When it comes to dietary supplements, companies have to say “check with your doctor.” But it’s often a hollow statement because there’s a general lack of education and knowledge about dietary supplements in health care, and the manufacturers know that!
This is slowly changing though, maybe thanks to the $30 billion that’s now being plowed into the supplement industry annually. Whether you’re seeing a conventional or alternative practitioner, investigate the supplements you’re interested in, and when you go to consult with them, take this book with you. Supplement research is moving as fast as any research now, and it’s up to you to help your practitioner arrive at the right decision.
“Should I trust the supplements my doctor sells?”
This used to appall me since there is usually such a large markup and an overall lack of scientific knowledge about the products, but over time I’ve relaxed my take on this a little bit. If a patient benefits from a doctor selling supplements at his office—often called nutraceuticals—then I think it’s okay, as long as the patient knows this is a moneymaking venture. Ideally, the health care professional should let patients know that they can look for whatever the active ingredient is in another product. Unless there is outstanding quality control and the product has been well tested, I would look for a cheaper alternative.
“I’m on the ________ diet. Should I take supplements to counteract deficiencies?”
Every fad diet has the potential to cause nutrient deficiencies because it usually involves eliminating a particular aspect of a normal diet. It’s your job to thoroughly investigate the plan to see what might be lacking. Juicing diets can lack sufficient fiber. Vegans might get less iron, zinc, B12, or vitamin D and may need to take a multi-vitamin or two daily and religiously. Ketogenic dieters (those whose diets consist of 70 to 90 percent fat, low protein, and virtually no carbs) might need extra calcium, vitamin D, and fiber.
The problem with making blanket statements about what supplements are needed with certain diets is that most dieters only follow some version of the diet or they’re not 100 percent compliant every day. I always recommend keeping a food diary for a week and then analyzing what you might be missing (and first trying to fill that gap with food when possible).
Another related but much more involved solution is to compare the nutrients in your diet with the contents of a children’s multivitamin (or you can have a dietitian do it for you). This gives you a baseline of what you should be getting through food. Just don’t let a magazine or book tell you what you have to supplement; investigate it for yourself.
The Supplement Handbook - Mark Moyad
