Very few supplements have been shown to be of benefit."
And, she says, many carry unsubstantiated health claims.
But vitamin D supplements are a tricky topic.
Sometimes, it can seem that guidelines and research contradict each other.
The truth is, enthusiasm forvitamin D supplementsis outpacing the evidence.
And high doses are not a good option.
It may also raise the risk of heart attack and stroke.
More is not necessarily better when it comes to micronutrient supplements, says Dr. Manson.
Keep in mind that vitamin D supplements and medications can interact with each other.
Small studies have shown St. Johns wort to be effective at treating mild depression.
Calcium deficiency, or hypocalcemia, may be detected by routine blood tests.
Multivitamins did little or nothing to protect against common cancers, cardiovascular disease, or death.
Other research has found benefits to taking multivitamins.
Overall, research on whether multivitamins actually promote health is mixed.
Yet increasing evidence suggests that fish oil supplements have questionable benefits.
An earlierstudyanalyzed people at high risk for cardiovascular disease and also reported no benefit.
Currently, theres not enough positive evidence for doctors to prescribe fish oil supplements to every patient, though.
One important drug interaction with omega-3 supplements is Coumadin (warfarin).
Still, many people fail to consume enough omega-3s in their diet for optimal health.
According to the NIH, the following are some food sources of EPA, DHA, and ALA omega-3s.
Anearlier, smaller studyalso showed that taking kava significantly reduced anxiety compared with a placebo in people with GAD.
Soy Isolate: Careful With Estrogen?
But again, this is theoretical and more studies are needed.
Her writing has appeared inDiscover,Scientific American, TheWeek.com,Newsweek, andPopular Science.
She has a master’s degree from the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism.
Melinda Carstensen is an award-winning reporter, copywriter, and editor who specializes in health and wellness media.
She lives in Rochester, New York, with her family.
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